In this article we offer some tips that can help you to ensure that your home will be safe for that beautiful baby boy or girl that you have.

Tip 1- To determine how to make your home safe for your baby it is a good idea to look at each room as a child would see it. So you need to actually get down on your hands and knees and see what they would see and what may interest them.

Tip 2 – In order to prevent young children from falling into the toilet make sure that you fit locks to the lids. Plus why not consider having toilet lids installed that self close after a certain time following their use.

Tip 3 – If you are going to be using a bucket in which soiled nappies can be placed after changing your baby make sure that you go for one’s which are tamper proof. Also it is a good idea to put them in a position out of your child’s reach.

Tip 4 – When it comes to all sorts of cleaning supplies and medical supplies make sure that these are in places that your child won’t have access to. It is a good idea to fit special catches to doors that allow them to open a short way so little fingers cannot become trapped, but prevent them from actually removing items from inside.

Tip 5 – Make sure that you purchase a cot for your child to sleep in that conforms to the minimum safety standards. Look for those where the slats on each side of the cot are no more than 2 to 3/8 inches apart. Also make sure that all corners and edges are well protected.

Tip 6 – Although you may be inclined to use soft bedding in your baby’s cot avoid using any of this at all. Unfortunately the chances of your baby becoming entangled in them at night as they sleep is great and can lead to them being suffocated.

Tip 7 – Before giving any toys to your baby that have come as presents from others check them over. Again it is a good idea to make sure that the ones you provide meet the relevant safety standards for baby toys. If unsure what these standards are the internet can provide you with details.

Tip 8 – One other thing one must do when it comes to baby home safety issues is to ensure that all you install baby proof plugs on all electrical equipment. Plus use trunking to ensure that baby’s don’t have easy access to electrical cords and make sure that all electrical sockets in use are covered.

It is important that you make sure that the crib you select has reached the relevant safety standards. To do this make sure that in the USA it has the JPMA certification or in the UK BSI Kite Safety logo on it.

But how does one know which cribs do actually meet the relevant safety standards in order to achieve these certificates? Below we take a look at what to look for when purchasing your baby’s crib.

1. Make sure that the slats or bars in your baby’s crib are no more than 2-3/8 inches apart. Any further apart than this and a baby will find it very easy to slip their head through the railings and may then become stuck.

2. Although there are some cribs available that have designs cut into the rails or along the tops and bottoms of them these types should be avoided. Again there is a much greater chance of your baby’s arm or neck getting stuck in them.

3. It is important that the crib you select is a sturdy model, because as your child grows older they move around a great deal more when they sleep at night. So it is a good idea when out shopping to shake the crib you are considering purchasing well. As you shake it look to see how much it wobbles or how much it rattles.

4. Look for cribs which have been constructed from either maple, beech, oak or ash wood which has been painted or stained. These hardwoods are not only more durable and so unlike many other woods are must less likely to warp or weaken over time and how much they are used.

5. When looking at the way in which the crib has been finished again make sure that the stain or paint used is of the non toxic, lead free varieties. Remember when babies are teething they like to chew on things and this may well include their crib.

6. When it comes to choosing the right kind of crib for your new arrival go for those kinds that the sides don’t drop to less than 9 inches above the height of the mattress when lowered. Also the sides when raised must be at least 26 inches above the height of the mattress to ensure that the child when standing cannot actually attempt to climb up and over the sides.

7. Finally when it comes to baby crib safety issues check to make sure that the mattress that comes with it fits snugly into the space provided. Avoid those that allow you to fit two fingers between it and the sides of the crib and regularly check the condition of the mattress if made from foam. These types of mattresses do eventually begin to break down and can result in gaps forming between it and the sides of the crib where small hands and fingers can become trapped.

1. Infant Car Seats

Of all the car seats available for transporting baby’s in a vehicle this is the easiest to use. This is the kind that can be lifted out from your car with the baby still inside and carried around by its handle. In order to put it into your vehicle you just need to make sure that the seat belt already in it is correctly placed around the seat to anchor it in position.

Unlike other car seats this one is purely designed to transport the child with them facing backwards. Also it can only be used for children up to the age of one year or for those that don’t weigh more than 18lbs. After this age then you will need to use a front facing seat for them to travel in any vehicle.

2. Convertible Car Seats

These types of car seats are much larger in size than the type we mention above. These types of seats are suitable for baby’s to be placed in them facing backwards. Then when they reach a certain age or weight the seat can be turned around and used for them sitting facing forwards. Then once they reach over a certain weight (40lbs) the main part of the chair can be removed and you are left with just a booster seat on which your child can then sit.

