Keeping your Baby Safe
Accidents can be prevented! On average, one child in six is taken to hospital each year.
Safer Sleep for Babies
Why is it important?
Following safer sleep practices can significantly reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). To read more on our Newborn Sleeping page click here.
Key messages:
- Back is Best: Always lay your baby on their back to sleep.
- Clear Cot: Clear the cot of loose items such as blankets, pillows, and bumper pads.
- Safe Sleep Space: Use a firm, flat mattress and a smoke-free environment.
- Comfortable Temperature: Maintain a room temperature between 16-20°C.
- Close By: Sleep in the same room as your baby for the first six months.
Keep these items out of children's sight and reach!
Button batteries, commonly found in toys, watches, and other electronic devices, are dangerous to young children. If swallowed, they can cause severe burns and internal bleeding.
How to prevent accidents:
- Keep them out of reach: Store button batteries securely away from children's grasp.
- Check toys regularly: Ensure that toys do not contain loose button batteries.
- Supervise closely: Watch children carefully to prevent accidental ingestion.
If you suspect your child has swallowed a button battery, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Seek immediate medical attention.
Babies can suffocate on nappy sacks, making some simple changes can make a big difference to your baby’s safety. Do not place nappy sacks within babies’ reach. Do not place nappy sacks in a baby’s cot, pram, or buggy.
Young children’s skin is 15 times thinner than adults’ skin.
This means they can suffer painful burns more easily. To avoid the danger of serious burns and fire, turn hair straighteners off at the plug as soon as you’ve finished using them. Put them in a safe place to cool down and keep them out of the reach of children.
This goes for all hot items:
- Mugs with hot tea
- Baking trays
- Candles
Children can easily get blind cords caught around their necks and become caught, and could strangle young children.
Use a cord shortener or cleat to tie up cords out of the reach of children. Don't place a child's cot, bed, highchair, playpen, or furniture near a window blind. For more information on blind cords, click here.
Suspected poisoning is one of the most common reasons for young children to be taken to A&E.
Keep household cleaning products, such as washing tablets, liquitabs, and small batteries, out of the sight of children, preferably in a high, lockable cupboard.
Other items that should not be left around are e-cigarettes, liquid refills, plug-in air fresheners, and sachets of air fresheners.
Choking Hazards for Young Children
Protect your child from choking by understanding common hazards and taking precautions. Keep small objects, food, and toys out of reach, and supervise your child closely during meals.
- Food: Cut food into small pieces. Avoid grapes, hard foods, and small objects.
- Toys: Keep small parts, buttons, coins, and magnetic toys out of reach.
- Supervision: Stay with your child while eating and encourage them to sit still.
Car Safety
Car Seats:
By law, under-fives must always ride in proper baby or child car seats when travelling by car – even on short journeys. Always use a baby or child car seat that fits your child's height and weight, and ensure the seat is fitted correctly in the car.
For more information, click here.
Never leave your baby alone in the car.
It can get very hot in summer. Also, they may play with window and door switches and the cigarette lighter. It's hazardous if you have left the keys in the ignition.
Falls
Babies soon learn to wriggle and kick, and it's not long before they can roll over, meaning they can roll. Don't leave your baby unattended on a bed, sofa, or changing table—even for a second—as they could roll off.
Fit safety gates to stop them from climbing stairs and falling, and remove cot toys and cot bumpers, as a baby can use them to climb on and may fall.
Drowning
On average, one child drowns a month at home in England! Children under the age of 5 are at the most risk.
Babies can drown in as little as 5cm (2 inches) of water. Stay with your baby all the time they are in the bath—never leave them even for a moment, even if there is an older brother or sister in the bath with them. If you use a bath seat, remember it's not a safety device. You will still need to stay with your baby all the time.
Babies and small children – mostly drown at home in the bath or in the garden, in just a few centimetres of water. Keep them within arm’s reach.
For more information visit the Royal Life Saving Societies, Splash Safety page.
First Aid Kit
Keep a well-equipped first-aid kit in your home and car. Include plasters, wipes, medical tape, antiseptic, allergy relief, and age-appropriate medicine.
Remember to check expiration dates! Consider getting a first-aid manual to keep near your first-aid kit