How to keep your baby safe

Follow our expert advice and rest assured your baby is secure whether she's sleeping, eating, playing or out and about

Keeping your baby safe will be your number one priority, but it is mostly about using your own instincts and common sense. However, sometimes it can help to have a little friendly advice from the experts too, especially if you are a first time parent, when looking after a baby can seem daunting...

Keeping your baby safe as she sleeps

“The safest place for a baby to sleep is in a cot in a room with you,” says Professor George Haycock, advisor to the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID). “Once she’s six months old, you can move her into her own room.”

You should also:

• Put her to sleep on her back, not her tummy or side
• Think “feet-to-foot”: your baby’s feet should be right against the foot of her cot or Moses basket, so she can’t wriggle down under her covers
• Use one or more layers of light blankets or a baby sleeping bag (make sure it’s lightweight and fits well around your baby’s neck). Duvets aren’t safe until your baby is over a year old
• Watch the temperature of the room where your baby sleeps. It should be around 16°C to 20°C. To check that your baby’s not too cold or too hot, feel her tummy or the back of her neck; cool hands and feet are perfectly normal
• Not smoke anywhere in your house and ask visitors to smoke outside
• Avoid bed-sharing — it’s especially dangerous to share your bed with your baby if you’re a smoker or if you’ve been drinking or taking drugs or medication that makes you drowsy, or if you’re really tired
• Make sure her mattress is firm and fits right up to the edge of the Moses basket or cot. It’s okay to use the same mattress for all your babies if it’s completely covered in a waterproof cover, otherwise you’ll need to buy a new mattress for each baby. Ventilated mattresses (ones with holes in them) aren’t recommended because it’s impossible to keep the insides clean
• Get advice from a doctor if your baby seems unwell.

Safety in the car

It’s against the law for any child under 12 or under 135cm to travel in a car unless she’s in a proper child car seat.

“And rightly so,” says Duncan Vernon, road-safety officer at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). “Even in a minor crash, a child who’s not strapped into a car seat could be thrown violently around the car — or even out of it.”

You’ll need a car seat that is suitable for your baby’s age and weight: from birth until she weighs 13kg (roughly nine to 15 months), that means a Group 0 or 0+ rearward-facing car seat; after that, she can move up to a Group 1 forward-facing seat. Only use a second-hand seat if you’re absolutely sure it’s not been damaged in a crash.

“Most importantly of all, make sure the seat is fitted safely and securely in your car,” says Duncan. “We regularly find over two-thirds of child car seats are incorrectly fitted in some way.”

Make it a habit before every car journey to check that your child is securely belted into his seat, and that the seat is buckled properly into the car. Don’t put a rear-facing car seat on a front passenger seat if you have airbags, and always set a good example by wearing a seatbelt yourself.

Feeding your baby safely

The Government advises parents not to give babies any solid food before they are six months old. Until then, breastmilk or formula provides all the nutrients she needs.

When you do start your baby on solids, be careful not to add sugar (bad for her teeth) or salt (bad for her kidneys). “Don’t give honey, shellfish or whole nuts to a baby under one, either,” says public health nutritionist Julia Wolman. “You can add a little cow’s milk to your baby’s food once she reaches six months, but it shouldn’t be her main drink until she’s 12 months old.”

You should also be alert for signs that your baby is allergic to a new food. “The most common ‘trigger’ foods for allergies are eggs, nuts, shellfish, wheat and cow’s milk,” says Julia. If you notice your baby wheezing or getting a rash or swollen lips within minutes of eating a new food, call your GP, or dial 999 if the symptoms are severe.

Make sure all of your baby’s bowls and spoons are spotlessly clean. Never offer her reheated food and remember that food that’s been in a microwave can have serious hotspots in it — give it a good stir before you serve it.

Once she’s able to feed herself finger foods, watch out for foods that are hard, sticky, or small and round: they’re all easy for a baby to choke on. Avoid raw carrot (offer it lightly cooked instead), whole cherry tomatoes, whole grapes (cut them into quarters), chunks of meat and hard-boiled sweets. And always stay with your child while she’s eating. 

Safe in the sun

Baby skin burns very quickly in bright sunlight. Ideally, babies under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight altogether.

For older babies:

• Cover her up with a brimmed hat and loose cotton clothing with long sleeves and legs
• Make sure you can always provide some shade, for example, with a buggy parasol or a “sun pod” (a small protective tent)
• Screen out the rays with a high-SPF (15 or more) sun block that’s specially made for babies, and re-apply it frequently
• Give her plenty to drink — babies can quickly get dehydrated on a hot day.
  

Playing safe

Do make sure the toys you give your baby are suitable for her age. “Buy toys from reputable shops,” says Jo Stagg, of RoSPA. “And look for the CE Mark or Lion Mark, which indicate that the toys should meet safety standards.” Never give your baby toys with loose hair, small parts, sharp edges or long strings and ribbons. “And remember to always supervise her as she plays,” says Dawn.

Pet advice

Sometimes, long-established family pets can be jealous of a new baby, so it’s a good idea to introduce your pet gently to your child. Remember that a crying, wailing baby — or a tugging, poking toddler — can make even the most docile dog or cat anxious or snappy. Never leave a small child alone with your pet (use a child safety gate to keep them separate if you need to). “Children who grow up with pets learn about respect and love for animals,” says Helen Briggs of the RSPCA, “but it’s up to you to show them both how to make friends to start with.”

Find out more

• Download a free copy of the NSPCC’s leaflet, Handle with care.
  
  
• Child car seats
  www.childcarseats.org.uk
  
  
• The Food Standards Agency
  www.food.gov.uk
  www.eatwell.gov.uk
  
  
• FSID
  www.fsid.org.uk
  
  
• RSPCA
  www.rspca.org.uk
  
  
• Read our feature on making your home child-safe.