When it comes to purchasing either of these types of seats in which your baby can travel when in any vehicle there are certain baby car seat safety features to look for. It is important to keep these in mind to ensure that you buy exactly the right model and below we look at just what some of these features are.

Feature 1 – Harness – Ideally if you can choose those car seats that come with a five point rather than three point harness. This is because they help to secure your baby into the seat much better and will reduce the chances of them being ejected from the seat if the vehicle is involved in any type of accident.

Feature 2 – Head Protection – Most car seats for babies today do offer some form of head protection, but some offer more than others. If you can look for those car seats for babies where they use a layer of EPS foam or similar material to make the head protector. This will offer much more protection to your child if vehicle is in an accident where it is hit on the side.

Feature 3 – Locking Clip – This is the final baby car seat safety feature that you need to be looking for when making your purchase. As you may find it difficult to know how to correctly use this clip in order to make sure that the seatbelt remains holding the seat in place it is a good idea to choose those with a built in locking clip. Not only are these much easier to use but provide a much tighter hold on the seat ensuring that your baby remains safe at all times whilst the car is in motion.

When it comes to the purchase of baby safety items the parents should ensure that what they purchase comes with the relevant safety standard certifications. In America look for items that have been certified by the JPMS (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association). Whilst in the UK the items should have been certified by the BSI Group and you can quickly identify these by the kite mark sign on them.

However initially when parents are purchasing new items for the baby before it arrives there are certain baby safety items that must be got. The items that these parents should be concentrating on are car seats, cribs and strollers. Below we take a look at what parents should be looking for to ensure that they purchase the right ones that their new arrival will remain safe and secure in at all times.

Car Seat – Make sure that they are fitted with a five points rather than three point harnesses. The problem with those that have smaller harnesses in them is that they won’t fit over your baby’s hips. By going for the five harness type it not only sits over the baby’s hips but the baby’s shoulders as well and provides a better level of protection should your vehicle be involved in an accident.

Also look at what anti-rebound features the car seat comes with. By choosing ones with these it will help to reduce the chances of the baby hitting the seats back should the car be involved in a severe action. This is because it reduces the risk of the car seat popping up .

Strollers – This is another crucial item one needs to purchase before the baby arrives for any parents to be. There are certain features that you should be looking for that will ensure that your new arrival remains safe at all times when in it. First off look at the kind of harness the stroller comes with. Ideally you want to go for those that go between your baby’s legs and around their waist, so the five point one is perfect as this comes with straps that go over your child’s shoulders.

When it comes to buying these particular baby safety items make sure that they straps of the harness are well attached to its frame. Also make sure that the brakes on it are ones that will keep the stroller stable when on. Plus to ensure that the manufacturer of the stroller you purchase as made sure that places where small fingers can get in are covered along with any sharp edges on it. Plus don’t forget to check that when you collapse the stroller down that there is no possibility that your fingers can be trapped or pinched.

In this article we take a look at just some of the gear that you will as new parents need to purchase before the arrival of your child. By purchasing these items you will be ensuring that your baby remains safe and secure at all times.

1. Car Seat

This is the most important piece of baby safety gear you need to purchase before your baby arrives. It is important that you ensure that the one you purchase meets the relevant safety standards in the country where you live. In the USA look for those that have been given a certificate by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMS) whilst in the UK look for those that have the Kite Mark on them that is given by the BSI Group.

2. Cribs

Again you need to make sure that the crib you choose is one that meets the relevant and latest safety standards for the country where you live. It is important that you look closely at how far apart the slats within the crib are placed. A good quality safe crib will be one where the slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. This will help to ensure that your baby won’t be able to place their head or legs or arms through them.

As for the mattress in your child’s crib make sure that it is one that isn’t too soft so it provides them with ample support as they sleep. A good way of ensuring that the mattress is right is to squeeze it both in the centre and around the edges.

3. Baby Sling or Carrier

During the first few months of their life you may find that your baby enjoys this form of travel when out and about rather than being placed in a stroller. Make sure that the one you choose has been well stitched and that the harness which you place around you is strong. Also make sure that you check how much weight the sling or carrier can take.

4. Stroller

There are several features that your stroller should have. Along with a good quality harness, preferably a five point one to ensure that they are kept securely in place when put into it. You must make sure that the one you select is going to remain stable at all times, so check that all four wheels remain on the ground. Also you need to make sure when it comes to this particular baby safety gear you choose one that has good quality brakes that not only are easy to use but work.

