Congratulations! You will soon be bringing a new bundle of joy into your home. Caring for a baby can be hard work. There are plenty of tasks that will require your attention every day. One of these things will involve keeping your new baby safe. Unfortunately, this isn’t an easy task in the modern age. For example, did you know that different pieces of baby furniture can expose your baby to unnecessary risks? It’s true! Thankfully, you can make sure your baby furniture is safe. You can do this by checking out these six killer safety features to consider when buying baby furniture.
1- Five Point Harnesses
You want your baby to be safely strapped into any furniture designed to hold him or her. For example, this might apply to a baby swing or a high chair. A five point harness can accomplish this. Remember, a harness with only straps around the legs can pose a risk. Your baby could flip forward and cause the entire piece of furniture to tip over, and your baby would fall with it. A piece of baby furniture with a five point harnesses can prevent this devastating risk.
2- Narrow Gaps
Great baby furniture never allows a gap to be more than a few centimeters wide. For example, a crib featuring great safety features will have the bars of the crib spaced extremely close together. The reason for this is simple. If there are gaps between pieces of wood or metal on a piece of baby furniture, a baby’s head can easily become trapped between the bars. You do not want this to happen to your baby! Make sure your baby furniture is constructed without any wide gaps that could trap your baby’s head.
3- Streamlined Design
Baby furniture should be elegant and simple. You do not want any excess frills on the furniture. Furniture designed with this safety feature in mind reduces the chances of your baby getting tangled up in excess straps or material. Remember, any lose items on a piece of baby furniture could get inadvertently tangled up with your baby. Don’t let this happen!
4- Big Parts
A great safety feature on pieces of baby furniture involves having big parts. This is because small items attached to a piece of baby furniture pose a risk of scratching your baby. They could also become accidentally detached from the piece of furniture. This could open up your baby to the dangers of choking. All of your baby’s furniture should have large parts that have no risk of coming loose or accidentally breaking off.
5- Appropriate Height
Baby furniture should always be built to an appropriate height. This safety feature prevents furniture from accidentally falling over and harming your baby. For example, a changing table for your baby should be high enough for you to be able to change your baby comfortably. If the changing table is too high or too low, you run the risk of not being able to keep the changing table secure. The same is true for high chairs and other furniture items where your baby is seated. Also, the height of a baby’s crib should be high enough to keep your baby from crawling out. As an additional safety feature, the height of a baby’s crib should also be adjustable to stay in step with a baby’s growing mobility across time.
6- No Wheels
You do not want to see wheels on any piece of baby furniture. Furniture mounted on wheels can easily be pushed around by your baby or others. This is true for furniture pieces designed to help your baby walk. The wheels on these devices make your baby incredibly mobile. This mobility opens up your baby to a hosts of dangerous risks involving stairs, kitchen appliances, and more. Remember, a great safety feature on baby furniture involves a lack of wheels to keep the furniture firmly in place.
Shopping for baby furniture is an exciting experience. Unfortunately, it can be easy to get carried away and settle for pieces of baby furniture that aren’t safe. Don’t neglect the important safety features described above! If you do, you’ll be able to have great furniture and a baby who is safe and secure.