We are not big fans of mom-shaming here at Mamas Uncut, but Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth has been receiving criticism after she shared a photo of her 7-month-old baby, Evelyn (“Evy”). The backlash has sparked a conversation about child safety and the do’s and don’t’s of jewelry for our children.
Most experts agree that children under three years of age should be supervised at all times when they wear jewelry. Further, the jewelry should be removed before napping, riding in a car seat, bath-time, unattended playtime, or bedtime. A recent Instagram post from Joy flies in the face of that conventional wisdom.
Joy-Anna Duggar Shared a Photo of Evy Wearing Jewelry During Bath-Time. The Response Was Swift and Fierce.
Joy-Anna Duggar is no stranger to attention. She’s been on TV, has over a million followers on Instagram, and interacts with fans on a variety of social media platforms. However, she is not always roundly met with approval.
A photo she shared of her baby having a bath is the latest example of Joy getting in hot water (sorry) with her fans. It’s not the bath that’s got people upset but the fact that her very young child is wearing jewelry in it.
As with any celebrity mother who is active on social media, Joy-Anna is not immune from mom-shaming and endless criticism. But, because she is such a big presence and likely a role model for many, it’s important for her to exhibit good and safe parenting practices.
Now, we do not expect her to be perfect, but we hope she reads some of the criticism she received on the post and consider the potential dangerous consequences that could result in a child so young being put in jewelry.
The jewelry consists of a beaded necklace and bracelet. “Please remove the necklace and bracelet,” one person commented on the Instagram post. “They are dangerous for a baby.”
“Why [does] she have something around her neck?” someone else asked. “And a bracelet on? Wouldn’t that be considered dangerous?”
“Joy is aggressively clueless,” another person wrote, not holding back.
Others said the necklace, which appears to be an amber teething necklace, poses a “huge strangulation risk and kids have died due to them,” with others pointing out that these types of necklaces “do nothing and are dangerous.” Another person explained that the necklaces put babies at risk for “strangulation and asphyxiation.”
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It’s not just people in the comments who warn about the dangers of teething necklaces, the Food and Drug Administration released guidance advising that parents avoid giving their children the products in 2018.
“We know that teething necklaces and jewelry products have become increasingly popular among parents and caregivers who want to provide relief for children’s teething pain and sensory stimulation for children with special needs,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a press release. “We’re concerned about the risks we’ve observed with these products and want parents to be aware that teething jewelry puts children, including those with special needs, at risk of serious injury and death.”
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“Consumers should consider following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations of alternative ways for treating teething pain, such as rubbing inflamed gums with a clean finger or using a teething ring made of firm rubber,” the doctor’s statement continued. “Given the breadth of the market for these teething necklaces and jewelry, we’re sharing this important safety information directly to consumers in order to help prevent injuries in infants and kids.”
Sadly, Joy-Anna has yet to respond to the criticism or offer an explanation. She’s completely entitled to that decision but we hope her fans are not disillusioned about the safety of necklaces and jewelry for babies.
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