10 Important Baby Safety Tips You Should Know

When you become a parent, your child’s safety takes topmost priority and can often leave you overwhelmed or stressed. However, you can prepare yourself and lessen your worries a little by taking certain preventative measures to ensure your baby’s safety. We rounded up our top 10 baby safety tips that’ll help you protect and care for your little one.

1. Make sure your baby’s crib meets the most current safety standards
Invest in a well-made and sturdy crib for your little one. As per the most recent safety guidelines, your baby’s crib slats should not be more than 2 and 3/8th inches apart from one another, to make sure your baby’s tiny hands or legs do not get stuck in between. Make sure that you also get a full-size mattress that fits properly in the crib without leaving any gaps. Soft, breathable bedding will help your tiny little one sleep even better at night. Check out our 6-piece cot bedding set made from natural 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton for maximum comfort.

2. Invest in a good rear-facing car seat that fits properly in your car and make sure to install and test it properly
Secure your child safely in a car safety seat every time they are in the car, no matter how short the drive. Experts recommend using a rear-facing car seat until your child is about one year of age, as rear-facing car seats can protect your delicate little ones from greater impact and give better support to their head, back and neck, in case you are in an accident. Read your car safety seat manual thoroughly before installing it to make sure that it is securely attached, and make sure that the harness is not too loose when strapping your child in, to ensure your baby’s protection. When your child exceeds the weight limit for a car seat, you can progress to a booster seat to keep them safe during car rides.

3. Scan your home/baby’s spaces for any choking hazards and keep them out of baby’s reach
Babies love grabbing all kinds of objects and will immediately put them in their mouths before you even know it. But, a lot of small objects are potential choking & health hazards for your little one, which is why it’s really important to keep certain items out of their reach. This is an important part of baby proofing your home. Have a pet at home? Make sure you keep their food out of your baby’s way as pet kibble too can be a choking hazard.

4. Pay attention to bathroom safety
Use non-slip mats in your baby’s bath area and NEVER leave your baby unattended in the bathroom, even for a second. Always check the water temperature before beginning baby’s bath. Here’s our complete guide on how to bathe your newborn baby. Children are drawn to water – keep your toilet seat lids closed and your bathroom doors shut. Keep your bathroom trash cans out of reach or make sure they have a lid so that your toddler can’t get their hands on what’s inside.

5. Keep cleaning products and medicines in higher areas that your child cannot reach
Store any household cleaning products or medicines at a higher ground so that your child cannot get to them. If you must store them in lower cabinets or drawers, make sure that they have cabinet locks for your child’s safety.

6. Baby-proof your kitchen too
Make your kitchen a safe space by installing stove knob covers, cabinet locks or even appliance locks if necessary. When you’re cooking, try and use your back burners on the stove top and always turn any handles inwards. Babies love grabbing at things so if you’re holding something hot like a cup of coffee or tea, make sure you’re not carrying your baby at the same time.

7. Install baby gates at the top and bottom of staircases and in front of any area that you want to restrict your child’s access to
If you have a multi-level home, baby safety gates are a must to protect your child from any staircase-related accident. You can also use child safety gates to prevent your child from entering the kitchen or any other area that you may want to keep them out of.

8. Secure your television and any heavy furniture to the wall to prevent it from tipping over
Any heavy furniture such as bookshelves, cabinets etc. should be mounted to the wall to make sure that they don’t accidentally tip over and injure your child. The same goes for televisions. Wall mount your flatscreen TV at a safe height. If you have a box TV, make sure it is properly secured on a table and cannot tip over. This is important for ensuring your child’s safety at home.

9. Cover electrical outlets and keep chargers out of reach
Child proof your home by using electrical outlet caps to prevent injuries. Children can actually suffer from serious shocks or burns if they accidentally poke an item into an electrical outlet. Keep any chargers out of reach too.

10. Soften any sharp edges that can hurt your child when they fall, and pay attention to door safety
Children tend to fall a lot, and that’s okay, but it is important to prevent any serious injury by softening any sharp edges in your home such as table corners. You can use baby-safe corner guards or furniture padding for this purpose. Another thing you want to be careful about is door safety as your baby’s tiny fingers can easily get hurt if caught in the doors. A child-proof door lock and pinch guard is a great way to prevent this from happening.

What are some baby safety tips that you learnt after becoming a parent? Share your favourites below.