Family Birth Center
Safety Concerns
The greatest dangers to the helpless baby are drowning,
suffocation, falling and choking or turning blue.
Drowning
To avoid the possibility of drowning, never leave the baby
alone in the bathtub. Always be extremely cautious around
pools, lakes and other bodies of water. Avoid leaving pails
of water where infants and children play. Keep toilet lids
down.
Suffocation
To prevent accidental blocking of your baby's breathing, avoid
using pillows or having large floppy toys or loose plastic
sheeting in the crib. Do not leave infants unattended in a
waterbed which has not been specifically approved for infant
use.
Falling
To avoid injury from falling, always put your baby in the
crib, in the playpen or on the floor when not carrying the
baby with you. Never leave the baby alone on a changing table,
bed or couch.
Choking or Turning Blue
If you notice your baby choking, turning blue and unable to
breathe, hold the baby in a downward angle along one arm.
Give the baby several gentle but firm "whomps" with the palm
of your hand between the shoulder blades. Use the bulb syringe
as needed to clear the baby's mouth and nose of secretions.
Before you leave the hospital, ask your nurse to demonstrate
the use of the bulb syringe and what to do if your baby starts
choking.
Positioning Baby in the Crib
Talk to your doctor about which sleeping position is best
for your baby. Some mothers worry that babies sleeping on
their back may choke or spit up during sleep. There is no
evidence that sleeping on the back causes choking. It is suggested
that newborns be positioned on their side with a rolled blanket
behind their back for support or on their side with their
lower arm forward to stop them from rolling over on their
stomach.
Car Seats
Make sure the baby's first ride home from the hospital is
a safe one. Use an approved car seat that complies with the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard every time the baby
rides in a car until the baby is large enough for seat belts,
usually around four years old or 40 pounds. Make sure the
car seat is properly installed. Most infant car seats are
designed to be rear facing seats, that is, when they are positioned
in the car, they face the rear of the vehicle. Dress the baby
in a sleeper since the belts which secure the infant come
up between the legs. And never leave a baby unattended in
a car.
Toy Safety
Examine toys for removable parts, such as buttons, or long
strings and cords. Remove extra toys, pillows and blankets
from the baby's crib when the baby is in it. Choose toys appropriate
for the baby's level of growth and development.
- Avoid drinking hot fluids around young children.
- Avoid burns from hot ashes by never smoking when feeding
or caring for your baby. Also, closely supervise your baby
near any fireplace or wood-burning stove.
- Supervise your baby around all animals, including the
family's own pets, to prevent accidental injury.
- Prevent other children from dropping, squeezing, sitting
on or giving your baby dangerous objects by never leaving
children under school age alone in a room with the baby.
- It is strongly recommended that all parents attend a
community CPR class that includes infant CPR.
- The toll free Auto Safety Hotline is 1-800-424-9393.
- CPR classes are available through Kellogg Community College
at 965-3931 or the Red Cross at 962-7528.
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