Keeping your baby safe

Caring for a child is an enormous responsibility. Recognize common safety issues and systematically address them before they become a threat. This will help your baby be safe and can help you feel more confident about your ability to care for him or her.

Basic safety suggestions

There are many things you can do at home to keep your baby safe.

To prevent drowning:

• Never leave your baby alone in the bathtub.
• Keep toilet lids down.
• Empty liquids from buckets completely.
• Use safety measures around bodies of water. Accesses to swimming pools should be gated and locked.

To prevent poisoning:

• Regularly check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site (www.cpsc.gov) for toys and jewelry that have been recalled because of high lead levels. Keep unsafe objects out of reach of where your child sits and crawls.
• Keep all dangerous substances, such as cleaning supplies and all types of medicines, stored out of sight, out of reach, or locked up. Be aware that everyday items, such as mouthwash, can also be poisonous to young children.
• Check with your local Poison Control Center to make sure your houseplants are not poisonous. To find the center in your area, check your telephone directory or search online at www.aapcc.org. Philodendron and English ivy are two examples of common poisonous houseplants.

To prevent injury:

• Place your baby securely in an approved car seat or booster seat, every time you take him or her in your vehicle. Use an infant car seat that reclines and faces the rear until your baby is at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20lb. Make sure the car seat is properly installed (many are not). See the manufacturer's instructions for proper installation and use. If you are not sure, have your car seat checked at a police station. For more information, see the topic Child Car Seats.
• Handle your baby with care. In the first few months, babies' neck muscles are weak and their heads need to be supported at all times. Eventually babies become strong enough to support their heads, but they should still be handled gently. Never shake a baby in anger or fun. This could cause a brain injury from shaken baby syndrome.
• Make sure bookshelves or other objects cannot be pulled over by the baby.
• Restrict access to areas where a baby can fall, such as patios or stairwells. Windows should always be kept locked or screened. As your baby gains new skills, such as rolling over, kicking, and crawling, this will become increasingly important.
• Put away all breakables and sharp objects.
• Keep guns unloaded and locked up, with ammunition securely stored in a locked container.

To prevent choking and strangling:

• Keep small objects or parts of objects, such as toy pieces, or balloons, out of reach.
• Use care when selecting and preparing food. This includes mashing fruits and vegetables and dicing meat into bite-size pieces. Cut food, such as carrots, grapes, or hot dogs, in small pieces, or keep out of reach.
• Keep cords for blinds and drapes out of your child's reach. Attach cords to mounts that hold them taut, and wrap them around wall brackets.
• Remove mobiles from cribs and playpens as soon as your baby is able to reach up and touch a mobile.

To prevent burns:

• Set your water heater temperature no higher than 120F, so that your child does not accidentally get scalded.
• Keep hot liquids, such as a cup of coffee, away from your baby.
• Keep pan handles on the stove turned inward.
• Cover or insert safety plugs into accessible electrical outlets.

To fireproof your home:

• Make sure your home has a properly functioning smoke detector.
• Check electrical cords frequently.

For more information on safety precautions, see the topic Health and Safety, Birth to Age 2.