First-time parenthood is an exciting time for all parents, from conception to childbirth and beyond. However, welcoming a child into your home is a big responsibility since babies have no sense of danger. Infants are also incredibly curious, so you will need to take charge of their security to ensure that they remain safe in your home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), injuries were the third-leading cause of infant mortality in America in 2018. Fortunately, there is no shortage of things you can do to keep your child secure at home. Below are some essential safety tips worth knowing as a new parent.
- Invest in a great bassinet
A bassinet is an alternative to cribs and cradles that you can choose when selecting what your baby will sleep in. They are cheaper, more convenient, take up less space, and are mobile than cribs and cradles. If you choose to purchase a bassinet for your child, it is crucial to ensure that it is safe. You can learn when to purchase a bassinet mattress for your baby, for starters. Also, ensure that the mattress you buy is firm and comfortable to reduce the risk of suffocation. You can readily discover how firm your child’s bassinet mattress is by seeing if their head makes an indention when they lie on it.
Furthermore, your baby’s bassinet mattress should have the right thickness and fit to guarantee safety. You can check how well-fitting the mattress is by sticking fingers between it and the side of the mattress. Many experts agree that no more than two fingers should fit between this tiny space, so keep this in mind. Finally, keep any electric, curtain, or drape cords far from your baby’s bassinet to prevent them from grabbing it, avoiding strangulation and entrapment.
- Stay on top of bathroom safety
It is reported that over half of the estimated 800 kids that drown in America are under age 5. Therefore, it would be best to be extra vigilant in the bathroom to ensure no drowning accidents occur. For example, never leave your infant unattended in the bathtub, even when it contains little water. Additionally, always test the water before bathtime to prevent your baby’s skin from scalding. Additionally, consider adding non-skid rubber mats to the bottom of your bathtub to lower your baby’s risk of slipping while in the bathtub. Furthermore, keep electrical items like hair dryers far from the water since they can cause electric shocks if they mistakenly fall into it while plugged in.
- Stay on top of product recalls
Children’s products are typically produced with safety in mind, but errors still occur from time to time. Consequently, it is worth staying on top of product recalls if you have a baby because they are quite common due to increasing attempts to prevent danger to a vulnerable population. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reportedly recalled 63 children’s products in 2020 alone. Thankfully, there are many websites with product safety and recall information that you can monitor all the time. Nevertheless, recalls.gov is worth occasionally checking since it provides faulty and unsafe product alerts from six federal agencies, so you don’t have to check six distinct websites. Alternatively, sign up for email notices from these agencies so you can receive notifications even if you forget to check a website. However, remember to customize your notifications, so you receive child product-related prompts only. Also, you can use an app developed by the CPSC to track recall information if emails aren’t your cup of tea. Additionally, always register new products like strollers, car seats, cribs, and strollers with the manufacturer to obtain critical recall information. Finally, follow agencies like the FDA and CPSC on social media platforms to learn about baby product recalls in real-time.
- Make your kitchen less dangerous
The kitchen is a mundane room in your home to everyone else, but your infant can be pretty fascinated by it. Unfortunately, every nook and cranny of your kitchen space is fraught with danger, so you must make it less dangerous to keep your child safe. You can simply use your stove’s back burners for cooking to prevent your infant from accidentally burning themselves. In addition, always keep hot drinks and foods away from a table or counter’s edge to prevent your curious baby from pulling them. Also, it is advisable to store knives and other sharp objects in locked and out-of-reach drawers or cabinets. Finally, it would be best to wind up any kitchen appliance cords and keep them in places where your infant can’t reach them.
- Prevent falls
Falling is the number one cause of non-fatal injuries among babies less than a year old. Indeed, about 9,000 infants end up in emergency rooms yearly when car seats that are repurposed as carriers fall from beds, countertops, and couches. Also, it isn’t uncommon for caregivers to fall down the stairs while carrying a baby. These falls usually occur when parents carry their baby in one arm and something else in the other or rush to answer the phone. You can prevent your child from falling by keeping them strapped in when using a swing, seat, or infant carrier. Additionally, ensure that you are not carrying anything else when you have a child in your arms. Finally, set up a safe area in every part of the house so you can put your child down comfortably if you have to rush into another room.
- Be careful with toys
It is undoubtedly worth investing in toys to keep your kid preoccupied as a new parent. However, toys can quickly cause serious problems if you aren’t careful enough with them, so keep this in mind. Toys with small parts and sharp edges are not worth buying because they can be easily swallowed or cause injuries. In addition, infants love pulling and twisting toys, so it is essential to select ones with tightly secured parts. Also, search for important safety information like age restrictions or toxic status, especially for toys your child will likely put in their mouth.
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