The preparation and attention given to the tiniest of details prior to welcoming your bundle of joy into your home can be the most exciting. While the “nesting” phase helps you prepare for bringing your baby into their new domain, the journey doesn’t stop there.
It can be refreshing to wipe away every piece of dust and move items into the most convenient and aesthetically pleasing spots to make the post-partum transition as easy and comfortable as possible. Though the reality of being a parent, and specifically caring for a baby, is the constant need for foresight.
There are many variables that contribute to the post-partum experience. Whether it be balancing schedules, appointments, acid reflux, feeding complications, lack of sleep, healing from birth, hormonal fluctuations or any and all of the mind-boggling quirks of being a parent. Though there are a few safety factors that are often overlooked in the 40-week wait.
Infant CPR
The importance of knowing how to perform CPR goes for everyone, not just expectant parents. This skill isn’t reserved for days in water, either. This can help you save your infant or someone else in the event that your baby chokes on food or liquids, your baby experiences unexplained collapse and stops breathing unexpectedly or accidental suffocation from a blanket or other unsafe environments.
You may never have to perform CPR on your child, but you should never be the parent who doesn’t know and risks their child’s life.
See what establishments near you offer CPR classes.
Proper car seat installment
If you’re unsure that you’ve installed it correctly, fire stations do sometimes offer to inspect the car seat and ensure it’s right.
You can visit www.alabamapublichealth.gov/injuryprevention/car-seats.html to review the Alabama installation guidelines.
Key takeaways are that infants should be rear-facing and anything designed as rear-facing should be in a rear-facing position.
The base should not swivel and should be tightly secured. If it moved even an inch – it needs to be readjusted. Any movement could cause damage to the baby during a crash. Which leads to the importance of the harness.
The harness should be at armpit level and should be snug enough that you cannot pinch the strap, but not so tight as to cause discomfort.
Keep in mind that infant car seats typically have inserts that are to be taken out once the baby reaches a certain weight. The weight restrictions for infant car seats are typically between 4-30 lbs., but read the instructions on your specific car seat to keep it most accurate.
Car seat dos and don’ts
No small toys, snacks or drinks should be given to children in their car seats. Choking can be silent and it is best to avoid any hazards when you cannot keep your full attention on your child. Be sure that any groceries are also out of reach for this reason.
In winter weather, puffy coats can look so snuggly, warm and cute on your baby, but they pose a serious risk to car seat safety standards. This leaves too much space between the straps and your baby. The harness may feel snug, but the jacket traps air. During impact the compression flattens the padding and can cause the child to slip through the straps.
To avoid this, place the coat or a blanket over the child in the car seat (not covering their face).
Choking hazards
It’s important to educate yourself on the many choking hazards hidden within your home such as small refrigerator magnets, button batteries and any small household items your baby will inevitably try to place in their mouth.
Button batteries are found in household items such as thermometers and car keys, but can also be found in pet toys, remotes and more. Know what batteries your child’s toys include and know what to do if they are ingested.
At the end of the day, parenting and CPR classes can take up 1-2 hours of your time and can be the difference between life and death – or your sanity. Baby proofing done sooner can prevent the scares and the anxiety of last-minute completion. Not to mention taking the time to research any hazards that may not be the most discussed.
Being a parent is the most rewarding experience, but it can be a lot! So be prepared, and be prepared early!
