Zzzz - The Nurzery Blog – Tagged "safety"

Crib or Play Yard or Both? 8 Things to Consider 0

Play Yard vs Crib?

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to click on the links to purchase any of the items we will receive a small commission.

If you are a new parent, excitedly waiting for the arrival of your little one, you may be overwhelmed by all the things you are going to need. There are a lot of baby products on the market so it can be hard to distinguish between what you really need vs. what you really want. One of the most important things you will purchase for your baby is their sleeping area. Along with the many types of cribs to choose from you also have the option of buying a play yard. You may be wondering which ones to choose and what will work best for your family. Here are 8 things to consider:

1. What is your space like? Whether you have a large room to transform into a nursery or if you are carving out space in your current bedroom, you may or may not have the room to fit a crib. If your space is small, a play yard may just be the perfect item to purchase for your baby. But if you have the space for a crib, that piece of furniture might be the best for you.

2. How often will you travel with your baby? If you are planning to travel often with your little one, having a play yard is very convenient. Not only are they easy to fold down but they are easy to assemble back up when you get to your destination.

Super portable and ultra-light, this playpen doubles as a play area and nap space. An affordable and popular indoor/outdoor option for this summer!

3. Where do you want your baby to sleep in relation to you? During the first few months, nightly feeding sessions are inevitable. A play yard is perfect for this because you can temporarily set them up near your bed. When they start to finally sleep through the night, they can go to their crib in their own room.

4. What is your budget? A crib generally tends to be more costly than a play yard. If you are trying to keep costs low, a play yard will probably be the best choice that fits your budget.

This is one of the most affordable sleep areas for your infant!

5. How long do you want your item to last? If you are looking for a bed that will grow with your child, a convertible crib will be able to do just that. There are many cribs that you can purchase that have the option of converting into a toddler bed as well as a twin bed. A play yard has a life expectancy of about a year to a year and half until your child "outgrows" it.

This cute play yard converts from newborn to infant stages and beyond.

6. Do you plan on having more children? If you are planning to have more children, having one of both may be very helpful. Your older child can move to the crib while your newborn will be perfectly happy in the play yard.

7. How mobile do you want it? A play yard is great if you want the option of being able to move your baby’s sleeping place. Many times if there are two children sharing a room, they may do just fine sleeping together at night but have difficulties transitioning to sleep during the day for a nap because they are just playing with each other. Having a play yard allows you to put a sleeping place temporarily in a different room during the day for naps.

In less than a minute, this play yard goes from 28"/10" to full-sized...and oh-so-cute!

8. Do you need it to double as a play pen? Maybe you just need a place where you can put your baby in to play without worrying that they are crawling off and getting themselves into trouble. A play yard is perfect for this. You can take it outside to garden and your little one can play in it while still being close to you and not getting into things they shouldn’t!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to click on the links to purchase any of the items we will receive a small commission.

Jun 04, 2018
Jamie Bosscher
Tags: cribs safety

Bath Safety - 10 Important Tips 0

In honor of National Bath Safety month (January), we thought it would be useful to review some of the most important bath safety rules. After pools, baths are the leading cause of injury and death in the home and drowning is the number one cause of death in children aged 1-4. We know everyone is generally aware of the bath time “best practices” but it’s never a bad time to refresh those rules.

Infants require slightly modified rules depending on their age and abilities. And while it’s perfectly acceptable to bathe your infant in the kitchen or bathroom sink directly, there are infant bathtubs designed to make your life slightly easier.

1. Always, always watch your kids while in the bathtub.

I had to put this one first because it seems like the most logical rule to bath safety but it’s often overlooked by parents of toddler-aged children. Obviously an infant that can’t hold up its own body needs 100% supervision but it seems acceptable to leave a toddler who can walk and run in the bath alone. Please don’t leave your child/ren alone in a bathtub at any time. Government websites recommend 100% supervision of all children under 5. While it’s difficult to assess when a child is ready to bathe alone, I would say that once a child truly understands water danger, he/she is ready to be left alone to bathe.

2. Never leave an older child to supervise a younger child.

If you aren’t ready to leave your older child to babysit for his/her younger sibling, then you shouldn’t be ready to let the older child supervise bath time. It’s often difficult for a child to understand certain dangerous consequences and they do not have the skills to react to a life threatening situation.

3. Check the water temp before putting your child in the bath.

This is another logical one that even I have sometimes overlooked. You start the water at what feels like a comfortable temperature only to realize once the bath is ready, it’s suddenly really hot. The ideal water temperature is 98-100⁰F (37-38⁰C) for children. Adults tend to like the water warmer but children have sensitive skin that doesn’t need to be exposed to higher temperatures. We highly recommend using a water thermometer and they make cute rubber duck thermometers that double as a functional toy. But even with the thermometer, it’s still best to check the water each and every time you put your children in for bath time.

