Baby Safety Month is observed in September, and it’s a time that encourages every parent and guardian of babies to take stock of the child’s environment to ensure that it’s as safe as possible. Every year, over 2,000 children under the age of 15 die as a result of a home injury.

Most of these deaths are due to fire and burns, drowning, firearms, falls, choking, and poisoning. However, for infants under the age of 1, the number one cause of injury-related death is suffocation. That’s why it’s extremely important for everyone with a baby in their home to use this month to make their home safer.

The History of Baby Safety Month

Baby Safety Month has been around for over three decades. It was first created in 1983 as Expectant Mother’s Day by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). It was created to inform and educate mothers on infant safety. Over the years, it evolved until it finally became the month that it’s known as today.

Some Quick Baby Safety Tips

Although the following tips aren’t all-inclusive, and we encourage all parents to do their own research, we think we’ve gathered some very important baby safety tips below. We encourage everyone to check out the bullet points and then head over to the JPMA website to learn more about baby safety.

• Only choose and use infant products that are rated for the age of your baby.
• Always check to ensure that a product hasn’t been recalled before purchasing it.
• Always read all manufacturer’s instructions, warning labels, and suggested use labels.
• Baby-proof the home even before the baby is brought home.
• Remove obvious hazards from the home, such as the cords to blinds, exposed electrical sockets, and extension cords, and items that can be easily pulled down.
• It’s also important to remove poisonous plants from the home.
• It’s recommended that second-hand items not be used for a baby, as they may not meet current safety standards.
• If a person absolutely has to use a second-hand product, they should make sure it hasn’t been recalled, has all of its parts, and isn’t broken.

Observing Baby Safety Month

One of the first ways that people can observe this month is by visiting the JPMA website to learn some basic baby safety tips. Parents are also encouraged to spread the news about this month to other parents by using the hashtag #BabySafetyMonth on social media.

If we all work together, we can help make homes a safer environment for infants and lower the number of babies that die every year.