When welcoming a new baby into your life, what are some safety tips you should always keep in mind?
1) If you are going to be transporting your baby, never put the car seat in the front seat where there may be an air bag. If that air bag were to detonate, it could hit the baby car seat causing serious trauma to the baby in it.
2) Until a baby is 1 year old and at least twenty pounds, the car seat should always be rear-facing. Read the user manual for the car seat and ensure that it is properly secured each and every time you put your baby in it.
3) We all need to be careful in the sun, but a baby's skin is way more delicate than adult skin. Speak with your pediatrician or pharmacist about the type or brand of sunblock you can use on your baby's skin when you take her out.
4) Wherever you go, always have emergency numbers on hand. If you are a baby sitter or nanny, this includes the numbers where you can always reach the baby's parents. Otherwise, this emergency list should always contain the name of the baby's pediatrician.
5) Never leave your new baby alone on a high surface, like a changing table or a counter, even if they are securely fastened in a baby seat. The baby may shift or wiggle, causing their seat to tip.
6) Whether you are feeding the baby her bottle or giving the baby her bath, always check the temperature of the liquid. It is easy to scald a baby's delicate skin.
7) When bringing a new baby into a home, install smoke detectors in each and every room.
8) Always keep small objects out of baby's reach. Small objects, if put in a baby's hand, will automatically go straight into the baby's mouth, which is a choking hazard.
9) Make sure that you place the baby's crib away from hanging strings or ropes like the cords on blinds. These can pose a strangulation hazard.
10 ) Always make sure that any toy the baby is given is appropriate for the baby's age. Some toys have some detachable parts which can pose a choking hazard.
11) When leaving the baby with a babysitter or caretaker or even with her grandparents, always inform them of any allergies she may have. Also, always provide a number where you will be as well as emergency numbers (i.e. pediatrician).
12) As nice as it is to have old antique cribs, newer cribs meet safety standards (i.e. rounded corners, no sharp edges, slats that are the appropriate width and space apart).
13) Never tie ribbons to hold pacifiers around your baby's neck. This poses a strangulation hazard.
14) Always check your baby's clothes for buttons that may have come loose. These may be easily pulled off by baby and shoved into the mouth causing a choking hazard.
15) While mobiles are beautiful accents for the crib, make sure they are high enough that baby cannot pull them down and cause a strangulation hazard.
16) When putting your infant to sleep, put him to sleep on his back.
17) If you have nice quilts, pillows and stuffed animals in the crib, remove them while baby is sleeping. The baby can easily pull these toys and blankets over his head causing a suffocation hazard. If the baby needs a blanket to sleep, tuck it tightly under the mattress and pull it up only to the baby's chest.
18) When using a stroller, always secure the latches before placing your baby in it. Never hang heavy objects like purses or shopping bags on the handles (although it is tempting when you shop) or else the stroller may tip over.
19) It is vital that you are trained in infant CPR and first aid, if you are taking care of a new baby.
20) When bathing your new baby, never ever leave them unattended for even a few seconds. It only takes a few seconds for a baby to slip under the water.
