Babies
Very young babies depend utterly on their parents and carers for all their needs. They have absolutely no control over their environment and need adults to keep them safe and healthy.
But even very young babies can wriggle, kick and roll, so we always need to be one step ahead of them – by being aware of the risks this can bring.
And as babies develop the strength to sit up, stand and get onto all fours, they are full of curiosity and oblivious to danger.
As they start to crawl, the world really opens up to them. A few minor bumps and tumbles are part of growing up. But even falls from low surfaces can break a baby’s bones.
Did you know that babies….
- Can’t learn from experience – or understand the consequences of their actions. So a baby won’t remember that the hot thing that hurt them today will also hurt them tomorrow.
- Have no understanding of danger. So won’t know that stairs are dangerous places.
- Have heads that are large for the size of their bodies. It also takes time for their back and neck muscles to strengthen up and support their heads.
- Put everything in their mouths. This is their way of ‘feeling’ the things around them. It’s one of the ways they learn about the world. Their mouths are a bit like an adult’s hands!
- Have very narrow throats. And their teeth are still developing. They also have to learn how to chew, swallow and breathe – in the right order. Babies can choke on milk if left to drink from a bottle on their own.
- Have skin which is 15 times thinner than an adults’. So a baby’s skin burns very easily.
- Can drown in as little as 5cm (2 inches) of water. And may drown silently without a struggle.
- Can move very quickly. Babies can easily wriggle off surfaces. And they can crawl or shuffle into danger.
- Some babies start climbing and walking without crawling first. They may shuffle on their bottoms to grab things – which adults think are out of their reach.
Top safety tips for babies - Quick links to:
Falls
- Change your baby’s nappy on the floor.
- Don’t leave your baby alone on a bed, sofa or anything else that they could fall off.
- Watch out for signs your baby is starting to crawl. Fit safety gates to stop them climbing stairs or falling down them.
- Use a five point harness to stop your baby falling from their highchair or pushchair.
- Be careful when carrying your baby. Hold the handrail on stairs and watch out for things you might trip over.
- Don’t put your bouncing cradle or baby car seat on tables or work surfaces. Baby can bounce them off the raised surface.
- Only use baby walkers that comply with the new British Standard BS EN 1273: 2005. Baby walkers with older standards are less safe. Your baby could fall down stairs or into the fire.
For more information about preventing falls
House fires
Tips for preventing fires apply to all ages. For information go to fire safety
Burns and scalds
- Test bathwater with your elbow – the water should not feel hot or cold.
- Get a thermostatic mixing valve fitted to your bath tap. This controls the temperature at which water comes out. If this isn’t possible, run cold water first and add hot water afterwards.
- Don’t leave hot drinks within reach of your baby’s hands. And don’t hold a baby while holding a hot drink. Or pass a hot drink over a baby’s head in case you spill it.
- Take care where you put your baby’s highchair. Keep hot things – like kettles, bottle warmers, saucepans and irons – out of their reach.
- Use fireguards to stop babies falling onto fires or heaters.
- When warming your baby’s milk always shake the bottle well – and then pour a few drops on the inside of your wrist. It should feel lukewarm not hot.
For more information about burns and scalds
Choking and suffocating
- Cut all your baby’s food into very small pieces – babies can choke on something as small as a grape.
- Don’t give babies hard foods like sweets and nuts.
- If you give your baby a bottle, always hold your baby and hold the bottle while they drink.
- Don’t take a nap on the sofa with your baby – you might roll onto them in your sleep.
- Make sure there’s a gap of no more than 4cm (2 inches) anywhere between the edge of the mattress and the bars of the cot. If the gap is bigger, your baby’s head may become trapped and they could suffocate.
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Strangulation
- Don’t tie a dummy to your baby’s clothes. Young babies can easily get ribbons caught round their necks.
- Only buy cot toys with short ribbons. And remove them when your baby goes to sleep.
- Don’t hang bags with drawstrings over your baby’s cot.
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Drowning
- Never leave your baby alone in the bath or paddling pool – not even for a second.
- Don’t rely on an older brother or sister to keep them safe.
- A bath seat is not a safety device – so baby needs watching at all times.
Poisoning
- Keep all medicines and cleaning products locked away or on high up shelves – where they are out of reach and out of sight.
- Look out for cleaning products with a bittering agent that makes them taste nasty.
For more information about poisoning
Road safety
- The law says that all babies must travel in proper baby car seats – even on short journeys.
- Never sit a baby on your lap in the car.
- Use a rear-facing baby car seat for as long as possible – ideally at least a year. As babies have large heads and weak neck muscles, they need the support of a rear-facing seat if there’s a crash.
- Never put a rear-facing car seat in a seat where there is an active passenger airbag.
For more information about road safety