Keep That Baby Safe
I know you don’t want to think about the unthinkable. Neither do I. But just give me a few minutes of your time to talk about the things we ALL need to know about keeping our infants safe. Unintentional injuries are one of the leading causes of infant mortality in the USA, taking thousands of babies annually (birth defects, SIDS and preterm births being slightly ahead). I’ll sum this up into the five top causes of accidental infant deaths, so file them away in the back of your mind and keep those babies safe.
Car accidents. Car accidents are the leading cause of infant death in the United States. Take the time to ensure your infant is properly secured in their age/size appropriate car seat. All cars and all car seats since 2002 are designed to keep your children easily and properly secured, as long as you follow the guidelines when securing the seat and adjusting the straps.
Falls. From the time your baby is tiny until they are toddling around on their own, falls are a serious risk and cause of injury and even death. Don’t underestimate your new baby’s ability to squirm around on top of a counter or bed or table until they squirm off the edge. Never leave your baby unattended and outside of a secure enclosure, like a portable bassinet. As they get bigger and more mobile, the risks continue… There’s always stairs, high chairs, playground equipment, the list goes on. Prevention is the key. Keep your hands and eyes close.
Choking and suffocation. Fortunately, this number has been steadily decreasing over the past several years, thanks to increased caregiver awareness. Not letting your infant sleep on his/her tummy without supervision until they can control their heads, bodies and turn over on their own is a good start. Not propping bottles without supervision while feeding, and ensuring their sleeping area is free of anything that can obstruct their mouths (blankets, stuffed animals, etc) are key. Even though food or toy obstructions usually occur as infants begin eating solid food and putting everythign in their mouths, one of the first things we purchased when our boys were born was a choking resue devise like LifeVac or Arixmed. There are various brands which do basically the same thing… suctioning breathing obstructions from infants, children and even adults. The prices range from roughly $35-$80 and are well worth it. Just be sure you have it out of the box, ready to go and in an easy to get to place. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but better safe than sorry.
Poisoning. Poisoning is the second leading cause of death among infants under one. Although child safety caps have helped lower the accidental poisoning of young children, opiods, household cleaners and over the counter medication administrated to them are all too common methods of accidental poisoning. Keep your medications and cleaning supplies locked up, and if you MUST administer any kind of medication to your infant, follow the guidelines.
Drowning. Bottom line, even if your child is capable of sitting or even standing up on their own, don’t ever leave them alone in or near standing water (tub, kiddie pool, bucket of water, etc) for even a minute. Things can so south very quickly.
The idea of losing a child we love with all our hearts, and for many of us have waited a lifetime for, is absolutely unimaginable. We would throw ourselves in front of a train, take down a grizzly bear and go to the ends of the earth to insure their happiness. So please…. please take these precautions seriously and not find yourself wishing with all your heart you could go back in time and undo a preventable situation. To you and your baby’s health and happiness.
