Baby Steps to a Safer Home:Essential Tips for Baby Safety Month
By: Sara Coello
September is Baby Safety Month! Founded by the Baby Safety Alliance, Baby
Safety Month educates parents and caregivers on safe product selection, proper home childproofing, and injury prevention.
Here are some tips and tricks for keeping your child safe in your home!
Home Safety & Childproofing
Safe Sleep: The ABCs
SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is the most common cause of death due to a lack
of education about infant sleep. Fortunately, there is an easy way to remember everything
you need to know to keep your child safe while they sleep. Alone, Back, and Crib, or more
commonly referred to as the “ABCs” for safe sleep, is recommended by pediatricians to
reduce accidental suDocation and is an easy-to-remember acronym for parents. It stands
for:
Alone: The baby should always sleep alone in their own sleep space. Contrary to popular
belief, there should be no blankets, pillows, stuDed animals, or anyone in the same space
as them!
Back: The baby should always sleep on their back for all sleeping times, both naps and
nighttime.
Crib: Your baby should be in a safety-approved crib or bassinet, with a firm/flat mattress
and a tightly fitted sheet. Try to avoid couches or adult beds.
When putting your infant to sleep, remember to sing the ABCs for a safe night’s rest!
Feeding Fundamentals
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that choking is the leading cause of
accidental death for children under 5. There are 4 signs of readiness, according to the CDC,
for an infant to eat solid foods. After about 6 months, babies should show the following
signs before you feed them hard foods: head control, sitting up, mouth interest, and
swallowing. Refer to the CDC Infant and Toddler Nutrition Choking Hazards Guide on what
that could look like for you and your baby! Feeding Ages by Stage are also incredibly
helpful. They are as follows:
About 6 months: Here, you should be feeding some smooth purees or single-ingredient
foods that are iron-rich!
7 to 8 months: As your infant grows, so does their food palate! Here, you can introduce
more food from diDerent groups like some meats and grains.
8 to 10 months: Chewing time! You can add soft, finely chopped finger foods that your
baby can hold and chew.
By 12 months: Congrats! Your baby has now graduated to eating a healthy mix of family
foods, table foods, and breast milk.
High-Chair Hazards
Buckle the strap so they don't slide through the gap!
High chair accidents are much more likely than you would think, averaging 24 injuries a day
in the U.S. alone. In this section, I want to share some tips and tricks for safe eating!
High chairs are uniquely dangerous because of their elevated center of gravity. Chair
tipping is a common way that babies may fall from their seat, especially when they kick
their feet against the edge of a kitchen table, counter, or wall. It is incredibly important that
you place the chair away from any of these areas to avoid said tipping and tumbling!
Restraint strap accidents are another easily overlooked cause of high chair accidents that
are easily avoidable. When caregivers do not use the restraint straps, infants can suDer, as
it causes a child to slip downward through the gap between the tray and the seat bottom,
causing an immediate risk of strangulation.
Bath and Water Safety
According to the CDC, drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death for children
ages 1 to 4. Infant drowning is quiet, unlike adults, making it quick, and it can occur in as
little as 1 inch of water. A child can lose consciousness within 2 minutes of submersion,
and irreversible brain damage or brain death typically occurs within 4 to 6 minutes.
Baby Bathing
To start off, I want to highlight the importance of constant supervision of a child in the water
that is needed. The "Touch Supervision" Standard is a crucial reminder enforced by
pediatricians that dictates that a caregiver must be within arm's reach of the infant, always
maintaining continuous physical and visual contact while the child is in or near water.
Friendly Floating
Floaties and inflatable armbands are classified by safety experts as toys, not safety
devices. Because they keep a child's head above water temporarily, parents often lower
their guard, look away, or step further away from the pool, violating the rule of Touch
Supervision. Some popular foam chest/arm hybrids are U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) -
approved as "Type III or Type V Life Jackets." However, the USCG explicitly approves them
for boating, not as a tool to teach toddlers how to swim. This is important to keep in mind
along with the rest of the basic hazards of open water!
Car Safety
Car Seat Caution
Choosing the right car seat depends on 4 distinct stages based on your child's age, weight,
and height. According to safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) and the AAP, kids should stay in each stage for as long as possible
until they hit the maximum limits.
The breakdown of the four stages includes:
Birth to 3: Rear-Facing Car Seats: Infants must always ride rear-facing until at least age 1.
The AAP recommends keeping toddlers rear-facing until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of their convertible seat (often up to 40–50 pounds). Rear-
facing cradles the child’s head, neck, and spine, absorbing the bulk of the crash forces. FIT CHECK: The harness straps should be positioned at or below the child's shoulders
Ages 2 to 7: Forward-Facing Car Seats: Transition to this seat once they fully outgrow the
rear-facing limits. Keep them in a forward-facing seat with a 5-point harness and a top
tether until they reach the maximum height or weight capacity (typically 40 to 65 pounds).
FIT CHECK: The harness straps must be at or above the child's shoulders, and the chest
clip must rest level with their armpits. Always attach the top tether strap to lock the seat
tightly to the vehicle.
Ages 4 to 12: Booster Seats: Children who outgrow their forward-facing harness should
use a belt-positioning booster seat. Most children need a booster until they reach 4 feet 9
inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years old. A booster raises the child so the car's
seat belt shields the strongest parts of their skeleton rather than soft tissue.
Ages 8 to 13+: Adult Seat Belts: Kids can transition to a seat belt only when it fits perfectly
without a booster. All children under the age of 13 should ride in the back seat to avoid
injuries from front passenger airbags.
FIT CHECK: The lap belt must sit snugly across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt
must cross the center of the chest and shoulder.
Want more car safety tips? Look at https://www.safekids.org/car-seat for more safe protocols!
RESOURCES
Nutrition: https://www.cdc.gov/infant-toddler-
Water Safety: https://www.infantswim.com/water-
Car Seats: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-
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