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Getting ready for your baby's arrival is exciting. Right now, you're more likely to be perusing baby bedding and stroller patterns than spending time in the safety aisle. While it may seem premature to be checking out safety gates and toilet latches, there are things you can - and should - do now to keep your newborn safe.
"It's never too soon to babyproof," says Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "Babies become mobile before we realize it. Trying to be a little ahead of your baby is a good thing." In fact, some of the most important decisions regarding your baby's safety, from setting up a safe crib to getting the right car seat, are ones you'll make before the baby comes.
To create a secure environment for your infant, follow this stage-by-stage safety guide for the first six months.
The Trip Home
The ride home in the car with your new baby will be the longest, most nerve-racking of your life (no matter how short the actual distance). Prepare for baby's first car ride ahead of time, by taking all the necessary precautions.
- Skip yard-sale or second-hand car seats and buy new. You can never be certain whether a used seat has been damaged, and manufacturers frequently update safety features on new seats.
- The back seat is the safest place for a baby to ride. (Never put a baby's seat near an airbag.) Your baby will ride rear facing until around her first birthday when she weighs 20 pounds.
- Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions for both your vehicle
and your car seat, and for added insurance have a professional certified
seat-check technician verify that your infant seat is properly installed. (Eight
of 10 children riding in car seats are incorrectly buckled in, according to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.) This federally funded service,
"Fit for a Kid," is available free, by appointment; find a technician in your
area at seatcheck.org or 866-SEAT-CHECK.
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Baby Checklist