Mums do everything they can to make sure their newborns are safe and secure. From getting the right vaccinations, diet, detergents, to baby-proofing the house, mums will go above and beyond to ensure their child’s safety.
Sometimes though, a minor oversight can cause the most dangerous accidents.
One mother learnt this the hard way after finding her child’s crib filled with broken glass, blood, and major cuts on four of his fingers.
This incident once again brings up the baby safety bed rail conversation. It’s a reminder as to why it’s important to create a safe environment where your child sleeps.
How The Baby Got Seriously Hurt From Picture Frames
Image Source: Unsplash
In an online post on Mumsnet, the mother– identified by her handle badmum82–wrote, “When my mum pointed out maybe I shouldn’t have frames above my babies cot I just thought of all the Instagram nursery [inspired] pictures I’d seen and thought that she was being irrational. She wasn’t, at some point last night/this morning my toddler either pulled down a print, or it fell down.”
She continued, “We woke up this morning to screaming from the baby monitor, pulled the covers back to find broken glass everywhere, the frame and blood on the mattress. Cuts to 4 fingers on one hand, 2 on the other, the palms of the hands, cheeks, belly.”
“I’ve cried all day, been to A&E, we’re home now and I’m feeling like the worst mum in the world. Please learn from my mistakes, it could [have] been so much worse,” she concluded.
The frames hanging on top of the baby’s crib fell into the crib with shattered glass all over the little one. The incident could’ve been much worse but the guardian angels above ensured that the baby was lucky to escape with minor injuries. For the mum though, it was her worst nightmare becoming a reality.
What The Netizens Had To Say
While many netizens sympathised with the mum’s story, they were also quick to point that hanging frames above the baby’s crib are not a good idea.
One user commented, “Frames above bed [are] not a good idea. Nor are shelves holding up pictures, or those canopy things, or cot bumpers or lots of stuffed toys in the bed. Safest cots are clear, flat, mattress with no hazards on.”
“Sorry to hear your little one got hurt,” commented another user. “I think it’s very good of you to share your story here for the benefit of others. I shall pass the message on to mum groups I’m in.”
Another user empathised with the mum’s guilt, they wrote, “Random bad accidents happen, you aren’t a bad mum. Try to get things back to a calm state and move on, better for you all.”
Why You Need A Baby Safety Bed Rail?
Image Source: Unsplash
The incident once again sheds light on why function over form is necessary when it comes to designing your baby’s room. As one user pointed, a baby’s crib needs to be in a clear area without frames hanging, stuffed toys in the crib and with the safety bed rails in place.
As your child begins to grow up, they also become more active in bed, which makes it a danger zone when sleeping. Within months after birth, your baby can roll over and hold the risk of rolling over and suffering a fall.
A baby safety bed rail then helps create a barrier for the baby to move around. This is particularly helpful when the baby is co-sleeping with the parents on the larger king/queen-sized bed. In case you go into a deep sleep, you need not be worried about your child falling over.
Moreover, bed safety rails are easy to install and extremely flexible. They are compatible with nearly all kinds of beds. If you are using a separate crib for your baby, it’s important that you keep a monitor around that will immediately alert you.
4 Ways To Keep Your Baby Safe In His Crib
If you are moving your baby to his crib, here are five ways you can make sure the little one is at minimal risk when sleeping alone.
1. Make sure all screws are in place
Most parents tend to buy ready-made baby beds that need to be assembled at home. If you are assembling your baby’s crib at home, make sure all the screws are in place and the bed does not shake. Do a test run maybe by adding some weight like the mattress, some toys, bedsheet, and more, to make sure everything is in order.
Do remember, your baby’s sleeping space should not have pillows, blankets, crib bumpers, stuffed toys, and other soft items. Your child can start using a pillow when he’s about two or years old.
2. Place the crib against the wall
Place the baby’s crib against the wall to reduce his chances of falling. Should the baby be more active and climb over the railing, you can still add cushions or a bean bag around the three sides to ensure the risk is minimal.
Also, make sure that the crib isn’t placed close to the windows, shelves and other objects that risk falling on the child.
3. Keep toys and other play items out of sight
As your baby grows older, they are more curious than ever to get out of bed and explore their homes. And seeing their favourite toy on the shelf can be just the right stimulus to get them out of bed. However, it’s also a great risk if left unattended.
That’s why you need to move the toys out of their line of sight once they are in the crib. You can always hand it to them in a more open play area in the house.
4. Invest in baby safety bed rail
We can’t stress enough how important bed rails are when it comes to safeguarding your infant in their initial months. You do not need to curb your little one’s enthusiasm.
But make sure the environment is safe enough for them to explore their surroundings. Most safety bed rails are easy to install or you can always call a carpenter to do the needful.
News source: Mumsnet
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