Eighteen-month-old MaryRose has just learned to toddle and the entire house is now her playground.  Yesterday, you managed to catch her before she tripped over the dog dish in the kitchen, and today, you caught her playing sailboat in the toilet bowl. You realize you can’t put it off any longer. You go to your computer, type in Babyage.com and start going through the large variety of baby gates available. You decide get one for each room, as well as the stairway. Your child’s very life depends on it.

  Child safety gates are intended for children between 6 months and 24 months of age, not for older children. The two basic types of gates are: a)     Hardware-mounted or permanent gates, and b)     Pressure-mounted or portable gates
1.  For the tops of stairs, you should ONLY use hardware-mounted gates. If properly secured to the doorjamb or between two walls, hardware-mounted gates are the most secure choice, although you must bear in mind that no gate is 100% childproof!
2. Be sure the baby gate is securely anchored in the doorway or stairway. Test it to make sure your child cannot push it over.  
3. When using hardware-mounted gates in doorways, you will need to drill holes in the frame or stud behind the wall. You then attach the gate with brackets and screws.  
4. If you have large, low set windows, you may want to install hardware-mounted gates in the frames.  
5.  Pressure-mounted gates are suitable for less hazardous locations, such as between rooms.  

DOS AND DON’TS 

1. Gates with an expanding pressure bar should be installed with this bar on the side away from your child.  This is to prevent little ones from using the bar as a foothold to climb over the gate. Also avoid gates with horizontal slats—they practically beg to be climbed on.
2. NEVER use pressure-mounted gates at the top of the staircase. They can pop out and cause your child to fall.  Many tragic incidents of this kind have been documented.
3. If you have older children in the home, you should invest in a gate that automatically swings and snaps closed. The last thing on a child’s mind is closing the gate behind him- or herself. 
4. NEVER use accordion-style baby gates that have large V-shaped openings along the top edge and diamond-shaped openings between the slats. Children have gotten their heads entrapped and died with these gates. They are no longer sold in stores, but you may still find them at yard sales or in thrift stores. That’s where they should stay.
5. Choose a gate with a straight top edge and rigid bars or mesh screen, or an accordion-style gate with small V-shapes and diamond-shaped openings. Entrances to V-shapes should be no more than 1-1/2 inches (38 mm) in width to prevent head entrapment.  Safety gates should be at least 75% as tall as your child. 
6. Look for sturdy construction and an even finish. Wood surfaces should be smooth, splinter-free, and fashioned with rounded edges.  
7. Make certain of the exact width measurements of doors or openings before you buy a gate. Avoid gates that have to be at their maximum width to fit, as they might not be stable enough.

Securing Irregular Spaces

If your home is like most households, there are probably some hazardous nooks and crannies that cannot be childproofed with standard safety gates.  For these odd-shaped areas that don’t have mounting points straight across, customizable or configurable gates are available. These gates usually come with interlocking sections that can be connected at virtually any angle. Gate systems with hinged panels are also an option for customizing a fence-like gate for irregular or extra-wide spaces. Babyage also offers driveway guards, deck guards, fireplace guards and banister guards specifically designed to keep children safe in those areas.  

Cutting your baby’s nails can be harder then you think, especially at first. However, keeping your baby’s nails short is important to your baby’s safety. Larissa Hirsch, MD wrote a review based on nail trimming (kidshealth.org) and below are her findings.

Because they lack muscle control, infants can easily scratch and cut their own delicate skin while happily waving their hands and feet. It’s especially important to keep babies’ nails trimmed once they start interacting and playing with other children who could be scratched, especially in child care.

Some parents find it easier to accomplish the nail-trimming task with a partner: one person holding the baby to keep the little one from squirming and the other trimming the nails. First, find a good position that allows you easy access to your baby’s hands. This may mean placing your baby in your lap, sitting with him or her in a rocker, or even waiting until your baby’s asleep.

Hold your baby’s palm and finger steady with one hand and cut with the other. You should cut your baby’s nails with baby nail scissors, which have rounded tips for safety, or baby clippers. Many baby nail-care kits also come with nail files or emery boards, but if you cut your baby’s nails short enough and make sure to keep the nail edges rounded instead of jagged, it isn’t necessary to use these. However, if you’re hesitant to try baby nail scissors or clippers and your baby will sit long enough to cooperate, you can use an emery board to file the nails down without the risk of giving your little bundle any nicks.

If you accidentally draw blood (a common occurrence with fussy, fidgeting babies), don’t worry. Using a sterile gauze pad, gently apply pressure to stop the bleeding. But don’t put a bandage around the tiny cut - babies will inevitably put their fingers in their mouths and can dislodge the bandage and choke on it.

Because babies’ nails tend to grow quickly from infancy to toddlerhood, they may need to be trimmed as often as once a week. Some newborns need their nails to be trimmed even more often than that for the first few weeks of life.

