Baby safety

The safety of your child is your responsibility. The following tips should help you keep your baby safe from birth to toddlers.

Baby safety in the car

Always use a approved safety seat when traveling in a vehicle.
Read the safety seat installation instructions carefully to make sure the seat is installed correctly.
Never carry a child on your lap while driving.
For the first two years of a child's life, car seats should be positioned facing the rear of the vehicle. The safest place for a car seat is in the middle of the rear seat.
Never place a child in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, especially one equipped with an airbag. If you have a truck without a rear seat, you must deactivate the airbag while the child seat is in the vehicle.

To minimize the risk of a child being accidentally left in a car or locked inside:

Leave your purse, briefcase or mobile phone in the back seat. This way you get into the habit of checking the back seat before you leave the car.
Make an agreement with your child's daycare to call you if the child does not show up as planned.
Always lock your car and trunk, even if your car is parked in your driveway, and keep your keys out of the reach of small children at all times.

Preventing baby falls

If you are using a carrier, always place it on the floor and not on a counter or table. Make sure the child is still attached.
Never leave your child alone on a bed, sofa, changing table or child seat where they can fall or roll. Even if you look away for a second, an accident can happen.

Baby safety, smoking and fire safety

Do not smoke or allow smoking near the child. Even smoking "outdoors" is harmful to the child because clothes, hair and skin still contain smoke particles that affect the child.
Install a working fire alarm on every level of your home. Change batteries in smoke detectors every six months.
Have at least one fire extinguisher on every level of your home.
If your home uses gas heating, install a carbon monoxide detector.

Preventing baby burns

Do not hold hot liquids when holding the baby.
To avoid burns, do not put the bottle in the microwave. Many microwave ovens heat unevenly, creating "hot spots" in infant formula that can burn your mouth. Instead, heat the formula by running hot tap water over the bottle or by immersing the bottle in a bowl of warm water. Shake the bottle well. Be sure to check the temperature on the hand or wrist before giving to the child.
Keep the water heater thermostat at a level no higher than 49 degrees Celsius.

Preventing baby accidents

Keep sharp objects (knives, scissors, tools, razors) and other dangerous objects (coins, glassware, beads, pins, medicines) in a safe place out of the reach of children.
Never shake your baby or throw him in the air. This can lead to brain damage or blindness.
Do not leave your child alone with a younger brother, sister or pet, even when he is sleeping.
Walkers are dangerous at any speed and at any age! Never put your child in a walker.
Make sure your child cannot pull on lamps or other electrical objects. Use electrical tape to secure electrical cords along baseboards.
Remove tablecloths that can be removed from the table.
Make sure that all drawers are equipped with stops so that the child cannot pull the drawer out on their own.
Attach the furniture to the wall so that its parts do not fall on the child. Avoid placing electronics above high chests of drawers that could fall on a child.

Baby bath safety

Always test the bath water to make sure it is not too hot before putting the baby in the water. Dipping your elbow in water is a good way to check.
Lower the water heater to 50°C.
Never leave a child unattended in the bath or on the circle. It only takes a few seconds for a child to drown.
Keep small appliances such as hair dryers and radios away from water and swimming areas. Keep these devices unplugged and out of reach when not in use.

Baby toy safety

Inspect your child's toys often. Make sure toys are unbreakable, don't fall apart, don't have small parts that can be chewed or broken, and aren't sharp. Pieces/toys should be larger than your child's mouth.
Use toy boxes without lids or with brackets to hold the lid open in any position.
Be careful with the balloons so as not to suffocate.

Baby choking or strangulation prevention

Never put ropes or strings around a baby's neck (e.g. holding a pacifier) or near a baby's crib. Beware of laces or buttons on clothing; make sure they can't choke your child.
Secure cords of blinds and curtains out of their reach to prevent accidental strangulation.
Remove small items, even open ones, that could cause injury or suffocation if swallowed.

Baby feeding safety

Never pick up a baby's bottle and never leave it unattended; your child may suffocate. Don't put your baby to bed with a bottle.
Do not give your child raw carrots, unpeeled apples, nuts, hard candy or other foods that can cause choking.
When using a high chair, always use the straps that go around your child's waist and between their legs to prevent them from slipping.

Baby sleeping safety

All babies should be put to sleep on their back to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome,
Give your baby a pacifier before he falls asleep. This reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Avoid soft bedding that can suffocate your baby, such as pillows, blankets, soft toys, and crib bumpers.
Keep the child's room at a moderate temperature and dress him so that he cannot overheat. It also reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Share a room with a newborn, but not a bed.
Avoid devices designed to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, such as sleep positioning devices.
Breastfeeding your baby and making sure he gets all the recommended immunizations can help protect against sudden infant death syndrome.
Do not breastfeed on a chair or couch if you feel like you might fall asleep.
If your child falls asleep in a car seat, swing or carrier, try removing it and placing it on a flat surface.
Try to have skin-to-skin contact with the baby.

Changing table safety

Use a sturdy table.
Always keep your hands and eyes on the baby when he is on the changing table.
Keep supplies handy.

Baby crawling and walking safely

Once your child becomes mobile, here are some important tips to keep them safe in your home:

Put covers on all sockets.
Fasten the electrical cords to the skirting boards.
Install the security gate securely in front of the stairs and basement doors. Avoid barriers with diamond-shaped slats, which provide a point of support for toddlers climbing them. Instead, use a gate with straight vertical slats and a swing door.
Keep cleaning products and medicines out of reach and in a lockable cabinet. Never store toxic substances in bottles or jars that could be mistaken for food.
If your backyard or area has a pool, make sure there is a fence around it and a gate that locks or latches. Better yet, never leave your child unattended outside.
Keep your child away from moving machinery, including lawn mowers, garage doors. Also keep children away from the road and streets.
Go outside? Keep your child in the shade if possible. Their skin is thinner and more sensitive. Cover them with clothing and a hat, limit their exposure to the sun (especially between 10:00 and 14:00 when the sun is at its strongest), keep them warm, and keep them out of direct sunlight immediately if they show signs of sunburn or dehydration, including irritability, hot flashes, and excessive crying.
Install security locks on cabinets.
Turn the handles of the pots and pans on the stove and cook on the rear burners if possible.
Set the area in front of the stove as no-go during cooking.
Keep the toilet lid down so you don't drown and the lid hits your child's head or hands. Consider installing locks on the toilet lid.
Soften hard edges and sharp corners of furniture. If possible, keep furniture with sharp edges away from high traffic areas.
Fix unstable furniture such as bookcases.