- Making sure her crib is safe: Have no more than 2 3/8 inches between the bars. The mattress should be firm and fit snuggly within the crib. Keep it away from windows and drafts. Avoid placing fluffy blankets, stuffed animals, or pillows in the crib as they can cause smothering. You should also remove pillow-like bumper pads. In fact, some experts recommend not using bumper pads at all, as they are mostly decorative and can possibly increase a baby's risk of SIDS.
- Making sure that used or hand-me-down equipment, such as car seats, strollers and cribs, etc, haven't been recalled for safety reasons. Call the manufacturer or the Consumer Product Safety Commission for an up to date list of recalled products.
- Setting the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 F to prevent scalding burns.
- Installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and using flame-retardant bedtime clothing.
- Making your home smoke-free so that your baby isn't exposed to secondhand smoke. Simply smoking outside is not enough to reduce your baby's risk of SIDS, ear infections, asthma, and other conditions.
- Reviewing your home's risk for causing lead poisoning, especially if it was built before 1950 or before 1978 and you plan on having it remodeled.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Health Effects of Exposure to Secondhand Smoke.
