Product Spotlight: Health & Safety

Re: Product Spotlight: Health & Safety

• hestia-is-wearie member

  December 2022

  STM

  What was essential for you for health (ex: medication, thermometer, nasal aspirator, etc)?: Aquaphor, Infants' Tylenol, forehead thermometer, saline nose drops/spray, baby nail clippers with glass nail files, baby gates with a pet door. We were able to take home the nasal aspirator we were given in the hospital.

  What was essential for you for safety (ex: cabinet locks, furniture mounting, cord covers, etc)? mounting straps for TV, anchors for dresser, toilet lock, cabinet locks that loop around the knobs/handles, corner protectors for furniture, wall-mounted covered track for baby monitor cord, outlet covers.
  

  Products you could have done without or did not like? Somehow we haven't used the NoseFrida yet: DD is very uncomfortable with someone sticking something in her nose/ears. Some moms swear by gripe water for upset tummies but it had no effect for us.

  Any tips?

  • Open all medicine bottles and read the instructions before the baby arrives! The last thing you want is to be fumbling around with plastic wrap in the middle of the night while your baby is screaming.
  • IIRC, Infants' Tylenol starts its dosage guidelines at 10 pounds. If your baby weighs less than that, ask your pediatrician in advance how much your baby will need in the event they get sick. Some babies may need Tylenol after their first round of vaccines. (Everyone told me their babies cried for a minute then fell asleep...meanwhile, DD screamed for an hour because her legs were sore ) 
  • Most babyproofing can wait until the baby becomes mobile, but I recommend registering for these items so you have them when that day comes. We mounted DD's dresser to the wall before she was born because we weren't planning on moving it. I know someone whose son climbed his unmounted dresser and pulled it down onto himself--fortunately he was okay, but it does happen! 
  • Make the most of baby snuggles while filing their nails while they're asleep. I kept glass nail files near DD's usual nap spots and I filed her nails once a day--I didn't need to use the clippers until she was a couple months old. At that point, I made sure to pull back the skin under her nail before I clipped it. 3 years in and I haven't nicked her yet!

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• abjm0325 member

  December 2022

  @hestia-is-wearie You were very thorough! I'll just add a couple other thoughts.
  
  What was essential for you for health (ex: medication, thermometer, nasal aspirator, etc)? You may want a rectal thermometer especially for when they're very tiny as it can be more accurate. It freaked me out at first, but it didn't bother DD at all. 

  
  

  What was essential for you for safety (ex: cabinet locks, furniture mounting, cord covers, etc)? In addition to the typical, consider a gate setup for your TV area. It helped keep DD from all the cords, equipment, etc. without making us secure each item.

  
  

  Products you could have done without or did not like? I'd say don't go over the top with all the baby proofing until you see how your child is (obviously cover outlets, secure heavy furniture, etc. regardless). We got a bunch of random stuff to secure like the toilet, fridge, etc. but DD never bothered any of that stuff and it was a waste. She also wasn't a climber, so didn't have to worry much about things out of her reach.

  
  

  Any tips?

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• BourbonBiscuits member

  December 2022

  Seconding both forehead and rectal thermometers. I like the forehead for quick checks, but when things get serious (like when the forehead reads super high - my kids pop bonkers high fevers), checking with the rectal thermometer is helpful for nurse lines/ER visits

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• hestia-is-wearie member

  December 2022

  One more thing: Babyganics alcohol-free hand sanitizer. We mostly used it after diaper changes, but it's good to have around during sick season too. (Probably explains why it's out of stock on Amazon right now...)

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