Oh, Baby! Outdated Infant Safety Rules you Need to Ignore

What’s old is new again! Trends typically follow a cycle with clothing, music and hobbies originally chic decades ago suddenly roaring back into fashion. Older baby names like Clyde, Alfred and Penny are gaining popularity today years after they were first in vogue. However, unlike classic monikers, not all fads should repeat themselves. Infant care tips from previous generations can be out-of-date and at times, dangerous. While new mothers are typically the recipients of copious amounts of advice from well-meaning advisers, think twice about the following outdated opinions and beware folks who start sentences with “Back in my day…”.

Sleeping Myths

Sleeping like a baby: There was a point where experts believed that little ones should rest just like their parents – with their tiny heads on pillows and covered up to their chins with thick blankets. While exhausted parents almost certainly fall into a deep slumber more readily than their energetic child, no such adornments should cover their crib. Newer advice warns against keeping loose items in their sleep space.

Rockabye Baby: Tired new moms may fall asleep in a jumbled heap at the end of a long day but a baby must be placed on their back. Resting facedown or on their side causes a risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Even more alarming? One quarter of surveyed grandparents were unaware of this safety standard.

Hand-me-downs: While older relatives may coo over the use of an old family crib in a new nursery, the secondhand furniture may pose a large for a baby. Earlier models of cribs may have soft mattresses, large spaces between slots and wobbly pieces. A good rule of thumb is that any crib more than 10 years old should be replaced and all used items must be carefully examined before use.  

Day-to-day falsehoods

Take two pills and call me in the morning: At one point in history, the best advice for a feverish baby was to pop an Advil in their mouth and rub their skin with alcohol. In fact, both are highly dangerous. Another bad idea? Dropping a child into an ice bath, which overcorrects the situation and can lead to hypothermia.

Baby, it’s cold outside: Dressing your little one in warm gear on a snowy day makes perfect sense. Piling on multiple sweaters inside an already cozy house is overkill. While some naysayers insist that a child can never be too warm, if a baby is sweating under three pairs of pants, it’s probably too much.

You drive me crazy: Car seats weren’t always a legal requirement. Today, the safety gadget has strict rules based on the weight and size of the user and yours will likely be checked by hospital staff before leaving with a newborn. Because it was left off many laws until the mid-1980s, some generations may downplay its importance. Ignore them and get an expert opinion on your installation – most are placed incorrectly.

When seeking baby-rearing advice, it’s best to stick with medical and childcare professionals. Though loud in-laws might know the best casserole recipe, safety standards regularly update with new innovations. Perhaps the best advice a parent should hear? Relax! Actual experts agree that a single perfect method to nearly everything is impossible and no household should strive for perfection.

To keep your littlest treasure and everything under your roof safe, call 1-866-282-3331 or visit: https://alarmguardsecurity.ca/