17 Helpful Baby Safety Hacks From TikTok

Sometimes when it seems like our baby is feeling off, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly why we feel that way. Registered nurse and TikToker @fourthtrifoundations recommended taking a video of the baby when they're at a baseline of normal, happy, and healthy. That way it's easier to compare to the video when they might be feeling under the weather.

Not only are pacifiers soothing for babies, when used during bedtime they can actually help prevent SIDS, according to TikToker and nurse @labor_junkie_rn who cited data from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pacifiers can hep prevent sleep apnea and maintain the baby's airway. It may be difficult to wean the kids off later, but worth it in the short term.

There's something so terrifying about holding nail clippers to our babies' tiny fingers. The clippers are basically bigger than their hands! But thanks to TikTokers like @pediatric_np, we now know there's a better way — an electric nail file. These devices use baby-safe buffer pads that allow parents to gently grind down long nails without the risk of cutting the child.

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To protect our little ones when they fall backward, we can buy a cushioned backpack head protector. Developmental physical therapist and TikToker @thebabypt recommended them to help make little falls less scary — especially since falls are a normal part of a baby's development as they learn to crawl and walk.

"It can increase the practice time, lessen the anxiety, and give them a little bit of cushion. I'm all for it," @thebabypt said in a video about the product.

A lot of foods can be choking hazards for our little ones. But one way to make serving dangerous foods like apples easier is just to grate them. As @mylittleeater pointed out on TikTok, this hack also lets little ones work on their fine motor skills as they pick up the shredded apple pieces.

A hair tourniquet happens when one of Mom's (or Dad's) hairs loops around a baby's toe, finger, or — for baby boys — their private area. It can go undetected until it's a major problem cutting into the skin and cutting off circulation. Board certified pediatrician and TikToker @therealdrkey recommends keeping Nair on hand to dab on any hair tourniquets before they become emergencies.

Baby safety expert @safebeginnings on TikTok wants parents to know that pressure mounted baby gates are hazards. It just takes a little pressure the wrong way at the wrong time to send a child tumbling down the stairs of this type of gate is mounted at the top. Instead, use a hardware installed gate that drills into the wall.

Tiktoker @nurse.carly posted a video to educate parents on the two soft spots that can be found on a baby's head. Parents know to be mindful of those spots, but they can also indicate the health status of a child as well.

According to Carly, a bulging soft spot can let parents know that their child's brain is in danger. And a sunken soft spot can indicate dehydration. Keeping an eye on that spot is so important.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, babies shouldn't wear sunscreen until they're six months old. But it's important to protect them from the sun long before that. To do so, pediatrician and TikToker @ask.bubbie recommended using UV-blocking clothing.

Babies get a ton of shots in their first few months of life, and that can be scary and painful for them. But there's a way to make it a little less so. On TikTok, @leannp0721 shared that she bought a shot blocker, which is essentially a plastic disk with little prongs on it to distribute pressure on the skin and make the prick of the needle less noticeable.

Shark Tank also has a product called the Buzzy, which is a vibrating ice pack to make shots less intense.

Want an easy way to determine if a toy or item is a choking hazard? Try this hack from @therealdrdarria. Take the cardboard part of a toilet paper roll. If the item fits through the opening of the roll, it's too small. If it can't pass through, it's a safe item for a child to play with.

Thanks to TikToker @over30momtips, we can breathe a little easier when taking the baby out for a walk by using a mirror attachment for the stroller. It allows us to see what's possibly going on behind us while still allowing us to keep an eye on the child and the path ahead. They also make mirrors that we can use to see the baby's face while we're pushing the stroller so we can check in on them too.

Especially during cold and flu season, parents may want to cut down on who visits their baby to avoid the baby getting sick. Tiktoker Chrissy Horton recommended sending a mass email to family and friends indicating what the bondaries around visitation might be. That way no one feels singled out, but parents get to be clear about how and when visits may happen.

We're all used to using hand sanitizer these days, but TikToker @mamarae7 warned parents in a video that hand sanitizer doesn't effectively kill all dangerous viruses — like the Norovirus. Per the CDC, hand sanitizer won't protect against Norovirus transmission, but hand washing will. Remind visitors to wash with actual soap before holding the baby.

To better baby proof while on vacation, @michaela_motherhood has a TikTok hack for DIY-ing an outlet cover. Simply peel off the snap closure from a pack of baby wipes and stick it over the outlet. It's not a permanent solution, but it can work in a pinch.

Replacing all the blinds in a house can be expensive, but we also want to make sure our babies don't have access to dangerous blind cords. TikToker @brittanylou89 found plastic wind up devices that conceal the cords and keep them out of reach of little hands. These can also be taken on vacation since it's not a permanent device.

While there are many well-intentioned parenting hacks on TikTok, @honeycombapp_ posted a video to deinfluence one popular hack. Some parents have suggested putting multiple sheets on a baby's mattress to make it easier to clean up potential messes. But as the TikToker pointed out, it can reduce airflow leading to suffocation if the child rolls over. Changing sheets is a hassle, but this is one area not to try to hack.