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From the time you bring your child home from the hospital, your baby’s care and safety depends entirely on you. Even in the first few months, there are many potential hazards in the home.
Whether it’s feeding time, changing time, playtime or bedtime, the safety guidelines in this section will help you give your child the safest care.
If the proper precautions are not taken, bath time can lead to serious injuries including burns and drowning. Be safe by following these recommendations:
View interactive bath safety tips from the Family Education Network.
While a baby carrier can be a big help to parents, it also can cause serious injuries if the child accidentally falls out. Here are a few tips to help avoid injury.
More tips on baby carrier safety can be found here.
In addition to the crib safety tips already mentioned in the Before You Bring Your Baby Home section, it’s a good idea to remember the following.
Many of the same recommendations for crib safety apply to portable cribs; however, you should also keep the following in mind when using a portable crib.
A crib monitor provides added safety and comfort when your baby is napping or sleeping. Use these general guidelines for crib monitors.
Each year, thousands of children receive serious injuries to the head and internal organs from falling off changing tables. Remember that some babies can roll over when they are only a few weeks old. To protect your baby from serious injury, never use a changing table, sofa, or bed unless the following precautions are taken.
High chairs, playpens, strollers, and baby swings are never a substitute for an adult’s close supervision. Use the guidelines below for safe use:
Medical experts do not recommend the use of walkers. Injuries as serious as skull fractures, concussions and broken limbs can occur if the walker tips over or if the baby falls down a staircase. However, if you do use a walker, please be sure to use the following guidelines.
Your baby depends on you for the nutrition she needs to grow. There are a number of safety concerns associated with feeding that you should remember.
Keep hot foods and drinks away from the edges of tables and counter tops.
If using a pacifier, here are safety guidelines to keep in mind.
For children under the age of 6 months, playtime is about discovery. Since children at this age tend to place objects in their mouths, the risk of choking and suffocation is great. Keep play areas clean, and vacuum frequently to make sure smaller toys and toy parts are not within reach.
To obtain product safety information, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772 or visit their website. In addition to following CPSC recommendations, you should avoid the following toys:
In case of emergencies, keep first-aid kits and flashlights handy and post emergency numbers on or near telephones.
Visit the Treating Common Injuries section of our site for more information.
Keep pathways and stairways free of toys, shoes and other objects. Don’t risk harming a baby by carrying too much at one time. Make additional trips if necessary.
Keep a child out of a room that is being painted, has just been painted or contains furniture that has just been painted. Fumes from paint are harmful to young children. Also, remove a child from a room before starting household repairs or remodeling. The debris caused by the work can cause injury.
For the health of your baby, your family and yourself, avoid smoking. If you choose to smoke, don’t do so near a baby or any other family member. Secondhand smoke is dangerous to all who breathe it. Another reason to never hold a baby while smoking is to avoid accidental burning.
Next Section: When Your Baby Begins to Explore
Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh One Children’s Hospital Way 4401 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224
In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.
With MyCHP, you can request appointments, review test results, and more.
For questions about a hospital bill call:
To pay your bill online, please visit UPMC's online bill payment system.
Interested in giving to Children's Hospital? Support the hospital by making a donation online, joining our Heroes in Healing monthly donor program, or visiting our site to learn about the other ways you can give back.