The Baby Proofing Advice Every Parent Should Know Right Now

 There is nothing quite as nice as having a new baby in the house.  This bundle of joy will be learning new tricks and skills every day and are bound to keep new parents on their toes.  From one day to the next the level of dangers rises for your little bundle of joy and they depend on you to keep them safe.  Certain statistics show that babies are prone to choking, suffocation, falls and drowning above and beyond any other age group.  Aside from constant and responsible supervision you should understand the plethora of ways to keep your baby safe in every circumstance!

 How to Prevent Suffocation & Choking for Your Baby!

Babies should always sleep on their backs.  Make no exceptions and use a wedge if necessary.  Not doing this can lead to SIDS and suffocation.  Another factor that injures babies each year is blankets and comforters.  Anything puffy or thick and heavy that is placed in the crib can inadvertently be pulled over on top of themselves.  Once it is on their face and covers their nose they do not have the dexterity to remove it.  Make no exceptions.  The same is true for placing a baby on an adult sized bed.  They can easily roll off into the space between the wall and mattress and become entrapped.   

Sleeping arrangements should be made where the crib or baby bed is not near any windows and with no toys around.  Lanyard strings and mobiles can cause strangulation hazards.  The same is true for mini blinds.  The best thing is to place the crib in the center of the room and make sure that no small toys are in it.  Even the eyes of a teddy bear can cause choking.  Any small objects in your home and even candy and food that you baby is not ready for can pose a choking hazard.  Learn CPR and the Heimlich maneuver and ensure that everyone who watches your baby does the same!

 Discover How to Prevent Falls & Burns during the Baby Years

 You would be surprised how many young children fall each year.  Some of these falls result in very serious injuries.  If you have hard wood floors make sure your baby wears socks or shoes that give them traction.  It is a good idea to use non-slip throw rugs in areas where you baby plays often.  All sharp corners should be padded.  If you don’t have anything handy to use, duct tape a washcloth to the corner of counters or coffee tables. Electrical wires also cause many falls as well as other dangerous situations for children.  Coil them up and keep them out of the way.  Another dangerous falling situation is falling down steps.  Use a mounted safety gate at the top of stairs at all times.  The bottoms of stairs should be blocked as well!

 The best way to prevent burns is to turn your water heater down!  Water heaters should be set at 120 degrees at all times.  If your water heater cannot be set, make sure to install an anti-scald device!  Young people’s skins burns much quicker than an adults and what feels hot to them is drastically different than what feels hot to us.  Avoid hot tubs as well.  To prevent burns in the kitchen, keep young children away as much as possible and constantly reinforce safety rules.  Turning back pot handles and watching stove doors carefully is always recommended. 

 Understanding Drowning Risks for Your Baby!

A baby can easily drown in things like a toilet or bucket of water.  Installing toilet locks and making sure that no containers of liquids re ever left around the home is vital to your child’s safety.  When bathing a child, they should never be left- not even for a minute!  Drowning can happen within a matter of seconds, and young children are especially prone to falling head first into pools of water!  Never leave them unattended and if you have a pool take all the precautions possible to ensure safety! Drowning is very serious and is one of the most common methods of child hood death!  Stay vigilant around water (even small amounts) at all times.