In this article we take a look at some of the things that one should be looking for when it comes to purchasing safety gates for one’s home. By keeping these things in mind then you will ensure that you purchase the right kind of gate that will protect your baby.

1. First off you need to decide whether the baby safety gates you purchase for your home are pressure or permanently mounted. The biggest advantage to going for those that are permanently fixed in position is that they are much stronger. So there is far less risk of your child as they get bigger and stronger of being able to pull them away from their positions.

Plus with the permanently mounted safety gates you can purchase today the main part of them can easily be removed. This is because they now come with fittings that allow the main part of the can to be released from the frame easily and so can be removed when not required.

2. Next you need to look at the kind of latch system which it comes with. There are a couple of types to choose from. You can either go for the dual latch system that will allow you to open the gate when using just one hand. Whilst the other latch that some may be fitted with is a pedal one that is placed at the base of the gate and allows you to open it by depressing with your foot so will find useful when your hands are full.

3. If you want it is worth considering purchasing those baby safety gates that come with lights that turn on. There are many now that will turn on because they sense movement near them so no need for you to press any buttons in order to identify where the gate is as you take your child up to bed each night.

4. One final thing that needs to be looked for when it comes to getting the right sort of baby gates for your home is how high they are. It is important that you choose baby safety gates that will not allow your child to climb over them as they grow bigger and stronger. Ideally look for gates that will be no less than ¾ the height of your child.

Although many parents will wash their baby in their own bath they should never be left alone in them. Also many new parents find that the position that they are placed in when washing their child can lead to injuries on them. So it is far better to purchase a baby tub in which your child can then be washed.

Not only can you place this in a position that allows you to take pressure off your own body but are much safer for your child to be placed in. The reason for choosing such items is that they come with contoured sides that fit close around your baby so there is far less chance of them slipping down in it. This in turn means that your hands are much freer for being able to bathe the baby even though you will need to provide support. Plus all the baby bath tubs available today come with bottoms creating from non slip material so this further reduces the chances of them slipping around in the bath as they are being washed.

When bathing baby’s you need to make sure that the water is at the correct temperature. If it is too hot this can lead to the child being scalded. Therefore although many parents still feel that dipping ones elbow in to the water is the quickest way of testing the water’s temperature it may not always work. Therefore it is worth considering purchasing a thermometer to test the water’s temperature instead.

Again there are many different types on the market but not all of them are as effective as one would hope. Choose ones that can easily be installed into the bath where the child is being bathed. Also choose one that quickly shows what temperature the water is at. The best ones to choose that are colour coded when it comes to showing the water’s temperature. For example there are some which change colour to red if the water is too hot, blue if the water is too cold and green in the temperature of the water is just right.

When it comes to ensuring that your baby is safe when being bathed it is worth considering spending some money on getting covers to go over the taps in your bath. This particular item will either be one that you inflate to place over the taps or will be made from some form of soft plastic. But when it comes to baby bath safety this particular item will ensure that no harm will be caused to your child should they accidentally bang against the taps.

When it comes to purchasing a crib (cot) in which you baby will sleep make sure that the one you choose meets certain baby crib safety guidelines. Today all cribs used for babies must come with slats on the sides that come with 2 to 3/8 inch gaps between them. These will help to ensure that your baby won’t be able to put their heads between the slats and then get stuck.

Also the cribs you select should not have any kind of cut out areas in the foot or head boards through which a baby would be able to place their head. As for the rails at the top of the sides of the cribs when raised these should be no less than 26 inches above where the base of the mattress in the crib is.

It is a good idea to choose those cribs which have the facility to allow you to lower the height of the base of the crib on which the mattress is going to be placed. By choosing this type of crib it means that even when your baby is able to pull themselves up and stand inside the crib the rails will still be no less than ¾ up the child’s body.

As for the latch which allows you to drop the sides of the crib to allow you easy access to your baby. But they should be of a strength that it takes quite a bit of force to disengage them. If you can look for those cribs where it takes you two actions to release the latch from the locked position and a minimum force of around 10lbs is needed to release it. This will help to ensure that your baby as they grow older and stronger won’t be able to accidentally release the latch themselves.

When it comes to the mattress this is another important feature to look at when it comes to baby sleep safety. It is important that the one you choose for your baby’s crib fits snugly into it to ensure that no gaps are available in which tiny hands can be placed. Also make sure that you choose ones that don’t come with any sort of plastic covering to them as this could cling to the child’s face as they sleep. You should also select a mattress that provides them with ample support when not only lying on their back but their sides also. This will ensure that they get a good night’s sleep and the risk of them being smothered by the mattress or other bedding is reduced.