Baby Safety Basics for the First Few Weeks

September is baby safety month, an event sponsored yearly by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). The JPMA is the voice of the industry on quality and safety for baby and children's products. There is a lot to know about keeping your baby safe, much of which is learned as your child grows. If you are pregnant or have just given birth, it's important to focus on the most critical safety issues for the newborn stage. According the JPMA, those issues are:

Baby products safety

• Make sure all new products meet current safety standards
• If using older/second-hand/used products, make sure all parts are available, the product is fully functional, not broken, and has not been recalled
• Register baby products with the manufacturer if that option is available so that you can be contacted if there is a recall or if you have an issue with the product

Sleep safety

• Check to see if your baby's crib/sleep furniture is JPMA certified
• Check to see if your baby's crib/sleep furniture has been recalled
• Check that your baby's crib/sleep furniture is assembled correctly and that there are no loose or defective parts
• Learn the basics of safe sleep

Car seat safety

• Your baby should be in a rear-facing car seat placed in the back seat of your vehicle
• Register your car seat
• Check for your car seat's expiration date
• Never use a car seat that has been in a crash
• It is not recommended to use a second-hand car seat as it is not always possible to determine if the car seat has been in a crash 
• If using a second-hand car seat, check for the expiration date and the manufacturer's sticker; if the date has passed or the sticker is missing, do not use the car seat 
• For more car seat safety information and tips, check out these resources from JPMA

For more safety basics, visit JPMA's parent-friendly resource site.