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  • How to Choose The Right Baby Fire Guard

    Securing the fire at home for our little ones is one of the top priorities for parents in Ireland and probably one of the most obvious baby proofing tasks. Let’s face it, in Ireland we need our heat in almost every month of the year, and in our house even in summer it wouldn’t be unusual to see our stove burning in the evenings if only for a while! There is nothing more frustrating than trying to relax in front of the fire and trying to watch out for your toddler at the same time – not so relaxing. Luckily for us there is such a thing as baby fireguards! And you will likely need one for at least two years so it’s worth making sure you get a good one.

    Baby fire guards are quite different from standard fireguards you might find in a DIY store. A good baby fire guard should cover all the bases that a standard fireguard does not - unmovable, unclimbable, should not over-heat and keep your child away from the fire with 100% confidence. With so many different room styles, room sizes and fireplace/stove types out there it can be a little challenging choosing fireguard that ticks all the boxes, fits well and looks good. We have put together a few things to consider before you go out and buy one.

    Hearth size

    You’re definitely going to want to clear your hearth with the fireguard. Most wood burning stoves and fireplaces sit on a raised hearth stone. The hearth in itself is a safety hazard and poses a collision risk for your toddler with sharp, hard edges and corners. Even if your hearth is set at ground level the fireguard will look a lot better if it clears the stones nicely. Measure the length and depth of your hearth and make sure the fire guard you purchase will surround it.

    Your Space

    There are so many different styles of living rooms and family rooms out there. Extra-large living rooms and hearths in more rural areas are common and if you have the space it is nice to get a larger fireguard, so you can keep logs behind the guard. For smaller living rooms with smaller fires its worth considering a smaller size,so you’re not taking over the room completely!

    Fittings

    Always choose a fireguard that is screw fitted. Anything less and your little one won’t be long figuring out that it can pulled away from the wall. Resist the temptation not to fit the brackets – it will happen. Make sure you choose a design that will clear skirting boards as some brands from overseas cater for houses that don’t use skirting boards. The Babasafe Multifit ticks all these boxes nicely.

    Distance from heat source.

    2 things here. Firstly you don’t want the fireplace or stove to be so close to the edge of the baby fire guard that they could reach in to touch it or even close to it. Be mindful of wood burning stoves that sit out on the hearth or are only half set in the chimney breast. Secondly all fireguards including baby fireguards have a risk of overheating. Every fire is different – some extremely hot, burning for long periods and even some modern stoves can reach incredibly hot temperatures. The recommended precautionary distance from Babasafe is 75 cm for all segments from a stove and 90 cm from an open fire. You may not require this or you may require a greater distance. The key here is to check regularly for over-heating and if you need to increase the distance you can always buy and extension later.

    There are no official regulations on what distance you should have a fireguard from a stove/FIRE  in Ireland and many of the stove manufacturers have individual requirements. We recommend considering the distance to the fire carefully. The fireguard should firstly not be so close to the heat source that your child can reach through the bars and touch the fire from any angle. Normally over 40cm is too far for a child up to 24 months of age to reach.

    Secondly, as the fireguard is made from metal, you should consider the possibility of the fireguard overheating on every panel both front and sides. Every fire/stove is different and the temperature from house to house can vary depending on the kilowatt of the stove and the strength of the fire as well as the length of time the fireguard is exposed to heat. As a precaution in our user manual, we mention the distance from a stove should be 75cm, and the distance from an open flame fire should be 90cm. However, in many homes, this distance is not required and is not even possible due to space limitations and in some homes, more 75cm is required! It is the responsibility of the user to check the guard both initially and regularly to ensure the gate is not getting too hot. We included the over-heat thermometer strip to assist you with this - anything above 40° is considered too hot to touch. If you find your fireguard is over-heating discontinue use immediately and look at extensions from Babasafe to increase the distance.

    Height

    Most purpose built baby fire guards are suitable for children up to 24 months of age and should be at least 75 cm to avoid any climbing hazards. That’s not to say your little one isn’t a budding Bear Grylls and won’t be able to climb it before so keep a watch out. Be aware of furniture sitting close by to the fire guard that it cant be used to climb over. If your room is a little cluttered, consider re arranging and if possible try to choose a size fireguard that fits a little snugger all else considered.