The Pea Pod Indoor/Outdoor Travel Bed does it all. The inflatable mattress helps protect baby from cold, damp floors while providing a comforting place to sleep. Zippered panels allow parents quick and easy access to baby from virtually any angle. The slick, easy to fold design makes it ideal for storage and use anytime. The Kidco PeaPod travel bed can be used indoors or outdoors and features a virtually indestructible frame and inflatable mattress. Best thing of all, there is a hand pump included.

You can use most travel beds for babies from birth. Depending on the bed, you may gets years of use out of it. The Pea Pod folds up to a very convenient size but it is unbelievably big inside. To prove that we took the picture from our loyal reader and posted here for you to see. Check it out! Thanks April from PA.

I definitely recommend a travel bed for any parent. My personal opinion is to purchase one that has a screen and that is waterproof for outdoor use. That way you can use it for many different purposes and you’ll be ready for just about any situation.

 About 24,000 Munire Majestic curved and flat top cribs, Essex cribs, Brighton/Sussex cribs and Captiva cribs are recalled because they do not meet federal crib safety standards. The four support brackets on the mattress support are too long and can prevent the mattress from being lowered to the full 26″ minimum height in the lowest position. Children could climb over the railing and fall. Click the headline link to model numbers, manufacture dates and excluded models. Stop using the crib if your is on the list and call Munire at 1-866-586-9639 for replacement support posts.

If this is your first pregnancy, regardless of the number of babies involved, you should purchase baby and/or pregnancy books. This is not to make you nervous but it’s to help you prepare for the real life situations that are going to happen to your body and your life. Baby Books will give you an insight to a world that you know very little about. These books will give you tips so you can live just a little bit easier. There are many great books out there like What To Expect…

Buy a notebook! This will come in handy to remember all the tips that people will give you. Trust me, every mother will tell you something they learned once they find out you are pregnant. Also, you can write down the names of people who offer to help you after the babies are born. Add what the person can help you with (i.e. grocery shopping, babysitting, etc.) and any other information that you will need to remember about them. You may not think that you need help now but when you only had a few hours of sleep and three babies need to eat at the same time, help will come in handy. Also, when being pregnant with multiples, you may be put on bedrest at some point. People usually do not offer their help unless they mean it so keep a list and use it.

After doing some research, I found out that some insurance companies have programs for high risk pregnancies. Most of these carriers will classify a multiple birth as high risk. One program I heard about is giving the mother extra attention by giving you home nurses at the end of the pregnancy in conjunction with doctor visits. So check with your insurance carrier to see if this option is available to you.

Check your community for multiple birth groups. If there isn’t any local, check for online groups. It’s nice to have people in reach that can relate to you. They are the best resources for tips or just for venting because they went through what you are going through. They faced the challenges that you are now facing. So if you feel like your family and friends just don’t understand, someone in your group will. You can even swap items or get great hand-me-downs.

When you are planning your shower, register and plan earlier just in case of bedrest possibilities and premature births or you may be so pregnant that you just don’t want to hang out at a shower for a few hours. This is common with a multiple birth situation. Register for as many things as you need. Let people know that you are having twins, triplets, etc. You will definitely need a double or triple stroller. If you are having four little ones, you can purchase a quad stroller.  It’s also important to have as many car seats as babies. Stock up on lots of diapers! Watch stores for sales on multiple items. BabyAge.com has a twins sale twice a year. You will get a discount as long as you order more than 2 of the same items.

Having multiples is stressful on everyone. Nobody really knows what to expect but there are many resources out there to make your life a bit easier. You will get through it with the help of family and friends. Good Luck!

Making things safe and comfy for baby used to be a challenge but not anymore- you’ll marvel the items now available. You’ll want to choose the perfect bath seat, tub or bathing system, along with all the right accessories to keep things organized, and everything to keep baby safe in the bathroom. You’ll need toys to entertain baby, nice soft, thirsty towels and don’t forget the oils and lotions to keep baby’s skin healthy.

A baby bath tub will not only keep baby comfortable and safe but will also offer some advantages to parents to make bathing easier, more enjoyable and more convenient. You’ll find just the right tub or system that meets your needs as well as baby’s. Picking out the correct bathroom safety product is an extremely important facet of baby safety.

Lesson learned: Don’t cut corners when choosing safety products for your bathroom!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports there were 241 nursery product deaths in children under the age of five from 2002 to 2004. Nearly half of the deaths involved cribs. Many of the children suffocated while lying face down on pillows or other soft bedding. Wow! Also note that none of these deaths were because of product manufacturing or recalls.

The product safety agency says in a crib, “less is more.” It recommends that parents eliminate soft items and place babies on their backs. This would include baby bumpers, soft toys, extra blankets, etc.

Other crib deaths involve babies becoming trapped because of a mattress that’s the wrong size. The agency says never allow a gap larger than two fingers at any point between the sides of the crib and the mattress. When purchasing a mattress, check the dimensions to that of the cribs’. Every mattress description has the mattress size. See if the mattress is the right size for your crib. Even when registering for your crib, check out the suggested mattress to go along with it. If it does not suggest a mattress brand or size, do your own homework so your friends and family buy the safest material for your nursery.

Don’t let these things discourage you. If you want to use a baby bumper and/or pillows in your child’s crib because it just looks so cute, go ahead. You can remove them when your child is in the crib. As for the toys and extra blankets, why even bother. You will get use out of that stuff regardless. Remember this can happen to anyone, why even risk it!

Although it may change in the future, at this point in time it is the parent’s discretion whether or not to use a child safety seat on an aircraft in the United States. International flights do require children in safety seats. The FAA strongly urges parents to use child restraints to keep their children safe during air travel. Turbulence can happen even if the sky is clear and it comes unexpectedly. The safest place is not in “mommy’s” arms.

Make sure that the car seat or restraint system is approved for aircraft. Most car seats will have a sticker that will tell you if it is aircraft approved. Britax car seats are approved for aircraft along with many others. If you still have a question, contact the manufacturer before purchasing. If it is not approved to be on the flight, you will probably have to put it in as baggage. Also, it should be less than 16 inches wide to make sure that it will fit in the aircraft’s seat.

Check with the airline to see if they provide child safety restraints. If they do, you most likely not be allowed to take your car seat on board. It will be checked as baggage. So save yourself some agony and check first.

Get this, you can call the airport and see if you can use an unoccupied seat by you to put your infant in without buying an additional ticket. If they will allow you to use the empty seat, don’t schedule flights during busy seasons or busy days and times. This will help your chances of an empty seat next to you. If you want to guarantee a seat for your child safety seat, ask the airline if they have discounted tickets for children under 2 years of age. Most airlines do participate in this type of program. Remember that car seats have to be placed by a window. They cannot be placed in an exit row in case of emergency.

I’m sure you can just imagine how difficult it will be to carry your luggage, your child, and your car seat through a busy airport. Not to mention the bag you have packed with toys and snacks to keep your little one occupied during a flight. Check with the airline to see if they can help in connecting flights for you.

Belly Belts, booster seats, and harness vests are prohibited on an airplane. If you bring them to use for your car travel to and from the airport and want to take them for travel at your destination, they will be checked as baggage.

I know keeping your children safe is a tough and exhausting process but remember that you need to care of your self too. Keep in mind that you need to have restraints on too while in a vehicle or an aircraft. Your children need you and turbulence happens!

For a rear-facing safety seat, grasp it near the belt path on both sides and try to pull it away from the vehicle seat and from side to side. The safety seat should not slide easily more than about an inch. Then push the top edge downward, toward the floor of the car. Although the vehicle seat cushion may give, the safety seat should stay firmly in place and the back of the safety seat should stay at approximately the same angle (reclined about halfway back). It is acceptable (and normal) if the top of the safety seat can be pushed toward the rear of the car. A few rear-facing safety seats have a tether to the floor or an anti-rebound bar to restrict this motion. It is also normal for a rear-facing seat to swivel from side to side (toward the right or left front fender of the vehicle) when it is gripped at the top edge. If the belt is tight but the safety seat is not secure, try another seating position or a different safety seat. If an infant seat is installed with the base, try it without the base, if it can be installed that way.

The Britax Marathon Convertible car seat is one of the most functional seats to ever hit the market. Slightly larger than other Britax Car Seats, the Marathon is legendary for safety and comfort. It’s important to note that the shell of the car seat is a bit bulkier than others, so parents should allow for about 31 inches of seat space when used rear facing.

Some of the unique features on the Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat include a five-point polyester harness with no-tangle polyester webbing, built in lock-offs for the car’s seat belts, and a push-button LATCH system with VersaTether. This Britax Car Seat provides the utmost security in both forward and rear facing installations. The Britax Marathon has Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) padding to protect your baby in the event of a collision. Britax convertible car seats are equipped with their patented HUGS system, which is designed to better distribute webbing loads to reduce head movement and minimize the chance for the webbing’s edge to load on the child’s neck.

The Britax Marathon provides parents with an all around top-rated car seat. However, it might be too large for compact cars. For those looking for a smaller Britax Car Seat, the Britax Roundabout is a perfect choice. It is a little smaller than the Britax Marathon, and it is designed for children weighing up to 40 pounds. What’s more, the Marathon is one of the few US made car seats approved for use in Canada by the CMVSS!

Baby Kyle D loves his new car seat and it’s definitley worth the money. If you are looking for a great deal there is a great sale on all Britax car seats at BabyAge.com. The sale is over on March 2, 2008. You can’t beat the discounted prices.