September is National Baby Safety Month. The primary activities of babies and toddlers are centered around eating, sleeping, playing and traveling. These are the main areas where you can concentrate your safety concerns.
You should always supervise your baby when it is eating. Be sure that you feed your child food that is appropriate for their age. It is recommended that foods such as hotdogs, marshmallows, hard candy, popcorn, and grapes, not be given to children under the age of 5. You should be diligent about keeping medication and small items out of your baby’s reach. If a baby can reach and grasp something in its hand, it’s very likely to immediately put that item in its mouth.
A large portion of a baby’s time is spent sleeping. Safety tips related to sleep time include laying the baby on its back, dressing it warmly in a onesie or sleep sack instead of layering blankets on the baby and keeping toys out of the crib. Be sure that the crib or bed you choose is constructed with baby safety as a priority.
Lots of parents find it difficult to properly install a car seat. Check for locations in your area where car seat installation is being demonstrated for free by trained professionals. Another safety measure you can take is to find a car seat checklist online that gives you simple instructions on how to be sure that your child is correctly positioned in a car seat.
Be sure to send in product cards that accompany baby furniture, car seats, and other items so that you can be alerted if there are any recalls on those products. Another way to practice baby safety is to enroll in a CPR class so that you can be prepared should an emergency situation with your child.
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