     

    Other Tips

    • The fireguard should be baby proof and have nontoxic paint.
    • The fire guard should not have any sharp corners. No point in surround the hearth if the fire guard is a collision hazard in itself!
    • The fireguard should have a baby proof door that is large enough for easy access.
    • Buy a baby fireguard that can be folded up and stored when not in use. Nothing worse than having to negotiate a “contraption” sitting in the garage or in the spare room!
    • If you’re a barbecue fan a handy reuse for a baby fireguard is to surround the BBQ during summer.
    • Use edge guards and corner edge guards when not using your fire guard - it will help eliminate the collision hazard.

    Be sure to check out the Babasafe Multifit Fire Guard. Its a purpose designed nursery fireguard that covers all the bases and comes  comes in 6 sizes and you can even get a custom fit.

  • Hidden & Harmful Chemicals for Young Children

    When we think of chemicals harmful to children and young babies, our minds are immediately cast to places like under the sink and in our sheds. Those are the most obvious places and should be kept out of babies reach or locked up using a Basic Cupboard Lock or Value Multi-Lock. But are we really considering all the places in our home where your little one could encounter harmful chemicals and substances? Apart from the obvious and acute safety issues that arise from direct contact with harmful chemicals, there may be other areas in the house that have the potential to cause more long term issues such as cancer, ADHD and other harmful conditions and diseases. Here we run through some of those often overlooked and hidden dangers posed by chemicals in items found around many homes.

    Formaldehyde - A  known carcinogen and skin irritant is Formaldehyde – with the potential to promote various types of cancer and skin reactions and even symptoms like stinging eyes and sore throats. Products that contain Formaldehyde can be found in obvious products such as glue and cleaning products, but also in more hidden places such as beauty products and even pressed wood that's often found in presses and drawers! Steer clear of pressboard MDF products if possible, and avoid any household or beauty products that contain the following:

    • Quaternium 15
    • Bronopol
    • Diazolidinyl urea,
    • DMDM hydantoin,
    • Imidazolidine urea,
    • Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate.

     

    Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalates - BPA (Bisphenol A) is the basic material used in plastics – hard plastics are found everywhere including water bottles, CD’s, car dashboards and even some toys.

    When BPA is absorbed into our bodies it mimics natural hormones such as estrogen and studies have shown that even with low-level exposure can lead to early puberty, increased risk of cancer, depression, and obesity. Studies can be found everywhere on the subject and as a result, BPA is almost never used in baby feeding bottles and baby feeding products. It is certainly worth confirming before purchasing any baby feeding products that they are BPA-free. In addition to this, ensure you take steps the necessary steps that your child's food is heated in BPA-free containers in the microwave and always purchase canned foods or foods storage containers that are BPA-free.

    Another risk of ingesting BPA is through the use and re-use of plastic, disposable water bottles. While many people find these types of water bottles convenient to use, you should never drink water from bottles that have been sitting in your car for a couple days, exposed to heat over a long period of time, or just re-using over and over in general. It's best to use an eco-friendly, washable water bottle to keep yourself hydrated and away from the harmful substance BPA.

    Mercury - is a naturally occurring chemical that is found in water and soil and even air. Exposure to mercury even in very small quantities can cause serious health problems and is a significant threat to a child’s health even during pregnancy. Mercury is considered by the WHO (World Health Organization) as one of the top 10 chemical groups to avoid and can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems. Mercury can be found in products such as thermometers but people are mainly exposed to mercury when they consume shellfish and fish that contain the compound (check out this video with actor Jeremy Piven who fell victim to mercury poisoning from eating seafood below):

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tI2OI0fK_A[/embed]

     

    Arsenic - is well known for its potential to be carcinogenic and has been linked to various cancers including lung cancer, skin cancer, and kidney cancer. Arsenic is all around us as it occurs organically in nature, however, certain foods have higher concentrations. Grape juice and rice are known to contain higher, naturally occurring arsenic as well as the potential for increased levels if inorganic arsenic that have been absorbed from pesticides during agriculture. Of course, rice, rice-based products, and grape juice/grapes can be consumed in limited amounts even on a daily basis but consideration should be given not to over do it on rice and grape-based products at multiple meals throughout the day. Watch out of products such as rice drinks and cereal mixes and keep consumption moderate.

  • Baby Cold & Flu Prevention

    It’s early September in Ireland and while the more optimistic are talking about an Indian summer, I  cant help but notice that all too familiar chill is back in the air!  I’ve packed away the garden set, and fired up the central heating for the first time properly since May – “winter is coming “as the famous saying goes in Game of Thrones and with winter in Ireland there is normally sniffles, sneezes, coughing and sore throats!

    If your new-born makes his or her debut during the colder months it's worth considering  your baby’s first flu or cold and how you might manage avoid it for as long as possible during your child’s early development.

    New-born infants don’t have the immune defence to keep viruses, bacteria and infections  at bay the way adults do and are not only more likely to catch a flu or virus quicker, but are also more prone to having one for longer. Here are some issues and ideas to consider to keep your little one as healthy as possible this winter!

     

    Vaccinations from birth.

    Vaccinations are a powerful tool at your disposal as a parent and are a really simple and effective way at protecting children against even more serious disease and infection such as measles and Hepatitis. While there are some concerns in Ireland about the side effects of vaccinations on young children it’s commonly accepted that the pro’s far outweigh the cons. There is a recommended time schedule to vaccination from the HSE – In Ireland the first vaccination (for tuberculosis) is given at the maternity hospital just after birth. Timing is very important when it comes to vaccinations and the HSE will ask you to arrange 5 GP visits all the way up until your little one is 13 months old! The first visit should be arranged when your child is 2 months and is the 6 in 1 vaccine to protect against diphtheria, haemophilus influenza b (Hib), hepatitis B, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and tetanus. The PCV vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. The vaccines are given in your child’s legs – one in the right leg. Its impressive how organised the HSE is on this subject and they provide a fantastic guide including time tables, vaccination details and what to expect after each vaccination. You can view, download and print the guide here http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/babychildimm/parentsguide.pdf

     

     

     

    Avoid Crowds

    It is recommended to avoid crowds during the first two months as much as possible and particularly public transport. If you have ever used the Luas or Dart during winter you will have experienced seeing large amounts of people coughing and sneezing and blowing noses! When you consider the of contact a person has with buttons, hand rails and seats on public transport it’s not hard to imagine how it’s  one of the most common places to pick up a flu or virus. While this might be considered a little OCD - in February 2015 in Ireland we saw near epidemic levels of flu outbreak, which caused havoc in hospitals and with emergency services with GP’s even warning that their surgeries had not been as busy in over 10 years. Keep in mind that an Infection or virus that may be barely noticeable for an adult, could be much more easily picked up and felt for much longer for an infant. Keeping your new-borns exposure to situations like this at minimum is the best approach until they have had a chance to have their full course of vaccines and have built up their own immune system.

     

    Breast Milk

    A mother’s breast milk provides all the nutrition your child needs to grow strong and healthy but also contains a huge amount of immune boosting qualities for your baby including antibodies and white blood cells. The presence of these substances in breast milk provide a natural defence against a range of infections and viruses during breast feeding and long after.

    Of course breast feeding with a virus or cold will could result in passing it on to your child- but the antibodies that a mother produces to combat the infection will also be transferred to the baby and will give them them the defence they need to fend of the cold or possible prevent the cold from catching or even from developing at all.

    At Babasafe Ireland we are strong supporters of breast feeding and it's benefits and urge all parents to breast feed for as long as possible as baby formulas simply don’t offer the  of protection that can be given through natural breast milk. Check out www.breastfeeding.ie – a fantastic Irish website dedicated to informing, guiding and encouraging Irish mums to breast feed.

     

    Be Selective, it’s a VIP list!

    You have to be a bouncer the first 6 months! Visitors can come in their droves when a baby arrives home for the first time! As tough as it may seem it’s super important to screen those coming to  the house from the onset to ensure that none of them are bringing home aflu or cold that could be passed on to your infant.

    Watch out for older kids who love to touch and cuddle new-borns! Kids nearly always bring home infections and colds from school and pre-school and as cute as it may be, it’s best to stop them from doing so in the early stages. After all the average kid gets up to  8 colds a year particularly while in preschool and crèche.

     

    Kill Germs

    It seems obvious but keeping your hands and surfaces that you and your child come into contact with clean will greatly reduce the spread of viruses & bacteria.

    • Put hand sanitizer in the nursing bag and have a few bottles at home for when visitors come Hand sanitizers are as effective as washing your hands at killing germs , keeping a bottle just inside the door will remind you and those arriving to use it.
    • Be aware germ danger areas around the house and even when you’re out. Use anti-bacterial wipes to wipe down door handles. Mobile phones, iPads and toys!
    • Watch out when you visit the doctor’s surgery or paediatrician’s office - It’s easy to flick through the magazines or allow your child to play with toys in the waiting room! Most surgeries have sanitizers provided but considering the number of people arriving through a typical GP’s surgery with a flu or cold its worthwhile being vigilant!

     

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