Baby Safety Checklist - Protect Your Baby

Baby Safety Checklist - Protect Your Baby
By Alli Ross

When bringing home your new baby, there are so many things to
do in order to get ready. Making your home a safe haven for your
new little one is one of the most important things you will do
to get ready. Each room contains its own set of dangers. Below
is a baby safety checklist to ensure that every room in your
house is baby friendly.

General Safety Tips:

___ Place child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets.
___ Install safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.
___ Don't use baby walkers because they have been known to have
caused serious injuries to babies. Use stationary exercisers
instead.
___ Keep all dangerous chemicals out of the reach of
children.
___ Shorten curtain and blind cords.
___ Install smoke detectors on each floor of your home,
especially near sleeping areas. * Be sure to change the
batteries each year.
___ Keep all small objects away from young children. (This
includes tiny toys and balloons.)
___ Use corner bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.

___ Know the names of all plants in case a child eats one of
them.
___ Be sure that furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves,
space heaters, and all gas appliances are vented properly.

___ Place screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and
portable space heaters.
___ Keep firearms and ammunition safely locked away.
___ Secure unsteady furnishings.
___ Check your house for lead and asbestos. If you detect
either of these substances, contact a professional. Any house
built before 1978 is at risk for lead paint.

Protect your kids rooms:

___ Ensure that your crib meets national safety standards.
___ Place guards on windows and stops on all doors.
___ Make sure your baby's crib is sturdy and has no loose or
missing hardware.
___ Make sure that the mattress fits snugly.
___ Be sure the crib sheet fits snugly.
___ Never put stuffed animals or heavy blankets in the crib
with your infant.
___ Never leave your baby unattended on the changing table.
___ Remove mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon
as your child can reach up and touch them.
___ Place infants under one year of age on their backs to
sleep. Mattress should be firm and flat with no soft bedding
underneath. * Following this advice will reduce the risk of
suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
___ Place night-lights at least three feet away from the crib,
bedding, and draperies to prevent fires.
___ Check age labels for appropriate toys.

Keep the bathroom safe:

___ Put a lock on the medicine cabinet.
___ Lower the household water temperature. (It should be set at
120 degrees F or below to avoid burning your baby)
___ Always test the water first before bathing a child.
___ Never leave your child alone in the bathtub or near any
water.
___ Secure toilet lids. Many young children are fascinated by
putting objects inside.
___ Make sure that bathtubs and showers aren't slippery.
___ Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets near
sings and bathtubs.

For the Kitchen:

___ Keep all knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of
children's reach.
___ If stove knobs are easily accessible to children, use
protective covers to prevent kids from turning them.
___ Never leave your baby alone in a highchair. Always use all
safety straps.
___ Replace any frayed cords and wires.
___ Keep chairs and step stools away from counters and the
stove.
___ Remove all household cleaners from the bottom cabinets or
put them in a cabinet that is out of your baby's reach.

In the Yard:

___ Store tools, garden, lawn-equipment, and supplies in a
locked closet or shed.
___ Don't use a power mower when young children are around.
___ Don't allow children to play on a treated lawn for at least
48 hours following an application of a fertilizer or pesticide.

___ Know the types of trees and plant life on the property in
case children ingest berries, leaves, or other plant life.
___ If you have a swimming pool, install a fence that separates
the house from the pool. ( Make sure that the gate is
childproof)

This list is a general guide. For more in-depth information go
to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov.

About the Author: GranMamma is the webmaster at the Baby
Names Box - http://www.babynamebox.com - Where you can explore
over 6,000 baby names and their meanings. Read articles on
parenting, family, recipes, home and gardening. Be sure to say
hi to GranMamma!

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