Safety for your Baby and Toddler through the Milestone Years
All mommies know that they need to baby-proof their house for their new born baby. However, you also need to readjust your proofing methods as the baby gets older, bigger, and wiser. In this article we look at baby and child proofing your house, from birth till a toddler.
From the time your baby turns 6 months old he will become more mobile and more interested in the world around him, and he will want to explore his environment, thus making him more prone to accidents. As your baby grows you need to keep re-evaluating the possible danger zones. When he can only crawl, you can get down on your hands and knees and check for safety hazards, but when he is a toddler, he can drag chairs, stand up on it and reach to forbidden things in cupboards, so you need to be one step ahead of him!
Smaller Baby
Changing mat – Make use of a sturdy changing table or another surface like a bed and never leave your baby on a high surface unattended. Make sure your changing area can accommodate convenient storage space on or around it, so you can store everything you need. This will prevent you from taking your eyes off your baby while you are looking for something.
Cot- The bars of cots and playpens should be vertical and gaps between bars should be small enough so your baby can’t slip his head through them. Remove ribbons and strings that might get wound around his neck. Remove bulky toys or cushions that he could stand on.
Bedding – Don’t use pillows when your baby is quite small. And to prevent overheating him while he is under 1 year old don’t use a duvet or sleeping bag. Rather use sheets and blankets instead, because it is aerated.
Dummies – Check regularly for holes and tears, and if there are any than they must be thrown away. Don’t fit the dummy to your baby’s clothes because it can become wound around your baby’s neck.
Pram – Your baby’s pram should be stable and not tip over easily. Always use a safety harness and don’t overload the pram. Avoid hanging shopping bags from the pram handles.
Older Baby/ Toddler
They key here is to be constantly aware of your child’s developmental stage. Parents often underestimate what the toddlers are capable of doing. His mind is exposed to a multitude of new experiences every day.
Tips:
- Keep small objects out of reach so that your baby can’t put them into his mouth and choke.
- Put safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and fix burglar bars to all windows that can open.
- Secure or pack away all unstable furniture or bookshelves that your child could pull down. Take table cloths off tables until he is older.
- Put up protective grills or other barriers in front of fireplaces, heaters and stoves.
- Install safety latches or locks on cabinets that contain potentially dangerous items, or put them high on a shelf that your child cannot reach.
- Always put your handbag and your visiting friend’s handbag out of your child’s reach because it can contain medicine, cigarettes, lighters, jewellery and much more.
- Get rid of small pieces of crayon and chalk.
[ Your Baby Magazine September 2008]
