Maybe Warnings Should Be Heeded...

How many times have you looked at the age limits or warnings on random little toys or activities and after evaluating it yourself thought...eh they're old enough what harm can it do, looks safe enough.  Well I've done the same or maybe I stand alone on this.  In my case it was a 3 yr + recommendation with a 0-3 yrs and a frowning face next to it.

When Seren, our blonde twin, first started growing enough hair to get in her eyes I began looking for ways to help the problem.  Almost all of the hair clips, barrettes and elastics I looked at had the age 3+ on them.  So I cut bangs a few times while she was younger and was still frequently mouthing objects.  Once she was 2 though and didn't mouth things as much or next to never I began buying barrettes and elastics to pin her bangs back and grow them out.
A couple days ago I threw her long bangs in a metal clip and Jeff and I took the girls out to run some errands.  We were about to get on the freeway when Seren made some gagging sounds.  I looked back from the passenger seat and could see the clip in the back of her throat and her little hands trying to grab at it.  I let out an expletive and yelled at Jeff to pull the car over in a panic.  He quickly pulled onto the grassy bank of the on ramp and I jumped out of the car and ran around to help Seren.  I yanked the door open and she was still gagging on it so I quickly unstrapped her car seat and was ready to do some hitting between the shoulder blades like we learned in infant/child CPR.  Once she was leaned forward though and out of the car seat she gagged again and threw up the clip along with most of her dinner.  We were so relieved and she of course began crying in a panic herself.  It only took a minute or two to happen but I thought for sure we'd be racing to the emergency room instead of chores and I am so grateful that wasn't the case.  I would never have considered a simple hair clip to be such a danger but now I know.

It has definitely made me second guess my thinking and rationalizing of toys and everything else for the girls.  Seren and Kendall both go hair clip free now.  I do still use the small baby elastics but I figure those can at least be swallowed.  Just something to think about and maybe a story of caution from me.