A Safe & Happy Home
Baby Safety Month, September 2006

September is Baby Safety Month, and this year the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is helping expecting parents achieve “A Safe & Happy Home.”  Although filled with excitement, the months leading up to the birth of a new bundle of joy can also be very overwhelming.  From outfitting a nursery and utilizing a registry to “baby proofing” the home and selecting the safest juvenile products available, there is a lot to do and much to consider. 

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association understands how overwhelming this time can be.  This September, JPMA is offering valuable information to help expecting parents prepare for their new arrival!

Outfitting a Nursery

Knowing what items your nursery will need requires a bit of research.  There are several online resources that provide this information, and most retailers keep checklists handy for consumers.  Your first step in outfitting a nursery should be to determine what you need.  Research various websites, talk to friends and family members, evaluate the size of your nursery and home, and make your list.  Then, start shopping!

Utilizing a Registry

More and more expecting parents are taking advantage of baby registries offered at various retail locations.  Baby registries are beneficial in avoiding duplicate gifts, and ensuring the purchases made for the parents-to-be are the items they really want. 

Setting up a gift registry is quite easy and can be done either online or in-store.  Planning ahead can make the registering process much easier, and help maximize your dollar.  Remember, items can be added or removed at any time, so there is no pressure to accomplish a complete registry in one visit.  Enjoy making your special wish list for you and your precious little one!

Baby Proofing

More than ever before, for first time and experienced parents alike safety is a number one priority.  It’s a good idea to get down on your hands and knees and explore the world from a baby’s perspective, in order to spot potentially dangerous situations.

Here are some simple ways you can keep your child safe around the house.

•    Keep cleaning supplies in their original containers – with safety caps – behind latched cabinet doors.

•    Make sure stairs are carpeted and protected with non-accordion gates.

•    Invest in outlet covers for empty outlets, and outlet guards for outlets in use.

•    Keep all rooms in your house free from small parts, plastic bags, small toys, and balloons.

•    Shorten drapery and blind cords, and cut any that are looped.

•    Consider opening windows from the top rather than from the bottom, or installing hardware that limits how far the bottom window can be opened.

•    Install window guards to prevent kids from falling out.

•    Put radiator guards on all heaters.  Radiators can cause blistering burns.

•    Install smoke detectors all around the house, and keep a fire extinguisher handy.

Selecting the Safest Products

With the abundance of juvenile products on the market today, how are you to know which one to choose? 

JPMA urges all parents and caregivers to look for the JPMA certification seal on products and packages when shopping for baby. The Directory of Certified Products is available in all retail stores. The directory lists the manufacturers of products bearing the JPMA certification seal.

Safe & Sound For Baby is a full-color, 16-page guide to baby safety for the most commonly used juvenile products like car seats, cribs, bath seats, changing tables and more. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. See your local baby store or visit www.jpma.org for a downloadable copy.

Beyond the Home

Although the focus of Baby Safety Month this year is “A Safe and Happy Home,” we would be remiss if we did not mention all of the items outside of the nursery and beyond the home that your baby will need.  Strollers and car seats are two of the most important items to keep on your checklist.  Don’t be afraid to ask the sales associate questions, and be sure to read ALL instructions!   

Now in its 23rd year, Baby Safety Month is observed by thousands of retailers and consumers around the world!  This month-long designation is sponsored by JPMA annually, in an effort to increase consumer awareness of safety issues surrounding the safe selection and use of baby products.  Help us celebrate this September, or look for special Baby Safety Month events coming to a store near you!



JPMA CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

For 30 years, the JPMA Certification Program has helped guide retailers and consumers toward smarter, safer juvenile product purchases.  JPMA demands only the best in quality, safety and functionality when it comes to juvenile products. All parents should be confident the juvenile products they purchase are designed and built with safety in mind.

Participation in the program requires that the product be subjected to a battery of rigorous testing.  Once a product passes laboratory testing, it is then marked with the distinctive JPMA Certification Seal –ensuring consumers that the product was built with the highest safety standards in mind.  JPMA publishes the Directory of Certified Products twice a year which contains the names of manufacturers who currently participate in the Program. In addition, retailers have access to the Certified Products Category Index 24/7 at www.jpma.org.

The JPMA Certification Seal on a product tells consumers this product has been verified as conforming to the requirements established by ASTM, through independent laboratory testing and follow-up on-site inspection of the manufacturer’s production line. By placing a JPMA certification seal on a product, the manufacturer certifies that the product meets the requirements for certification. Our symbol of certification is a symbol of confidence that the juvenile products have met these performance standards. This confidence extends to customers in the buying decisions they make.

Current Products in the Program:

More than 2,000 products are JPMA Certified in 17 categories:

Bassinets/Cradles
Bath Seats
Carriages/Strollers
Changing Tables
Full-Size Cribs
Gates/Enclosures
Hand-Held Infant Carriers
High Chairs
Infant Bouncers
Infant Swings
Play Yards/Non-Full Size Cribs
Portable Bed Rails
Portable Hook-on Chairs
Soft Infant Carriers
Stationary Activity Centers
Toddler Beds
Walkers

JPMA Certification Program Facts

•    JPMA initiated this voluntary Certification Program in 1976 with the introduction of a standard for high chairs.

•    JPMA's Certification Program is backed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the American Society for Testing and Materials, a highly regarded non-profit organization that publishes standards for materials, products, systems and services.

•    JPMA's certification seal is available to manufacturers who voluntarily submit products for testing. Only after the product passes rigorous testing of the appropriate ASTM standard can it display the Certification Seal.

•    JPMA's Certification Program received special recognition, in a historic study "The Value of Associations in American Society," for advancing public safety, health and product quality.

•    By carrying JPMA certified products, retailers show their support of the program and care for their customers.

•    JPMA's Directory of Certified Products is available to retailers. The directory lists the manufacturers of products bearing the JPMA Certification Seal. It is updated twice a year and available 24/7 at www.jpma.org.

•    JPMA urges all parents to look for the JPMA Certification Seal on products and packages when shopping for baby.

This September, help JPMA educate pregnant women, moms, dads and caregivers across the country on the safe selection and purchasing of juvenile products!