When kids start crawling and walking, they learn new things quickly. They may be entertained by playing with their toys indoors today, but tomorrow, they will want to run all day outdoors. Don’t stop them! Let your kids experience things and make moments as they grow up. As parents, you have the power to keep them safe. In this article, we’ll share infant safety tips regarding your kids’ activities.
Their playtime and other activities are essential for developing their physical, cognitive, and social skills. So remember to take notes!
Car Safety
There are days it is necessary to bring your kids to work or to run errands, which likely means you’ll need to bring them in a car.
Here are some car safety tips to practices to keep kids safe in vehicles.
- Have your kids sit on a car seat instead of carrying them the entire trip.
- Never place your kids in the passenger seat near the airbag.
- The best option for kids are rear-facing car seats for maximum protection.
- Follow the detailed instructions of your car seat to ensure you set up the product correctly.
- Make it a habit to check your car seats for any loose parts or broken pieces before you use them.
Baby Safety Tips From Falls
When your kids become more active, they’ll move around more and start climbing. Their movements won’t be stable yet, so there’s a high risk of them slipping and falling. Don’t wait for them to sustain injuries from falls before you take safety measures.
Here are safety tips to prevent your kids from falling.
- Never leave your kids unattended on tables, sofas, stairways, windows, high chairs, or anywhere with a specific height that can be dangerous for your kids.
- When your kids start crawling, install baby gates in rooms and stairways so they can’t enter restricted areas.
- Avoid using baby walkers. Your kids can trip or fall out of them, especially when they can’t control their speed, which can result in serious head injuries.
- In case a fall happens, observe your kids. If they don’t stop crying or don’t act normally, immediately call a doctor.
Infant Safety Tips for Smoking and Other Fire Hazards
There are adult activities that are extra harmful when there are kids around, such as smoking. If you are a smoker or have a family member who smokes, here are some safety tips you should follow.
- Don’t smoke near your kids or smoke at all. Even smoking outside is still harmful to kids. Skin, clothes, and hair can carry the smoking particles, which can transfer to kids when you carry them.
- Have a smoke detector alarm in every level of your house and replace its batteries every month to ensure it works in case of emergencies.
- Invest in at least one fire extinguisher for your home.
- Homes that use gas heaters should install a carbon monoxide alarm.
Baby Safety From Burns
Burn accidents can happen to kids as well. It can be from their overcuriosity or a blip in attention from parents. Here are some ways you can protect your kids from burns.
- Don’t hold or pick up hot food or liquids when holding your kids.
- Don’t microwave your kid’s baby bottle because it heats the bottle unevenly, making other parts extremely hot. Instead, submerge the bottle in warm water to heat the milk. Furthermore, drop a small amount of milk on your wrist before giving it to your kids to ensure it’s not too hot for them to drink.
- For bath time, have a bath thermometer to ensure the water’s temperature is suitable for kids.
Baby Safety From Choking and Suffocation
Choking and suffocation are the most common accidents that happen to kids. Because of their curiosity, they tend to put what they see in their mouths. Also, other accessories around the house can cause suffocation. Here are some tips to prevent them from happening.
- Keep tabs on small objects around the house and keep them out of the reach of your kids.
- Don’t give your kids hard pieces of food. If you want to give them food such as apples, raw carrots, or hot dogs, make sure to slice them thinly.
- Parents need to learn how to administer first aid for when a child is choking.
- Keep all plastic bags in secure storage. These can cause suffocation when kids put them over their noses, heads, or mouths.
Sleeping Safety
It’s important to provide a safe sleep environment for your kids. Cribs and bassinets, when not set up properly, can still be harmful to babies. Here are some tips to ensure you provide safe sleeping conditions.
- Ensure the child’s crib is free from anything that could suffocate them, like stuffed toys, big pillows, and other accessories that could fall over them and cause suffocation.
- If your kids sleep in beds, install bed rails to ensure they won’t fall over, especially when they are active in their sleep.
- When buying baby products such as cribs, ensure the products have safety standard seals and follow the information details for their assembly.
General Infant Safety Tips
Keeping your kids safe around the house is a lot of work. Plainly speaking, everything around the house poses a danger to your kids without proper supervision. To wrap up, here are general safety practices.
- Install door and drawer locks to keep your kids from opening drawers with harmful materials and going into restricted areas of the house.
- Never leave your kids alone with younger siblings or pets, or when they are playing or sleeping.
- Install anti-tip straps on heavy furniture so kids can’t pull them down when they reach for them.
- When your kids are on high chairs, put some distance between tables and walls so they don’t bang and kick themselves against them.
- For feeding gadgets, make sure they are made from non-toxic materials.
The Takeaway
In reality, the list of safety precautions for infants is endless, and since everything is a new experience for them, their safety depends on their parents. We hope this quick article on tips and practices gives you more awareness on keeping your kids safe around the house.
If you’re looking for high-quality safety accessories, Ashtonbee has a wide selection, from sliding door locks and corner guards to anti-tip straps. Don’t forget to browse our collection of premium baby products for your baby’s essentials.