Baby Safety

Skills Your Baby is Learning

Each baby develops at their own pace, usually through similar stages. Your baby will wriggle and roll from birth, start to sit up at about 6 months and crawl at about 9 months. They will also start to reach and grasp for objects and put them into their mouth. Understanding your baby’s development as they grow will help you gain a great deal of enjoyment from your child and help to keep them safe.

Common Causes of Injury

Rolling off the change table, bench or bed.
Falling out of high chairs, prams, strollers, beds, couches, change tables or bouncers.
Choking on small items as everything goes into their mouths.
Burns from hot drinks spilt over a child while being held by or close to a carer.
Poisoning from medicines or swallowing dangerous substances such as detergents, chemicals, and alcohol.
Baby walkers - falling, crashing, pulling things down on themselves.

Bathing

Have everything you will need within your reach.
Never leave your baby unattended or take your eyes off them when they are near water.
Never take your hand off baby.
Place a non-slip mat in the bottom of the bath. Always check the water temperature with a thermometer before placing your baby in the bath. The temperature should be no more than 38° C to avoid a scald injury.
Ensure that your baby does not come in contact with the hot tap.
When filling the bath, run the cold water first, then hot, then cold again and mix well, to keep the tap cold to touch and the water temperature even.

Dressing

Never leave your baby alone on the change table, bench or bed.
Do not dress your baby in clothes with long drawstrings, ribbons or cords that could cause strangulation.
Choose clothing that has low fire danger. Look for the LOW FIRE DANGER label on children’s clothing and nightwear.

Feeding

If bottle feeding, always check the milk temperature before giving it to your baby.
Microwave ovens heat milk unevenly so always shake the bottle to mix its contents before feeding your baby.
Never prop a bottle for your baby to feed alone.
When starting solids at 6 months, finely mash foods to avoid choking, then progress to coarsely mashed food.
Always supervise your baby when feeding.
If you give your baby medicine, read the label carefully and never give more than the recommended dose.
Use high chairs with a 5 point harness.
Always put hot drinks down when holding your baby. If spilt on your child, hot drinks can cause severe burns.

First Aid For Burns

The correct first aid for a burn is cooling immediately with cool running tap water for a minimum of 20 minutes. Do not use iced water, ice, butter or oil.

Sleeping

Only use a cot that meets the Australian Safety Standards (AS/NZS 2172).
Position the cot away from windows and curtain cords. Ensure all blind or curtain cords are out of reach and secured safely with safety devices available from curtain and blind retailers (check Consumer Affairs website for advice: www.consumer.vic.gov.au).
Do not use bumpers or pillows in the cot.
Always place your baby on their back to sleep with their feet at the bottom of the cot.
Remove bibs and dummy (pacifier) cords/ ribbon.
Check SIDS and Kids website for safe sleeping advice www.sidsandkids.org.
Do not put your baby in a pram to sleep unsupervised because of the risk of smothering.
Ensure portacots are erected securely if used. Never use any extra padding/mattresses.
Refer to the Maternal and Child Health/SIDS and KIDS Safe Sleeping Checklist.

Out and About

When travelling by car, use an infant restraint that meets the requirements of the Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 1754).
Children under 6 months of age must use an approved child restraint that is rearward facing, properly fitted to the vehicle and adjusted to fit the child’s body correctly.
As children grow at different rates between the age of 6 months and 4 years, they may use EITHER an approved rearward-facing restraint OR an approved forward-facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness.
Your baby should remain in a rear-facing restraint until they no longer fit; this should be at least 6 months of age. Ensure that the restraint is installed correctly. An incorrectly fitted car restraint increases the risk of injury to your child.
Ensure the harness fits snugly before every trip.
Never leave your baby alone in the car. Take your baby with you even for small errands.
Use a Standards approved pram and place all bags under the pram to avoid it overbalancing.
Always use harnesses in prams, strollers and supermarket trolleys; adjust it to fit your baby every time.
Be aware that little fingers can become trapped in hinges of prams, strollers and doors.
Protect your baby from the sun by dressing them in lightweight, long sleeved clothing and a hat, finding shade and using baby sunscreen

At Play

Make a safe play area for your child away from heaters, stairs, pets, doors and other dangers.
Keep your child’s play area clear of small items that may be a choking hazard.
Store all medications, cleaning products and other poisonous substances out of reach of children - preferably in a cupboard with a child-resistant lock located at least 1.5m from the ground.
Keep handbags containing medicines out of reach of young children.
Place lids on nappy buckets and store them up high to avoid poisoning and drowning.
Separate dogs and cats from children - especially at the animal’s feeding times.
If you use a bouncer, place it on the floor – never on a raised surface.
Baby walkers are not recommended because of the risk of severe injury.
Ensure that your pool or spa is properly fenced. Your local council can advise you on the regulations that govern pools and spas.
Empty wading pools/buckets/wheelie bins after every use and store them upright or deflate them to prevent your child from drowning.

Toys

Toys need to be age appropriate, durable and washable, have smooth edges and no small parts that can be swallowed. Ensure toys meet the Australian Standard AS/NZ 8124.

General Tips on Baby Safety

Be a good role model. Your child will watch everything you do and try to imitate you.
Have a professional install or check your child car restraint.
Install stairguards, stoveguards, fire and heater guards, power point covers and furniture corner covers.
Install a smoke alarm in your child’s bedroom as well as other areas in your home and check and replace the batteries annually.
Install a pool fence and gate that complies with regulations to reduce the risk of drowning. Be careful not to place any objects near the fence that can be used to climb over the fence and ensure the gate is closed correctly and locked at all times. Ask your local council if your pool fence and self closing gate meet regulations.
Always pay attention to your baby! The number one most important thing in ensuring your baby safety is maintained is adult supervision.

Source: Modified from the Kidsafe Victoria Birth - 9 Months resource fact sheet.