Before bringing baby home it is important to learn about the common household dangers that could put your child at risk. Your baby doesn’t know the difference between what is safe to do and what is not so it is important to take all preventative measures to avoid any injury.
Here are some tips and tricks that you can follow to keep your baby safe.
The Bedroom
Unless there is a medical reason why your baby should not sleep on their back, make sure they always sleep face up to help prevent the chance of sudden infant death syndrome. Even though you might be tempted to buy soft bedding because it seems warm and inviting it is better not to do so. Soft bedding can mold around your baby’s face while they are sleeping and can cause suffocation. A hard surface with a tightly fitted sheet is the best sleeping condition for your baby. Avoid having thick blankets, bumpers, crib quilts, pillows, stuffed animals, or low-hanging mobiles in the crib.
Also, make sure the slats on the crib they sleep in are spaced 2 3/8 inches apart and no more than that, and avoid cribs made with cutout designs. Also, position the crib far away from windows and dressers, and do not hang mirrors or pictures on walls next to the crib.
The Bathroom
The best thing to do when preparing to bathe your baby is making sure that everything you are going to need is within arm’s reach. This will prevent you from needing to take your eyes off them at any point. It is important to never leave them alone in the water for even a second. Even when using bath seats and rings still use the same safety precautions. The suction cups on the bottom could release at any time and cause them to tip over.
When it comes to soap and shampoo, use one that is free of harmful chemicals. Make sure the water you use to wash your baby with is lukewarm. Wash their face with a little soap on a washcloth, then rinse the washcloth and wipe the soap off to avoid getting soap in their eyes. As soon as you are done bathing them, immediately dry them off using a soft clean towel.
Poisons
Make sure that you store all of your toxic cleaning agents away from baby and safely stored where they can’t reach them. Keep them on a high shelf or in a locked cabinet. When cleaning their toys and play items it is best to use a non-toxic all natural cleaner. Your baby will try to put everything in its mouth and leftover cleaner residue could potentially be dangerous to your baby’s health.
Also, keep poisonous plants like philodendron, hyacinth, poinsettia, elephant's ear, belladonna, and foxglove out of your baby's reach. If you can, avoid keeping these plants in the house at all.
The Family Dog
You have to be very cautious when introducing the family dog to your new baby. This is especially true when your dog hasn’t been around any babies or young children before. You never know how they are going to react so it is best to be prepared for anything. No matter how friendly your dog is being with baby while you’re in the room you should never leave them alone together.
As your child begins to get older it is important to teach them how to properly approach a dog. It is important to never tease, corner, or surprise a dog that is sleeping or eating.
Also, keep baby away from any small dog toys, pieces, or food that they could potentially put in their mouth.
To read more about this topic, check out our blog Three Tips To Prepare Your Dog For Baby
We know it can be hard and feel impossible to keep your baby out of harms way all the time and as parents we know that is a scary feeling. We hope that these tricks help you feel more prepared to protect baby from preventative accidents.
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