Baby Safety Tips For Baby Safety Month in September

As everyone knows, babies are inquisitive little beings who love to explore the world around them. While this exploration is necessary for their development, it can also be dangerous at times. As parents, we have a desire and a duty to keep our little ones safe. Listed below are a few tips to keep in mind for helping to keep baby safe and sound.

1. Keep a close eye on your baby. Little people can get into a precarious situation in no time. If we as parents are being watchful as we should be, it will help to prevent a major catastrophe from occurring.

2. Remove all items smaller than your hand from the baby's environment. Every parent knows that babies love to put anything and everything into their mouths. By removing any object that is less than the size of your hand from the baby's reach, you can insure that the baby will not swallow something that could cause a choking hazard.

3. Keep balloons away from your baby. Balloons can be very popular with little ones. However if the balloons burst, they can be very dangerous if swallowed.

4. Put all harmful chemicals well out of baby's reach. Most parents know to keep dangerous chemicals(such as cleaning and automotive supplies) on high shelves or locked away where babies and toddlers cannot reach them but often forget about typically benign substances which can also be harmful. Bubbles, for instance, are enjoyed by children of all ages; however, if a baby were to swallow the bubble mixture and inhale it into his or her lungs, it could cause health complications (this information was given to us via our family doctor when our son decided to drink some bubbles).

5. Do not allow your baby to be alone on or near stairs. As babies become able to crawl and then walk, they begin to try new experiences. One of those experiences is attempting to go up and down stairs. Please make sure that you are with your baby if he or she is trying to go up and down the stairs. Otherwise, you take a great risk of him or her falling down them.

6. Do not leave your baby unattended while in a shopping cart. Most parents know to strap their baby into the cart when they are shopping at a store, but we must also remember to keep the cart close to us. You should keep the shopping cart within arm's length at all times. Otherwise, the possibility of your baby falling over the handle of the cart exists.

7. Do not leave your baby unattended when he or she is in a kiddie pool or when you are at an adult-sized pool. Parents often think that if a baby is inside a small kiddie pool, he or she will be safe. However, because babies are top heavy, they can easily fall over into even a small amount of water and drown. Always supervise your baby even when he or she is in a kiddie pool. When you are at an adult-sized pool, such as those found at gyms and country clubs, always carry your baby or hold your baby's hand at all times. It only takes a few seconds of negligence to result in a life-ending accident.