By Raising Children Network
Look out, baby’s about. As babies become more mobile, keeping your home safe becomes a fulltime job for a while.
If you like your information 'in a nutshell', download our Babies book which includes this and other essentials on infants aged 3-12 months.Go to Make a Book
Small babies can be surprisingly quick, especially after five months old. She is not ready to learn about the dangers yet, so you will need to keep her out of harm’s way.
Eventually, you will be able to tell your baby which things are off limits and help her learn a safe way around. Teaching your child to go down stairs backwards, over and over again, will help her protect herself. You could also start using a word like ‘ouch’ whenever she has a minor mishap so she can start to learn what it means. Then you can use that same word to warn her of things that might cause the same sensation such as a hot oven or a sharp edge.
In the meantime, to make your home safe for your baby, you can try to prepare in advance. Some new parents even ‘borrow’ a friend’s baby for an hour to test run which areas of their home need ‘baby proofing’.
But before you spend up big on the latest safety ‘whatsit’ or gadgets, remember that SUPERVISION IS THE ONLY RELIABLE PREVENTION AGAINST ACCIDENTS.
Around the house
Never shake a baby. Even playfully throwing a baby in the air can injure her fragile spinal column and brain. There are telltale signs of shaken baby syndrome, no matter how it occurs.
Baby walkers are dangerous and are known to cause accidents. They do not help a baby learn how to walk or balance. Any entertainment value a baby gets from a walker is outweighed by the high possibility of injury.
Babies love to pull themselves up and climb so make sure your furniture and heavy objects are stable, especially TVs, bookcases, entertainment units and cabinets. If furniture is wobbly, remove it from the house or fix it to the wall.
Curtain tie-backs and window blind cords can strangle a curious little Tarzan. Remove them or hook them well out of reach.
Babies love to grab tablecloths and pull themselves up. When you make a well deserved cuppa, keep it out of reach and off the table.
Install a safety gate at the top and bottom of stairs and make sure they are always securely closed.
Keep medicines, cleaning fluids and other poisons locked away in high cupboards well out of the reach of inquisitive little hands.
Prevent scalds by turning down your hot water system to 50° C.
Be prepared for emergencies by keeping a list of numbers by your phone. Keep a well stocked first aid kit and consider doing a first aid course which covers techniques such as CPR.
Choking
It's normal for babies to put things in their mouths – be it food, toys or Mum's favourite earrings – so regularly scan the house for small objects that may be choking hazards. Older children may enjoy a daily hunt to help look for small toy parts or other potentially dangerous objects lying around. Things to look out for include:
coins
marbles
pills/tablets
pen lids
jewellery
small bits of construction toys
hardened pieces of food on the floor
anything smaller than a D-size battery
And make sure you know what to do if baby is choking.
In the bedroom
Nappy changes: When changing baby, be sure to keep one hand on her all the time so she doesn’t fall. And never leave her unattended on a change table – she can squirm or wriggle off in seconds.
Sleep safety: Keep pillows, fluffy toys, cot bumpers and other soft things out of her cot to prevent SIDS and suffocation.
In the kitchen
A dangling toaster cord is tempting to pull so keep appliance cords from hanging over the edge of the bench.
When cooking, turn saucepan handles inwards and use the back stove elements (rather than the front ones) when possible. Do not hold your baby while you’re cooking.
Keep washing up liquid, insect sprays and other chemicals locked away and up high.
In the bathroom
Never leave your baby alone in the bath, even for a second. It takes no time for a baby to drown and it is both quick and silent. Make sure you have everything you need when you start. If you need to leave the bathroom to get something, take her with you.
Heat bath water to between 37°C and 38°C and be VERY careful when adding hot water to warm up the bath – baby can very easily reach out or slip into the stream of burning water.
It’s also wise to lock up medicines and keep soaps up high, out of baby’s reach.
In the car and outside
Always buckle up baby in the proper car restraints appropriate to her age and size. Never travel with her on your knee.
Don’t be tempted to leave her in the car while you pop into the shop – it is against the law. Babies overheat very quickly in cars so always take her with you.
When outdoors, remember the sunscreen and a hat. Babies burn very easily so keep them shaded or covered. At six months, you can start using baby sunscreen (those containing zinc or titanium dioxide protect better than simple chemical sunscreens). Take the opportunity at this early age to make a habit of wearing a hat for all outside play.
Look out, baby’s about. As babies become more mobile, keeping your home safe becomes a fulltime job for a while.
If you like your information 'in a nutshell', download our Babies book which includes this and other essentials on infants aged 3-12 months.Go to Make a Book
Small babies can be surprisingly quick, especially after five months old. She is not ready to learn about the dangers yet, so you will need to keep her out of harm’s way.
Eventually, you will be able to tell your baby which things are off limits and help her learn a safe way around. Teaching your child to go down stairs backwards, over and over again, will help her protect herself. You could also start using a word like ‘ouch’ whenever she has a minor mishap so she can start to learn what it means. Then you can use that same word to warn her of things that might cause the same sensation such as a hot oven or a sharp edge.
In the meantime, to make your home safe for your baby, you can try to prepare in advance. Some new parents even ‘borrow’ a friend’s baby for an hour to test run which areas of their home need ‘baby proofing’.
But before you spend up big on the latest safety ‘whatsit’ or gadgets, remember that SUPERVISION IS THE ONLY RELIABLE PREVENTION AGAINST ACCIDENTS.
Around the house
Never shake a baby. Even playfully throwing a baby in the air can injure her fragile spinal column and brain. There are telltale signs of shaken baby syndrome, no matter how it occurs.
Baby walkers are dangerous and are known to cause accidents. They do not help a baby learn how to walk or balance. Any entertainment value a baby gets from a walker is outweighed by the high possibility of injury.
Babies love to pull themselves up and climb so make sure your furniture and heavy objects are stable, especially TVs, bookcases, entertainment units and cabinets. If furniture is wobbly, remove it from the house or fix it to the wall.
Curtain tie-backs and window blind cords can strangle a curious little Tarzan. Remove them or hook them well out of reach.
Babies love to grab tablecloths and pull themselves up. When you make a well deserved cuppa, keep it out of reach and off the table.
Install a safety gate at the top and bottom of stairs and make sure they are always securely closed.
Keep medicines, cleaning fluids and other poisons locked away in high cupboards well out of the reach of inquisitive little hands.
Prevent scalds by turning down your hot water system to 50° C.
Be prepared for emergencies by keeping a list of numbers by your phone. Keep a well stocked first aid kit and consider doing a first aid course which covers techniques such as CPR.
Choking
It's normal for babies to put things in their mouths – be it food, toys or Mum's favourite earrings – so regularly scan the house for small objects that may be choking hazards. Older children may enjoy a daily hunt to help look for small toy parts or other potentially dangerous objects lying around. Things to look out for include:
coins
marbles
pills/tablets
pen lids
jewellery
small bits of construction toys
hardened pieces of food on the floor
anything smaller than a D-size battery
And make sure you know what to do if baby is choking.
In the bedroom
Nappy changes: When changing baby, be sure to keep one hand on her all the time so she doesn’t fall. And never leave her unattended on a change table – she can squirm or wriggle off in seconds.
Sleep safety: Keep pillows, fluffy toys, cot bumpers and other soft things out of her cot to prevent SIDS and suffocation.
In the kitchen
A dangling toaster cord is tempting to pull so keep appliance cords from hanging over the edge of the bench.
When cooking, turn saucepan handles inwards and use the back stove elements (rather than the front ones) when possible. Do not hold your baby while you’re cooking.
Keep washing up liquid, insect sprays and other chemicals locked away and up high.
In the bathroom
Never leave your baby alone in the bath, even for a second. It takes no time for a baby to drown and it is both quick and silent. Make sure you have everything you need when you start. If you need to leave the bathroom to get something, take her with you.
Heat bath water to between 37°C and 38°C and be VERY careful when adding hot water to warm up the bath – baby can very easily reach out or slip into the stream of burning water.
It’s also wise to lock up medicines and keep soaps up high, out of baby’s reach.
In the car and outside
Always buckle up baby in the proper car restraints appropriate to her age and size. Never travel with her on your knee.
Don’t be tempted to leave her in the car while you pop into the shop – it is against the law. Babies overheat very quickly in cars so always take her with you.
When outdoors, remember the sunscreen and a hat. Babies burn very easily so keep them shaded or covered. At six months, you can start using baby sunscreen (those containing zinc or titanium dioxide protect better than simple chemical sunscreens). Take the opportunity at this early age to make a habit of wearing a hat for all outside play.
source: raisingchildren.net
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