Safety 1^st and Foremost

September is Baby Safety Month

Children love exploring, especially in the home. They’re curious, fearless risk-takers who yearn to learn and grow and their homes are their playgrounds. If you’re an expectant or new parent, now is the time to start planning and proofing your home for your little one. Investing time now in a secure home will pay off later. A good rule of thumb is to get down on your hands and knees to view your home from your child’s point of view. Doing so may reveal potential hazards, such as exposed electrical outlets, long window blind cords, and loose power cords, to name a few. Make childproofing your home a priority and regular practice to help prevent household injuries. The leading cause of death for children in the United States is from injuries that happen inside the home, so why not safeguard your family against them now? It’s simple, easy, and affordable. Keep reading for more information on our ABC’s of Safety, Back-to-School Safety Tips, and our 5 Essential Childproofing Products, which provide a great selection of reasonably priced items that could help save your child’s life.

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The ABC’s of Baby Safety

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September is Baby Safety Month, which makes it the perfect time to take a first – or second – look around your home to check for safety concerns. Whether you’re expecting your first baby or you’re a “veteran” parent of five, every child is different and with each arrival a new inspection of your home should be conducted. Consider this – approximately 45 percent of unintentional injury deaths in children occur in and around the home. Unintentional home injury deaths to children are caused primarily by fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, firearms, falls, choking, and poisoning (Source: National Safety Council).

Many of these accidents can be prevented. By following the “ABC’s of Baby Proofing,” you can help make your home safer for all your children.

Awareness is the most critical element. Babies begin rolling over, crawling, and walking when you least expect it. While your child might not be able to roll off the changing table today, by tomorrow she could.

Barriers are necessary to ensure your baby’s safety. Whether it’s installing gates on stairs or locks on cabinets, it’s important that safeguards be put in place.

Controlling your children’s environment will allow them the freedom to explore, while at the same time protecting them from hazards.

The following are our Top 10 Safety Tips to help make your home safer for your family:

• Never leave your child unattended in a bathtub. Keep a cordless phone with you in the bathroom or let the answering machine pick up any calls. Children can drown in less than 2" of water.
• Babies can begin pulling themselves up on furniture prior to walking. Be sure to have all heavy furniture, including the changing table, secured to the wall so it cannot fall down on them.
• All medicines and toxic substances should be kept in cabinets with properly installed locks. Be aware that cosmetics and toiletries can also be toxic and should be locked away. This includes hairsprays, gels, mouthwash, and makeup.
• Never hold your baby in your arms when cooking. Hot oils and boiling water can splash onto her. Be sure to use the back burners when cooking and turn handles away from the front of the stove. Properly installed stove knob covers and stove guards are helpful, preventative products.
• Be mindful of your furniture’s placement. Objects on which a child can climb, such as beds, cribs, chairs, chests, and desks, should not be placed near windows as your toddler could fall out or become strangled by the window blind cord.
• Check your baby’s clothing regularly for loose buttons, snaps, etc., which can become choking hazards. Never use strings to attach a pacifier to your baby’s crib or clothes.
• Never place a halogen floor lamp where it could come in contact with draperies, clothing or other combustible materials. Such lamps should be removed entirely from children’s bedrooms. Children may play with lamps or place combustibles, such as stuffed toys or clothing, too close to the bulb which could start a fire.
• Always place your baby on her back to sleep and be sure not to overbundle her to help reduce the risk SIDS. Instead of using a blanket in the crib, consider a wearable blanket or “Sleep Sack.” Remove all loose bedding and stuffed animals from the crib.
• Have a car seat inspection done by a member of the police department, your local children’s hospital, or a certified car seat installer. Your child should always be in the back seat, and infants under one year and less than 20 pounds should always face the rear.

