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Your Newborn’s Safety

Safe Infant Sleep

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies are safest when sleeping alone, on their backs in a crib near their parents’ bed for the first six months of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends the following:

• The crib mattress should fit tightly in its frame and have a snug fitted sheet
• The crib should be undamaged and meet current Consumer Product Safety guidelines (www.cpsc.gov)
• If a blanket is needed, babies should be placed near the foot of the crib and a thin blanket should be tucked around the sides and bottom of the mattress to avoid covering the baby’s head
• No other objects should be placed in the crib
• The crib should always be placed in a room that is smoke free
• Offering a pacifier has also been linked to a decreased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Other Safety Tips for Newborns  A Home Safety Checklist should be completed at each stage of your child’s development. A sample checklist is provided for you on page 51.

Most infant falls are from furniture. Help prevent falls by:

• Never leaving your baby unsupervised on any surface above the floor
• Always using the safety belts on changing tables, bouncy seats and swings

Most burns in children under five are caused by scalding liquids. Help prevent burns by:

• Setting your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below
• Never carrying hot liquids while carrying your infant
• Never warming baby bottles in the microwave—microwaves heat unevenly and your baby may be burned by hot spots

Drowning can happen quickly and silently. Help prevent drowning by:

• Always staying with your baby during bath time
• Never leaving an older child to watch your baby near the water

Many everyday items can cause choking or suffocation in infants. Help prevent choking and suffocation by:

• Removing small objects and plastic bags from your baby’s environment
• Keeping balloons, blind cords and strings away from your baby

You can keep your infant safe and help prevent motor vehicle injuries by:

• Always placing your newborn in a rear facing infant car seat whenever you travel in a vehicle
• Never leaving your infant alone in the car—even in mild weather, the temperature inside a car can reach dangerous levels in minutes

Positive Parenting Activities that Promote Nurturing and Attachment

• Breastfeeding
• Responding promptly to your baby’s cries
• Rocking, singing and comforting your baby
• Maintaining loving relationships with other caregivers
• Keeping primary caregivers consistent over time so attachments can form