Let's talk about Safety
Taggies, Inc., formed by mothers themselves, will always have
safety as its number one and most critical priority. We also realize
that it's the number one focus of all caregivers and that is why
our products are tested at independent testing facilities overseas
and in the United States. Our PATENTED TAGGIES™ products
(see U.S. Patent No. RE38782) are completely safety tested and
meet or exceed all applicable safety standards as set forth by
the regulatory bodies in the United States, Canada, and in the
parts of Europe and other countries where our products are sold.
As mothers, we have found several excellent resources to go to
for critical safety information. Among them are the JPMA,
a national trade organization of more than 400 companies that manufacture
and/or import infant products (www.jpma.org) the
American Academy of Pediatrics (the AAP - www.aap.org )
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (the CPSC - www.cpsc.gov)and
the American Specialty Toy Retailers Association (ASTRA - www.astratoy.org).
We think it's important to share below some of their published
safety tips that are provided for parents and caregivers to use
in creating safe environments for babies. (For the complete list,
questions or for more information, please talk with your physician
or visit the CPSC website at: www.cpsc.gov,
the JPMA website at: www.jpma.org or
the AAP website at: www.aap.org).
From JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers
Association), Infant Bedding and Crib Safety, Naptime to Nighttime.
Infant Bedding and Crib
Safety
Naptime to
Nighttime
Traditional infant products, when used properly,
provide an infant with a safe environment in which to sleep. The
Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) reminds you
to adhere to the following guidelines for
Infant Bedding Safety:
For Babies Under 12 Months:
- Normal, healthy infants should ALWAYS sleep on their backs
unless otherwise advised by a pediatrician.
- Only a fitted sheet, mattress pad, and/or waterproof pad should
be used under baby.
- Remove pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like
stuffed toys, and other pillow-like products from crib.
- Cover baby with a thin covering, such as a crib blanket, receiving
blanket or other blankets specifically designed for infants,
only reaching as far as baby's chest, and tuck the covering around
the crib mattress. For newborns, consider swaddling.
- Do not overdress your baby. Consider using a sleeper or other
sleep clothing as an alternative to any covering.
Crib Safety:
- Even if you are on a tight budget, you should not purchase
an old crib at a garage sale or accept a hand me down.
- Remember to ALWAYS keep the drop side up when baby is in the
crib.
- NEVER place your crib near windows, draperies, blinds or wall
mounted decorative accessories with long cords.
- Make sure there are no missing, loose, broken or improperly
installed screws, brackets or other hardware on the crib or the
mattress support.
- Crib slats or spindles should be spaced no more than 2 3/8" apart,
and none should be loose or missing.
- Never use a crib with corner posts over 1/16 of an inch above
the end panels (unless they're over 16" high for a canopy).
Babies can strangle if their clothes become caugh on corner posts.
These should be unscrewed or sawed off, and the remaining end
panel should be sanded smooth.
- The crib mattress should fit snugly with no more than two fingers
width between the edge of the mattress and the crib side. Otherwise,
baby can get trapped between the mattress and the side of the
crib.
- No cutout areas on the headboard or footboard so baby's head
cannot get trapped.
- No cracked or peeling paint.
- No splinters or rough edges.
- Look for the JPMA Certification Seal.
Suffocation & Strangulation:
- Plastic wrap and plastic dry cleaning, shopping and garbage
bags are every day items that are dangerous for baby. They should
be kept from baby at all times.
- Never use plastic shipping bags or other plastic film as mattress
covers. And baby should never be allowed to lie or sleep face
down on, or next to, pillows, cushions, comforters or adult waterbeds.
- ALWAYS pull drape or blind cords and decorative wall hangings
with strings out of baby's reach. Be aware of this especially
in the nursery when choosing the location for baby's crib.
From CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
Bedroom Tips:
- Always place your baby to sleep on his or her back to reduce
the risk of SIDS.
- Wherever your baby sleeps should be as safe as possible. Babies
placed on adult beds risk suffocation from several hidden hazards
such as:
- Entrapment between the bed and wall.
- Entrapment involving the bed frame, headboard or footboard.
- Falls from adult beds onto piles of clothing, plastic bags,
or other soft materials resulting in suffocation.
- Suffocation in soft bedding (such as pillows, thick quilts
and comforters).
- To reduce the risk of suffocation, remove all soft bedding
such as pillows, thick quilts, comforters, sheepskins and other
pillow-like soft products before placing your baby to sleep.
- When using a crib, make sure it meets current safety standards,
has a firm, tight-fitting mattress and tight-fitting bottom sheet.
- When using a portable crib or play yard, be sure to use only
the mattress or pad provided by the manufacturer.
Bathroom Tips:
- Keep medicines and cleaning products in containers with safety
caps and locked away from children.
- Always check bath water temperature with your wrist or elbow
before putting your baby in to bathe.
Never, ever, leave your child alone in the bathtub or near any
water.
Kitchen Tips:
- Don’t leave your baby alone in a highchair; always use
all safety straps.
- Use your stove’s back burners and keep pot handles turned
to the back of the stove.
- Lock household cleaning products, knives, matches, and plastic
bags away from children.
Living Area Tips:
- Install smoke detectors on each floor of your home, especially
near sleeping areas; change the batteries each year.
- Use safety gates to block stairways and safety plugs to cover
electrical outlets.
- Keep all small objects, including tiny toys and balloons, away
from young children.
TIPS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
TO HELP YOUR BABY SURVIVE AND THRIVE:
(From the American Academy
of Pediatrics (AAP) – October 2005)
-
You should not smoke
while you are pregnant and babies should not be exposed to
second-hand smoke after they are born.
-
Always place babies
on their BACK at nap and nighttime. Side and tummy sleep positions
are not safe choices.
-
Use a safety-approved
crib with a firm, tight-fitting mattress, covered by only a
sheet.
-
Do not use blankets
in your baby’s crib. Layer clothing or use an infant
sleep sack to keep baby warm during sleep.
-
Remove all soft bedding
and other soft items from the crib before placing a baby to
sleep.
-
Do not fall asleep
with a baby in an adult bed or on a sofa - place them alongside
your bed in a separate, safe sleep area.
-
Babies should not
sleep on soft surfaces (quilts, sheepskins, waterbeds, sofas,
chairs, etc.).
-
Take care not to overheat
babies with too much clothing or room temperature. 68-72ºF
is recommended.
-
Use a pacifier at
nap and nighttime for the first year.
-
Educate everyone you
know who cares for babies about these important safety tips.
OTHER TIPS TO MAXIMIZE
YOUR BABY’S HEALTH:
- Maintain good prenatal care for you and your unborn baby, including
proper nutrition and frequent medical checkups.
- Breastfeed for at least the first six months if at all possible. Breastfeeding
has been shown to be good for babies by building their immunity
against illness and infections, in addition to other benefits.
- Follow proper immunization schedules for your baby. The
risk of leaving a baby unprotected is 1,000 times greater than
any risk posed by using the vaccines.
- Ensure plenty of “tummy time” for your baby while
they are awake and supervised. This will strengthen upper
body muscles that are not used as much as a result of sleeping
on their back and minimize the effects of positional plagiocephaly
(flat heads).
More Information:
If you are looking for further information on both related and
different child care topics, here are some helpful and informational websites:
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