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Friday, March 6, 2009

Bath Seats

A bath seat gives your child added support while in the bathtub and can help prevent a soapy baby from slipping out of your hands and hitting her head on the tub. Keep in mind, however, that you should NEVER leave your child unattended in the tub!

When purchasing a bath seat, look for the following:

• Never use a bath seat on textured or non-skid surfaces unless the manufacturer’s instructions specifically state the seat is intended for such surfaces;

• Look for the JPMA Certification Seal.

Always remember, no matter what safety product you are buying, to look at the features to be sure they meet your specific requirements. Also check to be sure that the product you are considering has not recently been recalled. The safety of your child is of utmost importance - don’t leave it to chance!

Baby Monitors

The idea behind a baby monitor is that you can have the ability to move around the house or your yard and still be able to keep tabs on your baby by listening or now viewing your baby. This can help alert you to a crying baby, a baby who needs your help or just help you watch baby while he or she sleeps.

The baby/nursery monitor that you buy will have different levels of mobility. The base usually plugs into the wall, usually the nursery or wherever your baby is sleeping. The receiver can plug in or be mobile. If you intend to use the monitor as you move from room to room, you will want to invest in the mobile kind, versus the stationary variety.

When purchasing a baby monitor, look for the following:

• There should be at least two channels to choose from;

• Be sure that you have a low battery indicator light. Without this you might be listening to the receiver, thinking all is quiet in the baby's room, when in fact all you've got is a dead battery;

• Has a power-on light so that you can know the unit is on without disturbing the baby;

• Has a volume control to put you in charge of how loudly you wish to hear your baby;

• Are you planning to carry around your end of the monitoring system? Then you might want a belt clip!

Playpens

These high-sided, enclosed play areas are popular because they allow parents to put their baby down with the knowledge that he can't wander off. It is great when you have to answer the phone, do a bit of ironing, or just catch a quick breath!

When purchasing a playpen, look for the following:

• Holes in the mesh should be no larger than 1/4 inch to keep small fingers from getting caught;

• The sides should be at least 20 inches high, measured from the floor of the playpen;

• Look for padding on the tops of the rails to protect your baby from bumps.

• The locks that allow you to lower a side should be out of your baby's reach.