Baby’s Bedroom Safety

Here are some ideas to help make your baby's room a safer place. 

Remember babies develop quickly and can move suddenly and unexpectedly.  What they couldn't do yesterday they may be able to do today (roll over, stand, climb etc).              

  Changing Table         

• Never leave child unattended.         
• Keep supplies close at hand and use the safety belt.             
• Keep a hand on your child at all times, even with the belt.         
• Keep drapery and blind cords out of reach in all rooms.  Loose cords can strangle children. Tie the cords high, without loops.         
• Keep baby powder & talc away from child’s face to avoid it from being inhaled and damaging their lungs. 

  Crib         

• Babies under 1year should sleep on their backs to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).         
• Babies should sleep in a crib with a firm mattress, which fits snugly in the crib, and a fitted sheet.          
• Keep pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins and stuffed toys out of the crib to help prevent suffocation.          
• Keep bulky items out of crib as they can be used as a step for climbing out when your baby is able to stand.         
• Do not use a crib with raised corner posts or cutouts that loose clothing could get caught on and strangle your baby.           
• Do not hang anything with strings or ribbons over crib.           
• The slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart to keep heads from getting trapped.         
• Be sure all screws, bolts and other hardware are secure to prevent crib from collapsing.         
• Be sure when your child is able to stand that the mattress is lowered to the lowest level to help prevent accidental falls out of the crib.               

  Other bedroom items         

• Use only night lights that stay cool and keep them away from drapes or bedding to help prevent a fire.
• Buy and install long life lithium battery smoke alarms outside every bedroom or sleeping area, in furnace areas, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Test alarms every month. Change standard batteries at least once a year.

Growing Independence

Young children 4-6 years old start to explore the world, develop their independence, forming real friendships and developing life skills. 

It's an exciting time but it can be scary.

• Children love to learn
• Maintain open & honest communication to create lifelong closeness.  Listening to them helps build their self confidence. Encourage them to talk often & about many things. Let them know it's ok to have negative feelings and to share them.  Tell them about your best and worst experiences.
• Set routines and responsibilities as well as limits, with natural consequences when rules are broken. Children do better when they know what to expect. Let them know what they did was wrong and what will happen if the behavior continues.  Consequences need to be logical, meaningful and simple.
• Teach them how to be independent and safe with adults.  You want your child to respect and trust others but you want to keep your child safe and teach them to be careful. 
• Teach them how to be a good friend. They will have fun times as well as arguments and hurt feelings.  Help them learn how to solve social situations on their own. 

For tips on how to incorporate and teach these skills check out the AAP article "Growing Independence: Tips for Parents of Young Children"