Jump to content

Menu

Tactful way to mention a strangulation hazard?


Recommended Posts

I know, this probably has a fairly obvious solution to most people, but it's really bugging me.

 

I know someone on facebook who had a baby recently, and she posts a lot of pictures of the child in her crib. And the crib is full to the brim with blankets on and under the baby, stuffed animals, crib bumpers, a radio- everything you can think of. I keep thinking that I should say something about how all that stuff is a strangulation (ETA: or suffocation, whatever is the correct terminology) hazard, but I just can't think of a way to say it that doesn't come across as judgemental and cranky.

 

I don't know if she just doesn't know better, or if she does know the information and doesn't care. I keep thinking about this story I read once about a young mom whose baby died of strangling this way, and the mom said she wishes someone would have pointed it out to her. However, I know that anything I say to this woman about it is probably going to get me a nasty comment in reply. Argh. Any ideas?

Edited by Mergath
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would point it out but I don't have any qualms about that sort of thing.

 

"I am so sorry, I hate to be rude but I noticed all the blankets and crib bumper in the photos of your gorgeous baby. I just wanted to mention that having excess blankets is a suffocation hazard, one really should not have that many items in the crib. It could pose a danger. www.helpfullink.com"

 

Or something like

 

You can always send a private message.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you post a link to that story on your own FB page with some title like, "All moms should read this!"?

 

I don't know if she would see it, or if she would even realize it applied to her. I really feel like I should say something directly. I wish there was some way for for me to share the pictures- there is just an unbelievable amount of stuff in the crib. I'm surprised something hasn't happened already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was an article I just read about baby monitors being recalled because two children died from strangulation when the monitors (video monitors, ironically) and cords were too close to the crib. Perhaps you could post a link to the article and comment on it. It should show up in her news feed.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/wireStory?id=12893800

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Um, whatever it is when a baby gets wrapped up in something and dies from a lack of oxygen. Would that be a suffocation hazard? Either way...

When something gets wrapped around the neck and cuts off oxygen, it's strangulation. (cords, strings, etc) When something covers the mouth and nose and cuts off oxygen, it's suffocation. (blankets, pillows, stuffed animals)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Say something...it's for the baby, not for the mom...I'd probably sandwich it between ooohing and ahhhing over the babie's cuteness and a short story about something stupid I've done as a mother.

 

Did I tell you the time I drove across town and forgot to buckle my ds's carseat straps??? (True story - In a seat that I researched the poo out of to make sure he was safe as possible outside of bubble wrap.:lol:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When something gets wrapped around the neck and cuts off oxygen, it's strangulation. (cords, strings, etc) When something covers the mouth and nose and cuts off oxygen, it's suffocation. (blankets, pillows, stuffed animals)

 

This crib definitely has the potential for both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that you should say something, but it is hard not to be defensive when someone mentions something like that, so be prepared.

 

I'm horribly paranoid, so I ended up just sticking the baby in between Dh and I in our bed.

 

You can not believe the number of people that felt they needed to warn me about how I was taking my baby's life in my hands.

 

Then there was the day I was at the grocery store with the baby sitting up, facing out in her ring sling, and 6 strangers asked me if I knew the sling could kill her.

 

I got tired of pointing out to them that she was an older baby, and awake, and not slumped down, and the fabric was no where near her face. It turns out there was just a "news warning" about slings, so they were all new experts.

 

I'm not trying to dissuade you, because I would feel exactly as you do, and be haunted by the photos of the hazards in the crib. I just also understand why your concern might not be taken in the spirit it is given.

 

You need to say something anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can not believe the number of people that felt they needed to warn me about how I was taking my baby's life in my hands.

 

We've co-slept since dd was a newborn. My dd is two and a half now, and I STILL get people telling me that co-sleeping is dangerous. :rolleyes:

 

Yeah, I'm expecting a direct comment from her, and several indirect comments from our mutual friends. Oh, well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly I would just straight out tell her. How bad would you feel if somethng happened to the baby because you didn't want to offend the mom - it's worth offending her for.

 

I know how you feel - when my younger sister had her first baby she was posting pics of him in the crib with all sorts of scary stuff in it. I posted a comment underneath the photo something along the lines of - your baby is so adorable but please be careful about the things you have in the crib because they are a suffocation risk and I'd hate him to have an accident.

 

I was a little hesitant to post it because I didn't want to come across as the know-all big sister LOL.

 

My sister posted back not to worry she didn't put him to sleep with all that stuff in there it's just for photos and such and she was careful about that sort of stuff - which was good enough for me LOL. My sister is 19 so I was a little concerned about her being a young mum and not actually knowing about that stuff.

 

Don't worry about offending - just mention you are concerned and would hate the baby to have an accident.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the other hand, bit by bit, this is how people become more enlightened.

 

I remember once when my oldest was a baby, and she had a yeast infection. My sister told me very lovingly that I might want to make sure the baby wasn't eating any sugar. I was beyond offended.

 

I relayed to conversation to my friend to get reassurance about what a whack job my sister was. She said, "Hmmm...I'm really inclined to agree with her."

 

Now I am so careful about what my children eat, but it was a slow process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if she would see it, or if she would even realize it applied to her. I really feel like I should say something directly. I wish there was some way for for me to share the pictures- there is just an unbelievable amount of stuff in the crib. I'm surprised something hasn't happened already.

 

Okay, I said something. Tactfully, I hope. Thanks for making me feel like I'm not a paranoid safety-zealot. :001_smile:

 

We've co-slept since dd was a newborn. My dd is two and a half now, and I STILL get people telling me that co-sleeping is dangerous. :rolleyes:

 

Yeah, I'm expecting a direct comment from her, and several indirect comments from our mutual friends. Oh, well.

 

I'm glad you said something. I mean as a parent how much REGULAR unsolicited advice do we get. This is a SAFETY issue, those should not be ignored. If you get comments, so what, you did the right thing. The right thing is never wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, I said something. Tactfully, I hope. Thanks for making me feel like I'm not a paranoid safety-zealot. :001_smile:

 

 

Hopefully, she will come back with, "Oh, the baby doesn't sleep in there!" My gs has a crib but he has never slept in it and he is two and half. The cat sure does like it though. :001_smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully, she will come back with, "Oh, the baby doesn't sleep in there!" My gs has a crib but he has never slept in it and he is two and half. The cat sure does like it though. :001_smile:

This was almost my thoghts.

 

although both of mine slept on their tummies, both had reflux so it was best

 

but I know oldest defintely had lots of stuf in his crib. But not everythng was in there at bed time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad you said something, too.

 

Last week I saw a man who was carrying a car seat by the handle. That thing was bouncing off his leg like crazy.

 

After he passed me, I turned around (so I could see the cute baby) and saw the baby's head swinging back and forth violently because of the way the man was bumping the car seat on his leg. As I was watching, the bozo knocked the car seat on a shelf and the baby's head shook even more.

 

I wish I had chased him down and told him how badly his baby's head was rattling around. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...