We probably don’t need to tell you how much of a blessing your baby can be . Despite the crying and constant diaper changes, there are worries. Keeping your baby safe is a priority, as there are so many places in and out of the home when they might be at risk. Seasoned moms won’t need to worry as much, they should have everything down to a tee. But if you are a new mom, we have some useful safety guidelines to both keep your child safe and give you better peace of mind.
Safety Tip #1: Remove anything considered harmful
In a bid to create a healthy home environment for your child, you do need to scour the home for anything posing a danger. As you will soon discover, babies love to explore, and as soon as their mobility improves, they will be busy examining everything that is laid out before them. This isn’t a problem when it comes to those things they are allowed to eat or play with. If there are any choking hazards lying around, or harmful substances that are dangerous to both touch and taste, then their health is being put at risk. Do the right thing then, and remove anything considered dangerous. Then put locks on any cupboards within reach of your child, as you do need to curb their curiosity. Here are some other baby-proofing tips that should come in useful.
Safety Tip #2: Be mindful of loud noises
In the majority of cases, a baby is born with perfect hearing. However, their ear canals are very small, so even brief exposure to loud noise can cause hearing loss. Taking them to a rock concert is out of the question then, but there are other noise sources that could prove problematic. These include road works, noisy toys, and loud music within the home. Read here for how loud is too loud. As the parent, you are responsible for your own behavior, so reduce the amount of noise you make within your home. Where possible, avoid anything or anyplace that could create problems for your child’s hearing. When loud noises can’t always be avoided . For example, when you’re out of the home or vacuuming your house – use baby earmuffs to protect your little one’s sensitive lug holes.
Safety Tip #3: Keep your baby safe in the car
There are a few things to focus on here. The first is to get your baby the right sized child seat for his/her age. You should be able to get advice from the store where you bought the seat, but there is some advice here that may also be useful to you. Secondly, refer back to our first safety tip in this article. You need to remove anything that could be a choking hazard. Always scour your back seats for anything that might secure your child’s curiosity. Then remember to never, ever leave your child alone in the car. Child abduction is one risk, as is the risk of dehydration on particularly hot days, but there may be other dangers to leaving your child unattended. Don’t take any chances – when you’re out of the car, take your child with you!
Safety Tip#4: Be mindful of stranger danger
Most people are well-meaning, but as alluded to above, child abduction is a risk. Therefore, take precautions by ensuring your child is never left alone unsupervised.Whether you’re in or out of the house, always have your child in sight. Take extra precautions too, so close doors and windows when you’re at home, and secure gaps in fencing so your child doesn’t escape from your garden. When you’re out of the home, never leave your baby’s pram unattended, and when they are old enough to walk, use a baby harness, so your child has no opportunity to get away from you. Then, as your child gets older, ensure you talk about stranger danger to them. The more educated you and they are, the less chance of harm.
Safety Tip #5: Be careful around dogs
Thousands of children a year are hospitalized because of dog bites, so you need to be mindful. When looking to bring a pet into the home, you might consider opting for a goldfish or even a cat before getting a dog, but if you do go for a canine companion, choose a dog that could be considered safe. Here are some examples. Still, you should never leave your child unattended with any dog, so practice caution at all times. Follow these safety rules to make life easier, for yourself, your children, and your pet dog if you have one.
Final Thoughts
We haven’t covered every safety tip here, but we have tried to cover as broad a base as possible. Need some more babyproofing tips? Carry on with your research, read any baby manual you can get your hands on, and talk to those seasoned pros at parenthood for their hints and tips. Let us know too if you have any advice that we haven’t covered here. Thanks for reading, and happy (safe) parenting!
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