High Chair Safety

One point where many parents overlooked:

Do not place the high chair near a table or a countertop as your baby may be able to push or kick against the surfaces and tip the chair over.
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Baby Furniture Safety

When it comes to buying baby furniture, parents need to use a different eye for detail when it comes to buying baby furniture. Not only should you be looking for color, style, ease of use and comfort - but perhaps safety should be the most vital requirement.
Around one in five injuries to children less than 12 months of age involves baby furniture. Remember, even if your baby furniture meets every safety standard and suggestion, your child will still need constant supervision.
Here are some considerations you should take when looking at baby furniture items.

Cots
The majority of accidents involve the cot and common injuries include falls and getting parts of the body stuck between bars. If you are getting your cot as a hand-me-down, make sure it meets the following requirements:

• The bars should be spaced between 50 and 85mm apart.
• The cot should have a minimum depth of 600mm from the base of the mattress to the top of the cot when the cot base is in its lowest position.
• The gap between the mattress and the cot on all sides should be under 2.5cm.
• If the cot has four castors or wheels, at least two of the wheels should be fitted with brakes.

When setting up your new or used hand me down cot you should always consider the following:

• Don't put the cot close to heaters, windows or power points.
• Don't hang anything nearby where there is a danger of the item falling into the cot.
• Keep the cot clutter free.

Before your baby can sit up

• Remove all mobiles - as babies can strangle themselves with these items.
• Put the cot down to the lowest position.
  

Prams and strollers
Choose a pram or stroller that complies with the following:

• A full five-point body harness.
• Brakes fitted to at least two wheels.
• Sensible storage space, such as a basket slung underneath.
• Gap-free interior so the child's fingers and toes can't get caught.

Safety considerations for strollers
To reduce the risk of injury:

• Use the safety harness – even for short trips.
• Don't hang shopping bags from the stroller handles.
• Don't allow a child to be left alone sleeping in a pram or stroller.
  

High chairs
Falling is the most common cause of injury with high chairs. Considerations when buying a high chair include:

• A sturdy design that doesn't rock easily
• A full body safety harness
• A tray that can't be moved by the child.
• Safety considerations for high chairs

To reduce the risk of falls from high chairs. Tips include:

• Always use the five-point body harness restraint.
• Always supervise the child.
• Keep the chair away from appliance cords, curtains and anything else the child could grab.
• Keep the high chair at least one meter away from kitchen benches and stovetops to avoid the risk of burns and scalds.

Change tables
Babies frequently fall from change tables, in fact around one in four baby furniture related injuries that require hospital treatment involve change tables. A change table should have:

• Roll-off protection, such as raised edges
• A waist strap
• No gaps that could injure fingers or toes.

NB! Keep one hand on your baby at all times when using a changing table.

Playpens
When buying a playpen remember that children as young as nine months of age can pull themselves up into a standing position, so make sure the playpen is sturdy. Other considerations include:

• The playpen should be at least half a meter high.
• The bars should be spaced between 50mm and 85mm apart (similar to a cot).
• Locks should be inaccessible to the child.
  

Dangerous furniture
Avoid the following items of baby furniture:

• Babywalkers – babies have little control over their direction and speed and
  can easily overbalance.
• Toy boxes with heavy lids – the child might have the strength to open the
  lid, but not to hold it. Children can be hit on the head or hands with the
  slamming lid.

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Safety For Your Baby

CHOKING AND SUFFOCATION
Feeding
- Don't leave a young baby alone with a propped-up bottle. He could inhale milk and choke.
- When your child starts on solid foods, do not leave him alone with finger foods such as bread, carrot or apple - if a lump breaks off, he could choke.
- As he gets older, do not let him run around with food in his mouth.
- Do not give whole nuts to under-fives; peanuts are especially dangerous as they can be inhaled into the lungs, and contain an oil which can damage them.

Bedding
- Do not use a pillow until your baby is at least a year old as it is common for babies to get suffocated during sleep.
Clothing
- Do not let your child wear clothes with ribbons or cords that can be pulled tight around the next.

Other items
- Keep polythene bags and plastic away from babies and small children, and teach chilren never to put these over their heads.
- Check that there are no small parts on toys which a child could swallow and take care that your child does not pick up tiny items such as beads, buttons and coins. Button batteries are especially dangerous as they may contain mercury that can leak if swallowed.

SCALDS, BURNS AND DROWNING
- Put cold water into the bath before adding hot, and test the water with your elbow - your fingers can stand much greater temperatures.
- Do not leave your baby or small child alone in the bath even for a moment. A baby can drown in just a few cm of water. If the telephone or doorbell rings, ignore it or get the baby out.
- Do not leave buckets or bowls of water where a baby or young child could fall into them.

FALLS
- Don't leave young baby asleep on the sofa or bed.
- Make sure that the bath and shower have slip-resistant surfaces or a slip-resistant mat.
- Move furniture away from in front of the window so that your child cannot use them ti get up on to the window sill.

POISONING
- Lock chemicals, medicines and cleaning products away or place them where your child cannot reach them.
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