5 Tips for Baby Safety Month

Sep 27

BABY SAFETY MONTH

September is Baby Safety Month. This awareness month is sponsored by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) and was created to educate parents and caregivers on how to keep little ones safe. “The JPMA is the voice of the industry on quality and safety for baby and children’s products in North America,” and has partnerships around the globe to further baby safety measures. Safety is essential when it comes to caring for a child and building a secure environment is the first step.

Executive Director of JPMA, Kelly Mariotti, stated: “By setting aside time each year to specifically focus on the unique needs of families with babies and young children, we can meaningfully reduce preventable child injuries and help families enjoy each stage of baby’s development.”

5 BABY SAFETY TIPS

The JPMA offers baby safety resources to spread awareness and take action. This year, the focus is on general safety and more specific topics including safety at home, on the go, and during playtime. Below are 5 tips provided by JPMA for parents and caregivers.

1. Monitor your child’s growth and development. Discontinue using a product as your baby reaches the age or development limits defined by the manufacturer.

2. Register your car seat! Car seats could be recalled for safety reasons, and you must register your car seat to be reached in the event of a recall. Call the manufacturer’s customer service line listed on your car seat labels or visit the manufacturer’s website to register.

3. Be sure to properly childproof the entire bathroom (not just the bathtub) to ensure an overall safe experience when utilizing all of the facilities.

4. NEVER place the infant swing, activity center, or bouncer near windows, stairs, draperies, blinds, TVs, plants, fireplaces, or decorative accessories with long cords that the baby could reach.

5. Consider child-proofing an ongoing process. Monitor your child’s growth and development and always try to stay one step ahead. For example, don’t wait until your baby starts crawling to put up stairway gates. Install them in advance so the entire family gets used to them and the baby doesn’t associate his newfound milestone with barriers.