I am a first time mother and therefore I will never let my baby wear a headband

A first-time mother has revealed several dangerous reasons why she will never let her baby wear a headband.

British mum Katie Jones, 28, took it up TikTok to share the details of a terrifying incident involving her and husband Rabeeh Moudallal’s seven-month-old baby Aria, while wearing a headband.

She said that on a ride home, Aria’s headband slipped from the top of her head to the front of her eyes, effectively covering her vision.

The parenting influencer added that wearing headgear for her daughter is now a “big no,” especially as it can also cause “suffocation.”

Katie’s advice has been welcomed by fellow parents, who say they’ve also noticed similar dangers.

She explained, “Here are two reasons why I stopped putting hair ties on my baby.

“The first was enough for me to quit, and the second is something I learned recently, so I thought I’d share.

They are unsafe without supervision.

“There are risks that you wouldn’t associate with certain things, especially when you become a first-time mother.

Katie went on to describe the horrifying moment her daughter’s headband slid to her eyes.

She said that both a rear view mirror and sheer luck were due to saving baby Aria since she was the only other person in the car.

“You can imagine the panic I went through,” Katie said.

As your little one shifts and moves, especially when they’re sleeping, the elastic can become a real danger to them.

It can cause suffocation and strangulation.

“If that headgear had crept down any further, it could have blocked her breathing.”

The mother also spoke about the comfort of toddlers with the ‘tight’ headgear.

She asked her followers to think about the number of times they’d had “headaches” after wearing a headband, suggesting babies were also at risk.

She added: “They’re uncomfortable and babies can’t tell us this. In those first six to nine months, your baby’s head will double in size.

“So it’s not something you want to put on the baby when their head is growing.”

“This isn’t a discussion about whether or not you should put a headband on your baby. It is of course a personal choice.

“I just thought I’d spread some awareness about the potential dangers of doing this while the baby is sleeping, whether that’s somewhere in the house or in a car seat.”

She also shared that while adjusting the “looseness” of a headband can help somewhat, it can “fall down” if it’s too loose.

Her final tip suggested putting a headband on babies just for photos, or for short periods of time, and to make sure they were taken off ‘after a while’.

The viral video has since been viewed more than 300,000 times, with nearly 200 comments largely agreeing with Katie.

One parent said, “Yes, headbands are cute, but I only put them on my daughter to take pictures and then take them right back off.”

One person believed that headbands caused “hair loss” in the toddlers.

Another parent said, “I always take mine off my baby when I put them in the car seat.” Usually only wear them on outings or for photos. They can be used safely’.

Meanwhile, someone advised, “I’ve also stopped using bobbles in case she pulls it out and chokes on it when I leave the room for a few seconds.” Sounds far-fetched, but my fear!’

The new mom has been chronicling her parenting journey along with partner Rabeeh since her pregnancy in May last year.

The happy couple, who met nearly a decade ago, regularly share parenting hacks on things like baby-led weaning and recipe tips.