Nancy Reynolds
More than 35 years ago, new mother Nancy Reynolds had trouble finding practical information about baby proofing her home.
Looking for knowledgeable safety information.
Safety pamphlets helped to identify some of the hazards, but oftentimes they did little to explain how to correct or avoid them. Some information seemed contradictory and confusing. Getting a gate for the top of the stairs seemed straightforward, but there were many gates whose instructions recommend to not be used for the tops of stairs. Which gate is therefore safe to use and what is the difference? While safety awareness education has greatly improved over the years, the practical how to safely accomplish the physical changes needed, is still surrounded with confusion.
First hand injury experience
It was during this process of discovery that Nancy experienced how suddenly an injury can occur. One afternoon, distracted and rushing with late dinner preparations, she noticed that the basement door was partly open and her daughter was heading over there. Though she called out and ran, she could not get there in time and watched helplessly as her daughter disappeared down the stairs, walker and all. She experienced that heart sinking fall of her child which so many new parents do. Fortunately for her, her daughter was not seriously injured.
Developmental ability to understand not understood.
By the time her third child was on the way, Nancy had gained more information about babyproofing and realized she could be a helpful resource to others. With her educational background in psychology and as she began to work with young parents, she came to realize there was a disconnect in their awareness about the developmental abilities of babies, how they affect their safety and subsequent long term well being. Parents often thought all they needed to do was tell their children not to touch and expected that they should obey and that was all that was necessary.
One of earliest Babyproofing Companies
In early 1987, BabySecure became one of the first baby proofing companies in North America. A few years later, instead of suggesting families go take a first aid course, Nancy became an instructor with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and then with the Red Cross. Babysecure became the first company in Canada to offer a wider family safety package combining both baby proofing services and first aid training.
Experience
Nancy is one of the founding members of the International Association for Child Safety, www.iafcs.org and has been active volunteer in its evolution. She has filled the role as the chairperson of their Product Information Committee. In this capacity, she traveled to juvenile product shows, searching out new safety products and information about these products from the manufacturers to pass on to the membership. She coordinated a show of the new products for their meetings.
Some of the work of the International Association for Child Safety has been to develop safety standards and certification programs for its members. Nancy is the first woman to earn the ADVANCED CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL CHILDPROOFER designation and is the only certified childproofer in the Montreal, Eastern Canada area.
A community partner with Safe Kids Canada, BabySecure has been an information resource for safety agencies, including the Red Cross and Health Canada. In her interest to be informed Nancy has attended Canadian and International Injury Prevention Conferences.
Today BabySecure is the longest running baby proofing company in Canada.
In addition to being a mother of three, grandmother of two and a graduate in Psychology at McGill University, Nancy Reynolds:
- has earned and was the first women to gain the
Advanced Certified Professional Childproofer® certification with IAFCS
- Is a prior Red Cross and Heart Stroke Foundation First Aid Instructor
- previously trained as car seat installer
