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There
are certain safety factors which you should be aware of
with a new baby. It is never too soon to start practicing
good safety habits. The very best time to start thinking
in terms of safety for your baby is even before your infant
is born. The leading cause of injury or death for children
under the age of five is accidents, and most commonly in
the home.
Don’t leave your baby alone in the tub for any reason.
It only rakes a few seconds and a small amount of water
for an infant to drown. Keep one hand on the baby at all
times during the bath. Wrap him up and take him with you
if you must answer the telephone or the doorbell. Be careful
of hot water. You might wish to consider lowering the temperature
on your hot water heater. A safe temperature is about 100*F,
which is still hot enough for bathing for the rest of the
family.
Close all pins when you remove them from the diaper and
place them out of the reach of the baby. Keep pins and other
sharp objects such as scissors out of the baby’s reach.
Use a firm mattress, no pillow, in the baby’s crib.
Filmy plastics, harnesses, zippered bags or dangling blind
cords can smother or strangle a helpless baby.
Babies should never be left alone near hot surfaces such
as stoves or floor furnaces. If burns do occur, apply ice
or cold compresses.
Pets can be dangerous around babies if they feel rejected
or left out.
As soon as the baby is able to move about and climb, all
medications and cleaning substances, paints and fuels should
be locked up when not in actual use. Crawling around your
house on your hands and knees is a good way of assessing
the safety of your home on the same level as that of your
infant. Remember toddlers can climb to places you would
not imagine. A high cabinet or the top of the refrigerator
is not safe enough. Be especially careful of aspirin or
Tylenol because as overdoses they can be fatal. Purchase
a small bottle of Syrup of Ipecac at your drugstore to be
used I case of accidental ingestion and keep it in your
home.
Buy toys too large to swallow, too tough to break, and without
sharp edges.
Place guards in front of the fireplace and open heaters,
around registers and floor furnaces. Block off radiators
with furniture whenever possible. Keep hot liquids, hot
foods, and electric cords to irons, toasters, and coffee
pots out of baby’s reach.
When in the car, the best place for your baby is in an approved
car seat, in the back seat of the car, placing the rear.
The seatbelts should be positioned appropriately. This should
be done every time the infant or child rides in a car, including
the ride home.
Remember that for the small infant, his bed (with the bars
up) and a playpen are the only safe places for him to be
left alone. He can topple off of any high surface. Without
supervision, the floor, a full sixes bed, even with pillows
placed, and the yard are not safe places. When you are busy,
put the infant in a crib or playpen near you or near you
on a blanket on the floor. Block off all stairs.
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