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Top 10 tips to keep your baby safe
By Heather Kempskie
September is baby safety month. Here are top 10 tips!
Follow car safety rules. Babies should ride in the back seat in a rear-facing car seat. Prior to installing, read the instructions carefully. Your local police department can help too.
Go for new baby equipment. Before you reuse any hand-me-down baby accessory, be sure that it meets the most up to date safety standards and guidelines. It is discouraged to use hand-me-down car seats and crib mattresses.
When your baby isn’t in your arms, make sure they are in a safe place such as a crib or pack and play. Remember they learn to move pretty quickly so it’s best to always be by their side when they are on changing tables, beds or couches.
When they’re on the move, get the gates up! Babies begin crawling as early as 6 months. Secure all staircases and close all doors where you don’t want your baby to venture such as the bathrooms. Way too much temptation there!
Examine your home from a baby’s point of view. Experts recommend going around your home and removing any dangerous items that your baby could get his hands on. Think electrical cords, breakable vases and small items.
Leave the cooking to the chef. We know it’s tempting to multi-task but don’t attend a hot stove with baby in tow! Burns can happen easily. If it does, run cool water over it immediately, cover with light cloth and call your pediatrician!
Keep the small stuff away. Babies love to explore with their mouths. You may wonder if they were born with taste buds when they start to eat dirt and bits of paper. Keep small items out of reach!
Create a safe sleeping environment for baby. Place baby on his/her back on a firm tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets current safety standards. Remove pillows, quilts and other soft products from the crib.
Visit your pediatrician for regular well child visits. Pediatricians recommend that these visits occur seven times in the first year of life, three times in the second, and annually throughout the school years.
Remember to use the stroller seat belt at all times. When you are in a parking lot make sure that the stroller is always next to you while unlocking the car. Put the child into their car seat before storing the stroller.