4. Get all your bathing accessories ready before the bath.

The number one reason parents step away from the bath is to get a towel, or washcloth, or some kind of favorite toy. Make sure to have everything (towels, soap, toys, shampoo, etc) available before you put your child in so you don’t have to scramble once you’ve already begun. I’m a big fan of the shower caddy and toy holders to ensure everything is organized before and after bath time. I’ve seen some really cute designs or you can simply get a plastic container at the dollar store and drill drain holes at the bottom.

Ikea Bath Tub Hack

How great is this bath tub hack?

5. Buy an appropriate infant bathtub.

I said earlier that bathing an infant in the sink is perfectly acceptable but I highly recommend buying a dedicated tub. They are designed with the correct positioning in mind and it really takes the additional stress off holding, monitoring head placement AND washing. Also, the bath can double as a toy and accessory holder once your children has outgrown the tub. If you drill drain holes at the bottom, the plastic basin can live in your tub while not in use and effectively drains/dries to prevent mold growth. The model pictured below is one of our most popular because it grows with your child from infant to toddler years.

This bath tub converts from infant to toddler bath!

6. Empty the bath water after bath time.

Water is a drowning hazard even if bath time is over. Even if there is a rim around the bath, toddlers are top heavy and leaning over the tub is enough to accidentally slip into the water. Children can drown in only a few inches of water. Drowning can be very quick – it can take only a moment. Young children can also drown silently, without coughing or splashing, so you might not even realize they’re in danger.

7. Use a kneeling pad.

Bath safety isn't just for kids! Since using a kneeling pad, I have found that my knees and back hurt much less after bath time. Before using the kneeling pad, because of the pressure on my knees from the hard surface, I had the tendency to lean forward, causing a painful and unnatural curve in my back. Now that I've been using the kneeling pad, my back is in a more natural, upright position and I have much less back/neck and knee pain. You can purchase a dedicated bath kneeling pad or you can purchase one from the gardening section.

8. Place an anti-slip mat on the tub floor.

The combination of soapy water makes for a slippery tub floor. Also, toddlers (at least mine) have a tendency to stand up a lot in the tub. It's likely due to their compulsion for constant motion but it makes for a dangerous situation. I have found that my kids slip much less with an anti-slip mat under their feet during bath time. Make sure to rinse it well as soap scum builds up fast.

9. Check for mold growth.

This one doesn't fall under the immediate safety hazard but it's certainly gross. I once cut open a rubber ducky bath toy and I found months of mold growth inside the duck. Blech! Also, my son tends to throw non-bath appropriate toys (metal cars) into the bath and I occasionally miss these during clean up which leads to rust growth. Make sure your kids use only water/bath appropriate toys and periodically check those too. Even the "anti-mold" bath toys can fall victim to the yucky black-green spores. Life hack: Try gluing the blow hole shut with a hot glue gun.

10. Learn CPR!

This isn't just for bath time. This is a really important skill to master. Many of your local police/fire departments actually offer free or very inexpensive courses taught by professionals. CPR can seriously mean the difference between life or death. Remember an ambulance takes at least 5-10 minutes to arrive.

Be safe and have fun!

Jan 25, 2016
Nurzery Staff
Tags: bath safety bath time safety

6 reasons why you need a high chair 0

Introducing solid foods to your infant is a fun and exciting time for parents. Watching your child discover new tastes and textures is always a great experience and it is a unique bonding time with baby. Before having my first child, I always assumed high chairs were just bulky contraptions that served no real purpose. Boy was I wrong! Here are 6 reasons why you really need to invest in a high chair.

1. They are safe. You don’t have to worry about your child falling off of or out of a high chair as long as the harness is secured. Also, for young infants who are just starting to gain more muscle in their necks, high chairs with a recline can accommodate infants from 4-5 months old. While young babies are still learning how to sit up on their own, you can rest assured that your baby will be properly supported in a high chair. Most high chairs also have a 3 point or a 5 point harness to buckle them in – perfect for any little escape artist.

This Mickey Mouse High Chair has 3 recline positions for all life stages.

2. Easier to the feed baby. When your child is in a high chair, it is a lot easier to feed them. You can face them and spoon feed them a lot easier. The high chair tray is also great to place a few tiny finger foods and allow them to feed themselves. Learning to use their fingers and feeding themselves is a very important milestone and it sets the stage for much more than eating food.

While not exactly a high chair, this booster has the added convenience of a space-saving design. Strapped to another chair, this booster gives enough height to save parent's backs during feeding time.

3. Helps practice and develop good dining habits. When in a high chair, your little one is learning how to eat at a dinner table. This is by practicing good dining habits. They start to understand what meal times are and when we eat throughout the day. When sitting in the high chair they will learn to anticipate that now is eating time and will be less resistant to eating in the future. This is especially important to develop early on because toddlers are notoriously picky eaters! (Trust me, I have one!)

This high chair is great because it folds flat in seconds and its maximum height is 50 lbs!

4. Easy cleanup. This sounds like a no brainer but trust me, kids make huge, out of this world messes with their food. I found the messiest stage was between 12 months to about 2 years, peaking at 18 months and the ease of high chair clean up was a lifesaver. High chairs have a special layer of plastic that makes clean up a breeze (try to get dried up puree off a wooden table--it's a nightmare) and they are often equipped with machine washable padding and dishwasher safe trays.

This is a such a neat idea: easy to clean booster with an included adult chair protector.

5. Helps develop independent eating habits. Having your child in a high chair is a great way to help them develop independent eating. It is here that they can learn how to use feeding utensils such as spoon and fork along with bowls and plates. The high chair tray makes all of these items much easier for them to get a hold of. This is great for gross motor development.

This high chair enables children to safely self-seat with minimal assistance from parents or caregiver, which builds self confidence in the child while minimizing back strain for the parent or caregiver.

6. Easy to Supervise. Having a child in a high chair makes it very easy to supervise them. They can’t crawl or go anywhere and you can keep them busy in a high chair with food while you work on something else such as washing the dishes after a meal. I have many fond memories of strapping my son into his high chair while he munched on cheerios and he and I "cooked" together. Many toys are made specifically for high chairs with suction cups that allow parents to stick the toy to the tray.

This booster has a cool built-in toy tray for your children.

The tray is easily removed once food is ready to be served.

Nov 11, 2015
Adriano Corte R.
Tags: baby ideas baby shower design health High Chairs safety tips tricks

Have you seen our Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Branded Merchandise? 0

Are you the ultimate Disney fan? Do you love the adorable Minnie Mouse pink bow and Mickey Mouse's ears? Then you should check out our Mickey Mouse and Minnie branded merchandise! These items are not only stylish but they are branded by everyone’s beloved childhood character. But beware, these items are selling out! So make sure you pick up your favorite Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse items as soon as possible.

In the Mickey Mouse items, they showcase classic colors of red, white, black and gray. This is the Mickey design you'll remember from your own childhood. With Minnie Mouse branded items, they are a beautiful classic color pallet of pink, white, black and gray. Beautifully crafted with high quality fabrics and sturdy plastic, these items help you bring the Disney magic with you all the time.

You can purchase Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse items in an infant car seat, travel system, booster seat, convertible car seats, booster car seat, high chair and play yards. Purchase them all to have a full cohesive look when it comes to all your baby gear. The sets are meant to be paired for your baby girl or boy.

What makes these Mickey and Minnie branded items even better is that they are priced great. They are all very affordable and well made. These items will last you past the duration of your little ones younger years and can be passed down to their younger siblings. Be sure to check your child's car seat's expiration date--those do expire.

One of the best Mickey Mouse branded items is the flat fold high chair. This design is made to be sturdy but also to be light weight enough so that you can easily move it around your kitchen and dining area. You can also fold this high chair flat, which makes it perfect for storing when you need it out of the way. The Mickey Mouse image adorned seat pad is very easy to wipe off, even for the messiest of messes. Your little one can sit comfortably in this high chair as it has a 3 position adjustable tray and has a cup holder that helps them avoid drink spills (big bonus!). A 5 point security harness helps parents feel secure that their child is safely protected in their high chair and will not fall out.

Children love seeing their favorite familiar face. There is just something about the Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse character that all children love. Our Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse branded merchandise is one of our best sellers for a reason. Mickey and Minnie have stayed popular for so many years because they are truly universally loved and timeless characters.

Oct 16, 2015
Nurzery Staff
Tags: baby ideas baby shower car safety car seat convertible car seats health High Chairs portable cribs safety Strollers tips tricks

Avoiding the highway to hell: 7 tips to survive your first road trip with baby 0

Traveling with a baby seems like a nightmare (and it can be). This is especially true if you have no idea if they will love car trips (and spend most of the time sleeping) or if your little one loathes it (wherein you endure hours of "i'm going to die" screams). But you can survive your first road trip with baby. All you need is a good plan and some preparation. Here are some tips on how to do just that.

Jul 26, 2015
Nurzery Staff
Tags: car safety car seat convertible car seats cribs High Chairs portable cribs safety tips tricks

Baby proofing your house: 6 tips your Mom never told you 0

Baby proofing your house may not be as easy as you think it is. There will be things that you would never think your little one could get in to and you will be amazed when you find out they can. Baby proofing requires much more than just putting covers over outlets and putting any breakables out of their reach. Here are 6 unique tips Mom never told you.