I sometimes feel a little trapped when it comes to educating fellow mommies on safety. I will be a first time mom in March. I haven’t successfully raised any babies yet. However, I do work in child welfare. I feel like my job sometimes exposes me to situations people outside the field don’t see. I do have babies who have passed away on caseloads. I have read the investigations. It’s horrible, and it leaves me very susceptible to secondary traumatic stress.

So I struggle when I see a child not properly fastened in their car seat, or in an unsafe sleeping arrangement.

On Facebook I see people posting photos of babies and toddlers with their coats on in their car seats, or their straps are loose and falling off the shoulders, or their chest clip is at their belly or neck.

I see people posting photos of babies in pack n plays with loose bedding, or loose bedding, a pillow, and thick blanket.

I see ads for unsafe sleeping accessories, like Dock a Tot or a hammock. These companies say their products are safe for a million and one reasons, but their reasons for safety don’t match up with the requirements for CPSC certification.

I cringe every single time.

I see people liking these photos and wanting these products, and it scares me for them. On the advertisements, I usually post a comment regarding safety concerns. But who am I to go around policing how people have their babies restrained or sleeping?

My mom says I am just being a “first time mother”, but she doesn’t see what I see on a daily basis. I honestly feel it is a lack of education people have. Until I worked in this field, I would not have been able to tell you the safe way to restrain a child or have them sleep. I hadn’t had kids, and I was clueless. But as a child welfare worker, and a future mommy, I struggle. I want parents to not feel judged when they are wrong, but to get educated and feel empowered.

I don’t care if you breastfeed or bottle feed. I don’t care what specific ways you choose to parent. But safety is universal, and I feel like that is something we shouldn’t gamble with. It’s hard though, in a world of so much mom shaming. It’s hard to provide education without parents becoming defensive.

What are your thoughts? Does anyone else struggle with this?