Let’s face it. Life can be dangerous. Every day we speed along roads and highways encased in metal boxes at 60-something miles per hour a mere inches from machines weighing thousands of pounds apiece go just as fast; we consume foods and drinks from unknown origins; and we speak with tens of people who may or may not be harboring viruses and bacteria. Yet, for the most part, we survive.
What does this mean? It means that not everything that carries a potential threat can be regulated away because, as I said above, living life carries plenty of inherent threats. And, this is no less true for our babies and toddlers, they too live in a dangerous world. However, by following a few prudent steps here and there, you and your family can safely use the potentially dangerous baby products listed below.
Baby Wipe Warmers
Yes, these are convenient. However, they can be a fire hazard if you just leave them alone and running all day long. If you want to use baby wipe warmers make sure you look for one with an automatic shut-off feature, or make sure you turn them off when you're not home. Like all of your baby furniture and surfaces, clean them with anti-bacterial wipes or cleaner regularly: baby wipes do not kill germs as well as anti-bacterial wipes do and thus should not be used in place of regular cleaners.
Baby Bicycle Seats
Exercising with your baby is great fun and a great way for you to bond with your little ones. But, riding your bicycle with your baby strapped into a bicycle seat on the back of your bike is not a great way to bond if it is done incorrectly. Think about it, the baby raises your bike’s center of gravity making it more likely that you’ll fall over, which is the last thing you want to do with your baby on the back of your bike.
That said, we are all for taking babies and toddlers out for rides. After all, we’ve done it with our own children. The keys are to get some practice in with the baby seat on the back of your bike before you actually go out with your baby and that when you are out with junior, keep things simple and slow. Baby time is not the time for real training.
Doorway Jumpers
Wow, babies sure love to spend hours in these, don’t they? Unfortunately, they can get a bit too adventurous and use these jumpers to spring themselves headfirst into a hard doorway. Never leave your child unattended in one of these. To use them safely, make sure your baby is supervised while bouncing about, and make sure that all the settings and safety features are set up correctly.
Baby Walkers
Both of my babies spent hours and hours in their walkers. But, they did this under direct supervision at all times and only on the ground floor. If you and your baby are fans of the baby walker, which you should be because they offer great entertainment and exercise for your baby, make sure your little one uses them safely.