Magnets and Pacemakers

Baby Talk
1

This conversation started on another thread and I thought it would make a great conversation on its own.

This is what I originally said about the magnets:
She’s officially my first baby with a magnetic paci. They’ve all had the gummy tack on the paci. I recently heard that the magnets aren’t strong enough to interfere with pacemakers. That was the only reason I didn’t use them before.

Then @bebe responded with this:
May I ask how you found out the magnets are safe for pacemakers? I would be nervous about taking a chance with a pacemaker. My husband’s grandfather died on the table getting his pacemaker replaced.

I know they still wipe electronic stuff for sure. My poor bank card got wiped from one on an identity pin I had in my pocket during break years ago…

Here’s where that conversation started:
http://discourse.bountifulbaby.com/t/baby-with-armature-developed-scoliosis/35449/45?u=amyr777

So, moving forward with this…

@bebe, I was told by a reborning nurse on another forum that there have been no issues regarding reborns with magnets hurting pacemaker patients. I then started a search online about pacemaker safety, etc. and found that magnets had to be large with huge pull. I then had hubby call his dad. He has a pacemaker so I thought he’d have some insight. Dad routinely uses a big magnet in the shape of a ball to test metal. The ball fits in his palm and he can’t close his hand around it so it’s a decent size. He said he’d have to hold it over his chest for 10 minutes before it would even begin to do anything to his pacemaker.

I read online where several articles basically said that magnetic warnings are seen everywhere for liability issues and not for reality. Theft scanners at stores have large magnets in them. Pacemakers aren’t really affected by them unless they stand under them for a few minutes. Magnets also surround us in electronic equipment, including computers.

I will be discussing this further with my mom’s heart doctor. She has an appointment on Thursday.

Obviously, keep the paci away from cell phones and bank cards…unless you want to test those out, too. :wink:

I also remember that a few years ago, my hubby and I sold magnetic name badges to a group made up of mostly 50 yr olds and up. Surely, at least one person in the group had a pacemaker. These were worn over the heart for 2 hours and no one ever had any issues. Those magnets were REALLY strong, too. More so than what I used in the doll and paci.

I’d love for everyone interested to share if they’ve ever had any issues regarding magnets in their dolls. There are low-strength magnets and then there are Neodymium. 1/2" Neodymium magnets are the ones I chose to use because they are stronger. I have a doll made by another artist and the magnet is low-strength. It always falls off so I never use it. The reality of the pacis made with the sticky putty are that the putty eventually gets dirty, it has to be re-shaped with each use, it has to be “mushed” into the baby’s face and it sticks out far and looks strange, especially from the side.

13 Likes
2

I recently had a customer check with her doctor about a magnetic pacifier. She has a pacemaker and her doctor gave her the okay. He said a magnetic that small should not effect her pacemaker at all.

6 Likes
3

That’s so good to know! Thanks for sharing. Do you use magnets?

4 Likes
5

No my grandma went to her doctor and he said it should be fine. She then went to the people that manufacture hers, and they said even the smaller rare earth could damage it. She decided 6 ft was good. I think if the pull was too large they wouldn’t let us ship our dolls on airplanes. It really depends on the pacemaker though.

2 Likes
6

This is really interesting. Please let us know what your mom’s cardiologist says on Thursday…

1 Like
7

I always suspected that unless you would press the baby lips or paci directly to the pacemaker there is no actual danger. The paci, as it does not have a layer of vinyl, would be slightly more danger. I am sure the manufacturers take the possibility of magnets around in consideration. You can make a little test; take the paci, put a pin on table and slowly bring the paci with the magnet facing the pin, towards the pin along the top of the table. See how close you have to be for the pin to be affected by the magnet.

3 Likes
8

I definitely will!

I agree.

More science! Do you know what distance is good/bad?

2 Likes
9

When the pin moves, that is the distance your magnet starts affecting the pin. But pacemakers are under the skin, and most of the time under clothing, which would block the pull, so the magnet would have to be even closer.

By the way; when I first started to reborn and saw the warning about magnets, I tried to put plain metal in the baby and strong magnet in the paci. That way people would not have to worry about the doll and pacemakers. But the magnet strong enough to work was far too big to put in the paci.

3 Likes
10

Yes. I buy them on EBay. I think they are the same ones Pia posted about before.

1 Like
11

I played around with that method, too. Never worked with the smaller magnets.

Are those the Neodymium magnets, Kate?

1 Like
12

Oh yes sorry. Let me see if I can find a link for you.

1 Like
13

These are them. I only use these inside the doll and smaller ones from hobby lobby for the actual paci.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321419534142?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

2 Likes
14

Nice price! That’s a tad thicker than the ones I bought but cost a bit less if I’m reading it right. You get 20 magnets for that price?

1 Like
15

Yes 20 and they are fast at shipping too.

2 Likes
16

Good to know! Thanks for sharing the link. :slight_smile:

2 Likes
17

I use these now, tried weaker ones, but these fit just nicely in the hole when the rubber teat is removed from the paci.

Neodymium Magnets N50 Grade

3 Likes
18

Those are nice! The internet offers much more variations in diameter and thickness.

1 Like
19

Actually I worry more about the bow and pacifier magnets being pried off and swallowed by children or animals. The magnets inside the dolls are much less dangerous overall than the ones on the hair ornaments and pacifiers. Swallowing one could be a choke hazard, swallowing two would probably necessitate surgery! The magnets can adhere to each other in the gut and cause horrific issues if not removed! I always add a big caution on my care sheets about this and stress keeping the hair adornments and pacifiers out of the reach of children and pets. I keep questioning myself about whether or not to even send these accessories, but I know people expect to receive them.

2 Likes
20

At this time, I don’t plan on doing magnetic hair bows but that may change. I’m able to get the magnet flush with the paci surface. It’s glued in and covered with moleskin so it should be safe from digestion unless a doggie eats the entire paci.

2 Likes
22

Thanks, Colleen! I keep forgetting about Harbor Freight. :slight_smile: