Be ready for baby’s safe arrival at home with these tips from Epworth midwives.
Your baby needs a safe sleep space which should be a flat, firm surface, with their feet at the bottom of the cot or bassinet.
Remove all hats, bibs and other loose items from the cot and keep your baby’s face and head uncovered, with the blankets tucked in firmly.
Red Nose Foundation recommends that your baby’s sleep space should be a non-smoking area, in the parent’s room for the first six to 12 months.
It also recommends breastfeeding to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.
Make sure that any baby equipment meets the Australian standards for safety before you use it and ensure the item hasn’t been recalled.
Even from birth, babies can move unexpectedly. Never leave your baby unattended on a raised surface like a bed, sofa, chair or change table.
Keep one hand on your baby, or pick them up if you need to move away.
Always supervise your baby near any water, as infants can drown in as little as 2 centimetres to 5cm of water.
To avoid burns, bath water should be 37-38 degrees or similar to your body temperature.
Run the bath first with the cold then add hot water and finish by turning off the cold.
Make sure you check the temperature with a thermometer, or your arm, before you put your baby in.
Before you leave hospital, have a car seat fitted. This should be rear facing, secured correctly with the harness adjusted to fit baby’s body correctly.
Never leave your baby in the car. The inside of a car can get hot incredibly quickly.
Prams and capsules are not designed as regular sleeping spaces. Covering a pram or capsule to shield your baby from light and disturbance also means you can’t easily check on them and it can make the space hot. Babies can quickly overheat and become seriously unwell.
Always supervise pets and children undistracted, no matter how much you trust them.
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