Ensuring an infant’s safety is the primary responsibility of every parent. However, keeping a baby safe at home becomes more and more challenging with every millstone they cross. Of course, it isn’t their fault. Little ones don’t understand what is danger and what puts them at risk. As they grow, they get curious about everything and simply want to explore things around them. That is why, as parents, it’s your duty to ensure that there is nothing dangerous around your infant to avoid accidents and injuries. So, in honor of Baby Safety Month, here are some of the best tips for keeping a baby safe at home.
Ensure the crib is safe
Cribs are a necessity for babies, but are all of them safe? The space between the bars and the height of the bars is one of the important things to keep in mind while choosing your little one’s crib. So, make sure the gap between the bars is no more than 2 ⅜ inches apart. If needed, use a ruler or a measuring tape to be extra sure.
If the space is too wide, your infant can easily stick their hands, feet and even head through while tossing and turning. This can lead to serious injuries. If you already have a crib with wide bars, you don’t need to toss it away. Simply weave a beautiful cloth between them to close the gap. Now you have a pretty crib that is also safe for your little one to use.
Moreover, ensure your baby’s crib is free of stuffed toys, pillows, and any other items they can use to climb out of the crib. Falling out of the crib can lead to serious head injuries. Also, sleeping with these increases the chances of your infant suffocating themselves mistakenly. So, ensure to remove all of those while your child is sleeping or is alone in the crib.
Be careful while buying toys for your baby
This is one of the most important things to consider for keeping your baby safe at home. Kids of all age groups love to play with toys. However, they enjoy putting them in their mouth, dragging them on the floor, throwing them in water, etc.
Hence, you need to buy toys that are of excellent quality, toxin-free, and can handle multiple washes. Also, the toys should not have any small parts or open battery outlets as they can be a choking hazard. Research well about the appropriate toys per your little one’s age before picking them for their playtime.
Be careful with their bath time
No matter what the age, every baby loves to splish-splash in water. As fun as it sounds, parents need to be very careful during their kid’s bath time. So, for starters, never leave your infant alone in the bathtub even for a fraction of a second to avoid accidental drowning or injury. Leaving them alone with older kids is also not a good idea. Just take them out of the bathtub if you need to step away for a second.
Also, make sure to check the water temperature before placing your little one in the tub. Newborn babies have tender skin which can burn easily if the water is too hot. Hence, do an elbow test for a happy bath time. You can also add non-skid rubber mats or decals at the bottom of the bathtub to avoid any risk of slipping, add a lock to the lid of your toilet, and most importantly, avoid keeping any electronics near the tub.
Other than these essential tips to keep your baby safe at home, you should never leave your baby unattended. Plus, you must not put your baby to sleep on their back to prevent the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Not smoking near your infant, and keeping hot liquids, medicines, liquid syrups, detergents, and cleaners out of your little one’s reach is also important. Covering all the electrical outlets, and baby-proofing the house by latching the fridge, cupboards, etc., is equally important to keep your baby safe at home.
