by Calico C

Created on: September 16, 2009   Last Updated: February 07, 2011

Babies are very vulnerable little people and we all want to do our best to protect them at the same time as help them to develop. We trust manufacturers that they would have tested and ensured all of their products are safe, however, there are still some products out there which are not safe for babies.

* The bumbo.

The bumbo is a baby seat which is aimed at babies who are about 4 months old and are unable to sit up unaided. The seat helps to support children's backs so that they can sit upright. Although many babies enjoy sitting in these seats they are actually very unsafe as they do not have any straps or safety harnesses in which you can clip around your infant to ensure that they can't fall out. Babies are able to arch their backs and push off the floor and can flip themselves out of this seat so it's important that if you do buy one of these that you are present with your child at all times whilst they're sitting in it and that you never use it as a bath seat or on a table top.

*Baby Walkers.

Baby walkers create many accidents yet are very popular products which people buy to try to encourage their children to walk. Babies should be encouraged to strengthen their leg muscles but only in a safe way. A baby walker sit your child in a crouched position so they're legs are bent which can have developmental problems on their bone structure. Also there are many accidents involving baby walkers where young children have fallen down the stairs. If you do buy a baby walker make sure that you are very careful whilst your baby is toddling around in it so that you can prevent an accident from happening. Also make sure that you don't have your child in it for long- the recommended time is 20 minutes.

* Moses basket quilts.

Moses baskets are the little beds in which very young babies sleep. The majority of them come with a sheet and quilt set. A young baby should never sleep under a quilt as it raises the chance of Sudden Infant Death (SID). Babies are unable to roll over and wriggle up the bed for themselves so if they do become trapped under the quilt they may suffocate. Never use your moses basket quilt whilst your baby is sleeping as it could be very dangerous.

* Plug socket covers.

These little gadgets are supposed to help reduce incidents in the home as far as children are concerned but they can actually create accidents. They are only small so that they fit into the socket, however, this also means that they can be a choking hazard to a baby. If you put them in sockets ensure that they are in properly so that little hands can't pull them out and never leave them lying around as babies like to explore items by putting them in their mouths.

There are many products on the market which are safe for you to use with your children and even some of the above items you can have and let your children play with but ensure that you are present at all times and use them sensibly. When buying an item for your baby look at it carefully and see whether you think you would be happy with your infant playing with it/using it. Look for choking hazards and safety harnesses. If you are sensible and pay special attention then you can prevent accidents from happening. If you are particularly concenred about the safety of a product then stop using it and contact the retailer.

Learn more about this author, Calico C.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.