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Back-to-School Safety

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Whether it’s your first, last, or only child going off to school this year, it’s probably bittersweet. We’re so proud to see how our children have grown, but it’s hard to let go. There are always the first day jitters for mom and dad: Will they find their classroom? Will they get their seatbelt on in the bus? Who will they eat lunch with? Within no time our little kindergarteners will know the routine, but it’s always good to keep some safety tips in mind when sending them off to school:

• If your child is taking the bus to school make sure you know the route in case of any emergency.
• Teach your child to stay on the sidewalk or far away from the road until the bus comes to a complete stop and signals that it’s OK to cross. Even then, be alert for cars that might illegally pass the school bus!
• Be sure that your child is not wearing clothes with long drawstrings or, in the winter, long scarves that could catch in the bus door.
• If your child will be taking a different bus to afterschool activities, make sure he has your home phone and cell phone numbers memorized in case he gets on the wrong bus.
• Alert the teacher to any food allergies your child has and be sure the school nurse has your child’s EpiPen® on hand if need be.
• Prior to school starting, take a walk around the school playground to check for any safety hazards, including rusted bolts or S rings, protruding tree roots, and broken equipment.
• The days are still sunny and warm at the beginning of school, so remember to apply sunscreen (with an SPF of at least 45) liberally.
• Purchase a backpack with wide shoulder straps, make sure your child uses both of them and doesn’t just sling it around one shoulder, and be aware that the total weight when packed should be no more than 10–20% of your child’s weight.

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Our Childproofing Essential Picks for Parents

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Outlet Plugs
Outlet plugs help prevent your children from putting sharp objects or their fingers into electrical outlets. They’re colorless so they won’t disturb your décor and go unnoticeable so your children won’t be tempted to play with them. By covering your outlets, you protect your children!
Available at: Babies “R” Us, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot.

Oven Front Lock
Our Oven Front Lock helps keep your children from opening a hot oven door. Made of durable, heat-resistant material, it easily installs on the front of your oven door to protect your children from accidental heat exposure.
Available at: Babies “R” Us, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot.

Stove Knob Covers
Stove Knob Covers help prevent your children from accidentally turning on the stove. Their clear design blends in with your stove and they feature a hinged lid for easy adult-only access. Made of heat-resistant material, it’s just one easy, affordable way to childproof your home!
Available at: Babies “R” Us, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot.

Cabinet & Drawer Latches
Cabinet & Drawer Latches help keep your children out of cabinets and drawers that may contain common cleaning products, pesticides, medication, or other potentially harmful chemicals. Easy to install, they only allow the door or drawer to open 1 ½" wide before the latch catches, preventing your children from reaching inside. For adult access simply press down and the cabinet door or drawer will open.
Available at: Babies “R” Us, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot.

Door Knob Covers
Door Knob Covers help keep your children from entering rooms that are off-limits, or that lead to stairways for the basement, garage, or attic. They slip over the door knobs easily, and only require a firm adult grip to open the door.
Available at: Babies “R” Us, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot.

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A Note From Our Author

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It’s Back to School Time!

I was always one of those kids that looked forward to the first day of school – seeing my friends again, getting new clothes, and buying all of those shiny new notebooks. It’s also my favorite time of year. When the air starts getting cooler, it invigorates me and I feel like I can take on the world. For me, it’s fall cleaning, not spring cleaning. Any projects around the house that need to get done are accomplished now. Forget about January, this is the time I make my New Year’s resolutions. I feel it’s a fresh start and I’m especially excited this year because my son Spencer starts a new school for third grade (a very big deal) and Kelsey is in her new nursery school.

The schedules are already making my head spin, but it’s all very exciting. Spencer is playing flag football (my favorite sport) and Kelsey is trying out gymnastics. My enthusiasm seems to have bubbled over to them because there’s been a lot less bickering and a lot more laughing and we’re all trying to make some resolutions for the “new year.” Spencer’s includes keeping his room neater (we’ll see how long that lasts) and Kelsey’s is to reduce the whining and pouting when she doesn’t get her way (again, I’m not too optimistic on this one). Mine, in no particular order, include:

• Getting more organized so we’re not doing a mad dash in the morning
• Reducing the amount of fast food dinners per week
• Lowering my voice when “coaxing” Spencer to finish his homework
• Starting an exercise routine for myself and sticking with it
• Arranging a weekly family game night
• Learning to stop and smell the roses – or enjoy the fall leaves – every now and then

I don’t know if I’ll be any better than the kids at sticking with my resolutions, but I think it’s definitely worth a try!

