Good Baby Safety Checklist - Protecting Your Baby

General Safety Tips:no soft bedding underneath. * Following this advice
___ Place child-resistant covers on all electricalwill reduce the risk of suffocation and Sudden Infant
outlets.Death Syndrome (SIDS).
___ Install safety gates at the top and bottom of___ Place night-lights at least three feet away from
the stairs.the crib, bedding, and draperies to prevent fires.
___ Don't use baby walkers because they have___ Check age labels for appropriate toys.
been known to have caused serious injuries toKeep the bathroom safe:
babies. Use stationary exercisers instead.___ Put a lock on the medicine cabinet.
___ Keep all dangerous chemicals out of the reach___ Lower the household water temperature. (It
of children.should be set at 120 degrees F or below to avoid
___ Shorten curtain and blind cords.burning your baby)
___ Install smoke detectors on each floor of your___ Always test the water first before bathing a
home, especially near sleeping areas. * Be sure tochild.
change the batteries each year.___ Never leave your child alone in the bathtub or
___ Keep all small objects away from young children.near any water.
(This includes tiny toys and balloons.)___ Secure toilet lids. Many young children are
___ Use corner bumpers on furniture andfascinated by putting objects inside.
fireplace-hearth edges.___ Make sure that bathtubs and showers aren't
___ Know the names of all plants in case a child eatsslippery.
one of them.___ Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets
___ Be sure that furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burningnear sings and bathtubs.
stoves, space heaters, and all gas appliances areFor the Kitchen:
vented properly.___ Keep all knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic
___ Place screened barriers around fireplaces,bags out of children's reach.
radiators, and portable space heaters.___ If stove knobs are easily accessible to children,
___ Keep firearms and ammunition safely lockeduse protective covers to prevent kids from turning
away.them.
___ Secure unsteady furnishings.___ Never leave your baby alone in a highchair.
___ Check your house for lead and asbestos. If youAlways use all safety straps.
detect either of these substances, contact a___ Replace any frayed cords and wires.
professional. Any house built before 1978 is at risk___ Keep chairs and step stools away from
for lead paint.counters and the stove.
Protect your kids rooms:___ Remove all household cleaners from the bottom
___ Ensure that your crib meets national safetycabinets or put them in a cabinet that is out of your
standards.baby's reach.
___ Place guards on windows and stops on all doors.In the Yard:
___ Make sure your baby's crib is sturdy and has no___ Store tools, garden, lawn-equipment, and
loose or missing hardware.supplies in a locked closet or shed.
___ Make sure that the mattress fits snugly.___ Don't use a power mower when young children
___ Be sure the crib sheet fits snugly.are around.
___ Never put stuffed animals or heavy blankets in___ Don't allow children to play on a treated lawn
the crib with your infant.for at least 48 hours following an application of a
___ Never leave your baby unattended on thefertilizer or pesticide.
changing table.___ Know the types of trees and plant life on the
___ Remove mobiles and other hanging toys fromproperty in case children ingest berries, leaves, or
the crib as soon as your child can reach up and touchother plant life.
them.___ If you have a swimming pool, install a fence
___ Place infants under one year of age on theirthat separates the house from the pool.
backs to sleep. Mattress should be firm and flat with