Most baby accidents and injuries occur within the four walls of your home. The good news is you can do a few things around your house to prevent your little one from getting hurt! Staying in the know when it comes to baby safety is the first step.
Here, we’ll give you some ideas and precautions to take to keep your baby safe while they sleep, bathe, play, and eat!
Baby Safety Guidelines
Of course, accidents happen — some things are just unpreventable. But you can take matters into your own hands and eliminate the opportunity for most boo-boos.
Here are some tips on how to keep your baby safe at home!
Sleep Safety
The most important piece of the puzzle for sleeping safety is placing your baby to sleep on their back. The next important piece is sharing a room with your baby for at least the first six months.
Having your baby sleep on their back and sharing a room sets them up for nighttime success. Plus, it’s not unusual for parents to check on their little one several times throughout the night. When you’re room-sharing, you don’t have to go far to check on them!
That said, it’s important not to share the same sleep surface. A bassinet, mini crib, and crib are great options to use as a safe sleep surface for your little one.
Additionally, leave pillows, blankets, bumpers, and stuffed animals out of your baby’s crib because they pose a suffocation risk.
Here are some additional sleep safety ideas:
- Give your baby a paci at night
- Don’t overdress your baby for bed or they may get too hot
- Check to make sure the bassinet, crib, and crib mattress are certified
- Use a mattress that’s both breathable and firm
To give you the peace of mind you desire at night while your little one is sleeping, choose a Newton Baby Crib Mattress. Our mattress is breathable and comfortable for your baby. Plus, it’s 100% washable!
If your baby rolls over in the middle of the night, they can breathe straight through our mattress, which can help reduce the risk of suffocation. It also provides just the right amount of firmness and comfort your little one needs to get a good night’s rest.
Don’t forget about our Crib Mattress Cover so you’re prepared for a quick change when those late-night accidents happen!
Finally, keep your baby safe while they sleep by swaddling them with our Organic Cotton Swaddles. Swaddling your baby helps them fall asleep and stay asleep.
Swaddling is the safest way for your infant to snooze for the first few months of their life. But once your little one starts rolling over, it’s time to stop swaddling.
Bath Safety
Bathing your baby is a great way to bond with them and have a little fun, but it can turn into a safety hazard if you aren't careful.
Before putting your little one in the bath, test the water temperature by using your elbow or a thermometer. Burns can happen, so this is an important step when giving your baby a bath.
Next, be sure to keep your eyes and hands on your baby at all times. Your baby can easily slip in the tub, so while it’s a time of fun and bonding, it’s also a time to stay alert.
Finally, enhance bath time with your little one by using sensory bubbles and toys to engage them and make it a joyful experience for both of you!
Baby Toy Safety
Sitting on the floor and playing with their baby is one of many parents’ favorite pastimes! Make playtime a safe adventure by checking the age requirement suggestion for each toy.
Inspect your little one’s toys frequently for loose parts or screws. Pay attention to pieces that might be too small for your baby to play with, which are choking hazards.
At all costs, avoid using toys with coin cell batteries (button cells). These are the small round batteries that look so appealing to little ones once they start toddling around. It’s best to keep them out of your house altogether.
Baby Feeding Safety
As a newborn, your baby will eat anywhere from eight to 12 times per day. And at six months old, they’ll eat about six times per day. If you add it up, that’s a lot of feedings! It’s also a lot of opportunities for unsafe habits to form.
To keep your baby safe while nursing them or feeding them a bottle, follow these tips:
- Don’t prop your newborn up with a pillow when feeding them a bottle (hold them, propping them up with your arm)
- Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle
- Don’t microwave breast milk or baby formula
When your baby is ready to start eating solid foods, remember these safety tips:
- Wait four to six months before introducing your baby to solids (the older the better)
- Make sure your baby has good head and neck control before giving them solids
- Always use straps in safety seats when feeding your baby
- Avoid giving your baby foods that can block their airway or foods that might be hard for them to chew (like hotdogs, grapes, nuts, and some meats)
Baby Safety: Other Considerations
To stay on top of your baby safety game, take inventory of the rooms in your house and check out these guidelines.
Kitchen And Dining Room Safety
The kitchen can be one of the most dangerous rooms in your house for your little one. If you’re not careful, an accident can happen in an instant.
To keep your kitchen and dining room safe for your baby:
- Put safety locks on all of your cabinets
- Keep all cleaning supplies locked up and out of your baby’s reach
- When cooking on the stove, turn all the handles on pots and pans toward the back of the stove (If the handle is hanging over the side of the stove, the pot or pan can easily get knocked over.)
- Keep all hot liquids away from your baby (this includes your morning coffee or tea)
- Don’t use a tablecloth (Your baby can easily pull the corners of the tablecloth down and everything on top of the table — like the ever-popular nursery rhyme, Ring Around The Rosie — will all fall down.)
- Cover all sharp edges of your dining room or kitchen tables
Bathroom Safety
We went over some general rules for bath time, but the bathroom in and of itself can also be a stomping ground for accidents.
Keep your bathrooms safe by:
- Draining the bathtub right after using it
- Keeping the toilet seat lid down
- Using safety locks for all cabinets
- Storing all hygiene products (even baby ones) away from your baby
General House Rules
You are aware by now that the kitchen and bathroom are two main areas where accidents are prone to happen...and for obvious reasons!
But here are some general house rules to follow to keep your home in tip-top shape, at least when it comes to baby safety:
- Cover all electrical outlets
- Move electrical cords from lamps or any devices out of the way
- Use baby gates throughout your home (at the top and bottom of the stairs, in the kitchen or bathroom doorway, or any other area you want the gate to serve as a “Keep Out” sign)
- Tether heavy pieces of furniture — like bookshelves and dressers — to the wall
- Use doorknob covers throughout your home, especially to doors that lead outside
- Cover sharp edges of furniture
- Get rid of your blinds that have hanging cords
- Use a sturdy changing table and have hands and eyes on your baby at all times
- Don’t leave your baby alone with younger children or pets
These are surefire ways to keep your home safe for your baby. And while you’re at it, it’s always a good idea to take a CPR and First-Aid class every couple of years. Don’t forget to have any emergency numbers, like Poison Control nearby.
A Safe Haven For Your Little One
Your home is a safe haven not just for your little one but for your entire family. Of course, accidents happen. It’s the name of the game, but you can do a few things around your house to minimize these instances.
Stay on top of your game when it comes to baby safety by keeping our guidelines in mind for sleeping, bathing, playing, and feeding.
Remember, the kitchen and bathroom can be great places to make memories, but they can also be dangerous!
Finally, safe sleep is super important for you and your baby. It not only gives you peace of mind, but it also helps your baby thrive.
Newton Baby has just what you need when it comes to safe sleep products. Our Crib Mattress can make a radical difference in the quality — and safety — of your baby’s sleep!