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Meet Our Author

Let me introduce myself. My name is Alison Rhodes and I live in Wilton, CT with my husband, three children and two dogs. My first child, Connor, died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in 1997 – he would have been 9 years old. My son Spencer is 7, my daughter Kelsey just turned 3 and we just had a little girl, Hannah this November. Needless to say, my life is crazy sometimes! I’ve teamed up with Safety 1^st to develop this newsletter because I wanted to provide parents with important information on child safety. After Connor’s death, infant and child safety became my passion. I might not be able to prevent SIDS but if I can help prevent one childhood accident I’ve done something in honor of him.

When Kelsey turned three (she constantly reminds me that “she is a big girl now!”) we were able to remove some of the babyproofing items around our house such as the toilet locks and the baby gates. But now that our new daughter Hannah has arrived, it’s back to the drawing board. It’s amazing how quickly we forget all the things babies can get into when they start crawling! Check out this month’s articles to see what you might not have thought about. And the one thing I realize now as a “veteran mom” is to never put “to-do” items off until tomorrow, because tomorrow inevitably brings strep throat, extra homework or the trip to the store for the team uniform you forgot about. Since my husband Kenny and I are babyproofers you would think it would be easy to get everything done in time but it’s always the case of the shoemaker’s children. So, I’ve started giving him the ultimatum now that if he doesn’t get the gates back up he will be in charge of all diaper changes! I remember when I was pregnant with Connor – my baby registry included the layette, stroller, high chair and all of those beautiful blankets. But I never considered registering for the most important items – baby safety products. Wouldn’t it be great to have your entire house set up before the baby arrived, not just the nursery? So this time, after I buy Kelsey’s “big girl” furniture and set up the new nursery with her old furniture I’m going to have everything else in place as well.

Alison is the founder of Peek-a-Boo Babyproofing, a baby-safety company servicing Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. The company partners with parents to create a safer environment for infants and toddlers through education and installation of baby safety products. For additional baby safety tips visit their website at www.peekaboobabyproofing.com.

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If you have any questions regarding Safety 1^st products please contact Dorel Juvenile Group Consumer Relations at consumer@djgusa.com.

Missed the last issue? Check out the Safety 1^st and Foremost archive.

Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL PRODUCT

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CAR SEATS

Q: I’m ready to convert my car seat to a booster seat. Should I still use the tether strap with the booster seat?
A: No. The lap/shoulder belt of your vehicle should be used to belt in the child and the child restraint.

Q: If my child is still under 1 year of age, but meets the weight and height guidelines for a forward-facing car seat, can I go ahead and place my child in the forward-facing position?
A: No. Even if your child meets the weight and height guidelines for a forward-facing car seat the child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until at least 1 year of age.

Q: When I install my child’s car seat with the LATCH and tether should I still use the vehicle seat belt as well?
A: No. The latch and tether are designed for use instead of the vehicle seat belts.

Q: Where can I have my car seat checked to ensure it is installed properly?
A: Visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov to access the Child Passenger Safety Contact locator. Type in your zip code and you’ll receive contact information for a Child Safety Seat Inspection Station in your local area.

Q: What are the cleaning instructions for my child’s car seat?
A: The seat pad should be hand washed with warm, sudsy water, then rinsed and air-dried. The harness straps should be spot cleaned only, do not machine wash.

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MONITORS

Q: How can I troubleshoot interference issues on my Safety 1^st nursery monitor?
A: Other wireless products in your household may run on the same frequency as your monitor. Try unplugging anything in your home that could be creating the interference and then plug the monitor in for about a half hour so that a good connection is established. Once the monitor has established a good connection, you can begin plugging back in the other products in your home one at a time while checking to see if there is a particular product that is interfering with the monitor.

Q: Can I purchase additional transmitters for my monitor?
A: Safety 1^st manufactures a variety of nursery monitors. Some are equipped to monitor one room while others are capable of monitoring two or even three rooms. Each nursery monitor is designed for use with a specified number of transmitters; therefore it’s not possible to add an additional transmitter to an existing product. Doing so could cause interference.

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RIDE-ONS

Q: How long should I charge the battery for my Safety 1^st Ride-On?
A: Always charge the battery for a FULL 24 HOURS the first time you use it. Always charge the battery for a FULL 16 HOURS after each use. Although the light indicator on the charger may be green, the battery may not be fully charged. Charge the battery once a month, even if you are not using the vehicle. Do not leave the battery on the charger for more than 30 HOURS.