Babies learn new skills very fast. If you know what they are capable of you can protect them better.

At the first months of their lives, babies learn how to;

• Turn on the ground rapidly,
• Kick,
• Put everything in their mouth.

New born babies should be protected from the following dangers:

• Falling from their beds, sofas or places where their diapers are changed,
• Swallowing small materials,
• Burns from hot liquids,
• Choking, and
• Accidents in cars.

For safety in the baby seat for cars:

While driving always keep your baby in the baby car seat. Never hold your baby on your lap.
Never sit your baby in the front seat. If your car has an airbag it might be dangerous.
Make sure to read the usage manual of the baby car seat. Right usage of it is shown in the manual.


For safety:

Install a fire detector and a fire extinguisher (and check them monthly). Check your baby's bed, car seat, stool, playground and toys to see if they conform with Turkish or foreign standards and read their usage manuals. Do not forget to do the same even if you use second had equipment.


Falling:

• Always keep one hand on your baby while changing his/her diaper. This will give you the chance to prevent him/her from falling. Always keep clean clothes and diapers close to you so you will not need to leave your baby unattended to get them.
• When you leave your baby alone make sure that the railings of his/her bed or playground are mounted.
• Baby walkers with wheels are dangerous, do not use them.
• Tall stools are also dangerous, fasten the seatbelt while your baby is sitting on them.

Causes of burns from liquid:

• Do not heat up your baby's food in microwave ovens. It is hard to understand from the outside of the container how hot the food actually is. Do not feed your baby without making sure how hot the food is.
• Plastic baby feeders can explode in microwaves, do not heat food in these type of containers in microwaves.
• Hot tap water can burn your child. Always make sure how hot the water is. Your elbow will give you the best results while checking for the temperature. A small thermometer can give you the exact temperature. While preparing the bathtub first fill it in with cold water and then add warm water.
• If you have warm tap water at home set the heater up to 49ºC to prevent burnings.
• Do not hold your child while drinking hot drinks or eating hot meals. Do not use cups without lids while drinking hot drinks.
  

Poisoning:

Keep poisonous substances away from your child. These are drugs, cleaning materials, cigarettes and alcohol. If your doctor has prescribed medicine to your baby always reads prospectus and always give medication in specified amounts.

Suffocation:

• Do not use pillows. They may cause suffocation.
• Do not keep coins or buttons near your child. Train your older children to keep their toys away from younger ones.
• Do not use ties or ribbons in your baby’s toys. Do not leave your child unattended while wearing an apron for feeding.
• When your baby starts to eat harder food give them in small pieces.
• Regularly check pacifiers. Make sure that the teat is firmly attached to the pacifier. If it is not firmly attached it may choke your baby. Change the teat with a new one when it becomes sticky or has cracks on it. Do not attach ropes or ribbons to pacifiers.

BE READY FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Keep telephone numbers of emergency institutions (ambulances, fire fighters, etc) near your telephone.

Learn first aid to help your child during choking.