Holiday Safety

The holidays are here and most of us will decorate our homes, attend parties or even attempt to host them! Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind at home and when you are visiting friends and family.

If you’re putting up a Christmas tree:

• Be sure your tree is secure in the stand.
• Do not use tinsel, it is easy to swallow and it can also get wound up around a baby’s fingers, cutting off circulation.
• Do not use glass or leaded ornaments.
• If you must use them, place small ornaments high up out of baby’s reach.
• Never leave a baby or toddler alone near the tree.
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or when you leave your home.
• Consider buying an artificial tree. Pine needles can be dangerous to babies. Look for one that is fire resistant, while these trees can still catch fire, they resist burning and extinguish quickly.
• Avoid putting your tree near eat sources like radiators and fire places.

At parties:

• Don’t assume your baby is being supervised just because she is sitting in the middle of a room full of people. Always know who is watching your child.
• Scope out the room. Look for possible hazards and either move them or take extra care at making sure your baby is safe and never unattended.
• Purses should be kept out of reach as they often contain medications and small items that could cause choking.

Candles:

• Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Use sturdy candleholders that cannot be easily tipped.
• Keep burning candles out of reach of children, pets, trees, decorations and wrapping paper.

General safety tips:

• Dispose of all gift-wrapping, like bags, paper, ribbons, bows and packaging materials as they can put a small child at risk of suffocation or choking.
• Keep your baby away from traditional Christmas plants such as mistletoe (berries), poinsettias and holly. They can pose a choking hazard and some could be poisonous and/or can cause babies to be very ill if ingested.
• Alcoholic drinks, hard candies and nuts, lit candles and other dangerous items should be kept well out of reach.
• Use a barrier to protect children from all fireplaces (gas and wood) and woodstoves.

It’s great to decorate your home for the holiday season, but with a baby in the house make sure that you consider each item before putting it out on display. If somehow my baby gets this in her hands will it cause any harm? Is this breakable? Also remember the six inch rule: Always place items at least six inches in on furniture so that little hands cannot reach them.

Share these tips so that everyone is on the lookout for potentially harmful situations. ‘Tis the season to be safe!