Most child injuries are preventable. There are some very important things you can do to keep your baby safe like using an infant car seat correctly every time in a vehicle, preventing your baby from falling off furniture or down stairs, and using a safe crib. Often injuries happen because parents aren’t aware of the risks to their baby’s safety.
Cribs
Every year babies are seriously hurt because of faulty cribs. Cribs made before 1987 are not safe. All cribs should be checked regularly for safety (especially secondhand cribs). Find crib and bassinet standards at theHealth Canada website.
Some points to remember
- Follow the manufacturer’s directions when setting up the crib.
- Slats should be no further apart than 6 cm (2 3/8 inches).
- The mattress should be firm and fit snugly. If you can fit 2 fingers between the mattress and side of crib, the mattress is too small.
- The mattress should be no more than 15 cm (6 inches) thick for a crib. No ore than 3.8cm (1.5 inches) thick for a bassinet
- The mattress support needs to be securely attached to the crib frame.
- Do not use extra plastic mattress covers. Your baby may suffocate on the plastic.
- Do not place pillows, bumper pads, soft toys, sheepskins, quilts, or positioning devices (e.g. wedges or rolls) in the crib. Your baby may suffocate on these items
- Keep the crib away from long mobiles and from blind and curtain cords. Your baby may get tangled in the cords.
- If using a second-hand crib with drop sides, make sure the sides are tightly locked in the up position. Cribs with drop sides are no longer made or sold in Canada due to safety concerns.
- There should be a sticker saying it was made after September 1986 (Health Canada advises against using cribs more than 10 years old)
- Use a tight fittting bottom sheet.
Child Safety Seats
When used correctly, child safety seats save lives and reduce injuries. In Alberta, you are required by law to use an approved, rear-facing car seat for your new baby. Babies should remain rear facing in a child safety sesat until they are one year of age and 10kg (22lbs) AND walking.
When buying a child safety seat, parents are often confused by the variety of seats available. All child safety seats sold in Canada must have a Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) sticker. The best seat for you and your baby is the one that you will use properly each time. Buying a second-hand child safety seat is not recommended.
Check out Healthy Parents Healthy Children for inforrmation about buying and using infant safety seats.
Preventing Burns
- NEVER carry your baby and hot liquids or foods at the same time. Your baby can get burned. Use a lid on hot drinks, even at home.
- To protect your baby from tap water scalds, reduce the temperature of your hot water heater to between 48° and 54°C.
- To protect your baby from house fires, be sure you have a working smoke alarm in your home. Test the batteries every month to be sure they work. We advise that you change the batteries once a year on your baby’s birthday.
For more information about injury prevention for your family visit: Alberta Health Services – Injury Prevention
Use of Soothers (Pacifiers)
Soothers are not recommended while breastfeeding is being established. Using soothers during this time can lead to less breast suckling and reduce your milk supply. Also, some babies who suck on rubber nipples have more difficulty learning to breastfeed.
If you choose to give your baby a soother, here are some safety tips:
- Choose a soother that is the correct size for baby’s age.
- Choose a soother that has a soft, flexible nipple.
- Make sure the nipple and base of the soother cannot come apart.
- Check the soother regularly. Replace the soother every 2 months.
- Keep soothers very clean. After each use, wash it with hot soapy water and then rinse it.
- Avoid cleaning the baby’s soother in your own mouth.
- Never coat the soother with honey, sugar, or other foods or sweeteners.
Soothers should not be attached to strings that could get wrapped around baby’s fingers or neck.
Finger or pacifier sucking, often called non-nutritive sucking, is normal behavior in infants and young children. This behavior satisfies the child’s need for touch and security. Non-nutritive sucking may begin early in life and decrease as the child gets older. There is no clear evidence of the best time to stop these habits. Parents should use common sense. If the pacifier or finger sucking seems to interfere with speech, social skills or tooth alignment, stopping these habits may help.
Pet Safety
Welcoming a new baby is exciting for your family. Before you bring your baby home for the first time, send something from the hospital with the baby’s scent (such as a blanket) for your pet to investigate.
When you return from the hospital, your pet may be eager to greet you and receive your attention. Have someone else take the baby into another room while you give your pet a warm, but calm welcome. Keep some treats handy so you can distract the pet. After your initial greeting, you can bring your pet with you to sit next to the baby; reward your pet with treats for good behaviour. Remember, you want your pet to view associating with the baby as a positive experience. To prevent anxiety or injury, never force your pet to get near the baby, and always supervise any interaction.
New puppies and kittens often carry harmful germs. Be sure their immunizations are up to date. Snakes and other reptiles often carry bacteria (e.g. salmonella) that can easily infect babies. Make sure to wash your hands carefully.
Life will be busy caring for your new baby, but try to maintain regular routines as much as possible to help your pet adjust. And be sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your pet each day – it may help relax you too.
With proper training, supervision, and adjustments, you, your new baby and your pet should be able to live together safely and happily as one (now larger) family.
Click here for more safety information for babies and children.
Child Care
Choosing the child care arrangements that are best for you and your baby takes time. You may want to look for child care before your baby is born, especially if you’re planning to return to work. Your public health nurse can give you information about choosing child care.
Options for child care include:
- Family or friends
- Daycare
- Nanny (live in/out)
- Day home
- Licensed child care programs
- Private sitter
What to look for in child care:
- Is clean, safe and secure
- Has books, toys and activities for different ages
- Has enough adults to care for the number of children in the centre or home
- Provides a variety of safe play places (indoor, outdoor, quiet and active)
- Follows a flexible, yet predictable routine
- Provides healthy meals and snacks
- Includes and respects different cultures and languages
It is a good idea to start looking for child care early. Ask for and check all references. Make sure your child’s immunizations are all up to date. Children may have more infections during the first year in child care. Talk to the child care provider about their policy for children staying home when ill.
More resources for choosing child care: