Baby Safety in the Home

All parents strive to keep their baby safe at all times and everywhere they go. Baby will spend most of her time at home and it is important to keep the following things in mind as you prepare your home for your child.

Electrical outlets are a hazard for your baby. Babies explore their worlds by using their fingers and electrical outlets are very tempting. You can buy outlet covers at most discount and hardware stores. Along with covering up the outlets, watch for electrical cords hanging down within baby's reach. Baby can get tangled in the cords and injure or strangle him/herself, as well as pull an object down on him/herself. If your baby is in a walker, make sure all cords are out of reach of the baby as he/she reaches out from in the walker.

Other hazards for your baby are cleaners, home chemicals and medications. Make sure you keep all cleansers, chemicals, and prescription and non-prescription medications out of baby's reach. Even with cupboard latches, it is always best to keep dangerous materials out of your child's reach.

Windows with or without screens can be hazardous to a baby. If the baby is able to push on or lean against the screen or go near an open window, you will need to prevent baby from getting access to the window. It is not uncommon to hear on the news that a baby has fallen from a window and gotten seriously injured or killed by the fall.

Once your baby is crawling, open or unlatched doors are a danger to your baby. Little fingers can get pinched in doorways. Make sure you hook or latch the door or screen door high enough that the baby cannot unlatch it or somehow get the door open.

Know your pet and his temperament and. If you are not able to be in the same room as both your baby and pet, it is safest to keep your baby away from your pet.

If you have other children, make sure they know your "rules" about how to handle the baby, what is safe for the baby, and what is not safe. Being a big brother or sister carries with it a responsibility of keeping the baby safe and helping mother and father do so, and this responsibility usually lies with the parent(s)/caregiver if the sibling is quite young.

When anyone on the premises is using a vehicle or lawn tractor, make sure your baby is not in the path of these vehicles. The best protection is for the caregiver to know where the baby is located at all times and to protect him from all danger. Your baby should be placed somewhere the caregiver knows is safe such as a play yard or swing if you need to leave the room for a few moments. Accidents can happen quickly and can be severe.

Being a parent/caregiver for a baby is a huge responsibility; take your responsibility very seriously.