Now that your baby is a little bit more mobile, and can control their little fingers enough to grab at any and everything, safety becomes an even more important factor in their care.
General safety
Now that your baby will be wriggling and writhing around a lot more, it is always doubly important to keep one hand on their body when you change them. You should never leave baby unattended, especially when on an elevated surface, like a bed or couch, or around water.
Safety in the home
As your little one starts to move around the home, their little fingers itching to grab and pull at everything within reach, you will find yourself constantly discovering new ways to safety-proof your home.
Start by locking up medicines and poisons, installing baby gates and keeping sharp and foreign objects out of reach. You should always keep doors and windows locked up high; with chairs and other climbable objects away from them. Keep all dangling cords out of reach, and doors to rooms you don’t want little one finding their own way into closed.
Keep copies of emergency contact information on hand just in case.
Outdoor safety
Whenever you are outside, you should take extra care with baby. Exposure to germs in the air and from the general population can be a big factor in keeping them safe in the outside world. Always make sure to sanitise/use your own covering on any ‘common use’ areas your baby might meet (e.g. public changing stations).
Babies like to touch, and taste, everything. Keep an eye on the things you let baby handle, but bear in mind that discovering things in this way is a big part of their development.
Sun safety
Sun safety is an important concern with your baby. Extensive exposure to the sun and UV radiation are high contributors to skin cancer. Young children’s skin is especially susceptible to sunburn. Although doctors do not recommend using sunscreen on young babies, there are a variety of alternative sun safety practices available.
Road safety
There are a lot of dangers associated with roads and traffic. Always make sure you are aware of your surroundings and use lights and pedestrian crossings as well as checking both ways before crossing any roads with your baby.
Car safety
When driving with your baby in the car, always ensure that they are secure in the correct car restraint. Children under six months of age are required to be seated in a properly fastened and adjusted approved rear facing restraint. Children six months to a year old can be seated in either the rear-facing restraint or a forward-facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness. It is important that you use the correct restraint for your child’s size and weight to keep them safest.
When travelling in the car, make sure all loose items are stowed where they cannot fly into baby during transit. Baby might like to have some toys to play with in the car, make sure that any toys you give them are free from choking hazards and won't hurt the baby if he or she drops it on themselves.
Never leave your baby alone in the car, not even for a moment. Leaving a child alone in a car is not only dangerous, it is considered a crime in every state and territory in Australia and you could be charged and convicted.
First aid
Part of being a parent is being prepared for anything, including accidents, injuries, and illness. Learning about first aid care and the correct way to perform CPR on your child may save their life one day. You can find up to date information on CPR and first aid for children and babies, and when and where courses are held on the St Johns Ambulance website.
raisingchildren.net.au. (2019, February 11). Child safety at home. Retrieved from https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/safety/home-pets/home-safety
raisingchildren.net.au. (2019, February 12). Outdoor safety at home: in pictures. Retrieved from https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/safety/outdoor-sun-safety/outdoor-safety-in-pictures
raisingchildren.net.au. (2020, May 1). Child car safety. Retrieved from https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/safety/car-safety/car-safety