This week we are celebrating Child Safety Week, where we’ll be shouting about all the things you can do to help keep your little one as safe and secure as possible. From keeping your little one safe around the house with stair gates and baby monitors, to making sure they are safe in the sun with some baby sunglasses or sunhats, we have plenty of safety tips and advice to share.
In this handy guide, we will take you through some of our child safety tips for both around the house, and when you’re out and about. We’ll look at:
- Car Seats
- Highchairs
- Safety Around the Home
- Sun Safety
- Sleep Safety
Read on for the ultimate child safety guide…
Car Seats
Car journey’s can be a stressful time for parents, as there are many dangers that present themselves when you’re on the road. The best thing you can do for your little one is invest in a top quality, tried and tested car seat that you can trust to take good care of your precious passenger.
Here are a few of our top car seat safety tips.
Rear Facing is the Way Forward
Rear-facing is the safest way for your little one to travel and is actually five times safer than forward-facing. This is proven because frontal crash tests show that forces acting on the neck are around five times greater when a child is facing forwards. A rear-facing car seat supports a child’s entire back, neck and head and distributes crash forces over a larger area.
Some brands likeAxkidencourage parents to keep their children rear-facing for as long as possible, up to as old as seven years.You can dive into this blog for more information around Axkid and why they believe the future is rear facing.
Your child should rear face until they are at least four years old, but we understand that as they grow up, they make it more difficult to rear-face, and kick up a fuss when they can’t see you. If you find that rear-facing is becoming a distraction for you on the road, Cybex have designed the Anoris T2 as an alternative. The Anoris T2 is a forward-facing car seat with a built-in airbag, designed for children as young as 15 months up to seven years. This car seat means that if you feel the need to forward face your child, you have a safer alternative than most other forward-facing options.
However, we do still recommend that you keep your child rear-facing until they are at least four years old for maximum safety and assurance.
Car Seat Safety Advice
To round off on car seat safety, let's answer some of your top car seat frequently asked questions:
How long can a baby stay in a car seat? A baby or toddler should never be in a car seat for longer than two hours at a time. Newborns should be restricted to 30 minutes at a time. If you are heading on a long journey, make sure to plan regular breaks for both you and baby. Driving tired could be the biggest danger to you both.
How long should my child be in their car seat? The law in the UK states that children are required to remain in a car seat or booster seat from when they are newborn up to 12 years old, or when they are taller than 135cm.
How do I know if a car seat is safe? When shopping for a car seat, you should look out for safety test scores, a car seat that has been ADAC tested and approved is usually a good sign. Read this blog for more information around ADAC testing and which car seats have been ADAC approved for 2024.
You can also make sure a car seat is safe by reading its product description, look out for key safety features such as Dynamic Force Absorbers, Side Impact Protection and Shock Absorbing Materials.
Can I use a second-hand car seat? No, it is important that you do not purchase second-hand car seats, get them from charity shops or any other source where you don’t know who has owned it before you, or what it’s been through. If the car seat has been through a crash in the past, it is likely now unsafe and it’s best not to take that risk. You can pass down car seats to siblings or use second-hand seats from friends or family members that you trust.
If you are unsure what car seat to get for your little one, or are just looking for some specialist advice, come and visit us in store and chat to our product experts. They will be happy to recommend car seats to you, and even offer a free fitting and installation service.
We currently have a 10% off car seats promo running for a limited time during child safety week. Use the code SAFE10 to get your discount.
Highchairs
This one may seem self-explanatory, but there are a few different safety features you must consider when buying or using a highchair.
You must ensure that you use a five-point harness so you can strap your little one in and keep them secure. You should also look out for a highchair that is sturdy and durable enough to last as your baby grows. For infants and young babies, you will need to have a highchair safety rail to make sure they can’t slip off the seat.
The KAOS Klapp Highchair Complete Set is an example of a bundle that comes with all of the safety accessories and add-ons that you’ll need for your young baby, and is a highchair that is designed to grow with them and allow for natural movement.
All the highchairs we stock here at NBS are designed with safety in mind and made with the highest quality, durable materials, so you can be sure your little one is in safe hands during mealtimes.
Safety Around the Home
From sharp corners and slamming doors to steep stairs and open drawers, there are many dangers around your home that you will need to baby proof to make sure that your little one isn’t going to run into any trouble.
Here at NBS, we have a range of baby proofing and protection products that you may need to make sure your home is a safe environment for your baby. Let’s go through some examples…
Stair Gates
Stair gates are a child safety staple for your home, as they keep your little one from wandering where you don’t want them to go such as up or down the stairs or into the kitchen.
There are a variety of stair gate styles and sizes out there so you can be sure to find one that suits your home best. Here are a couple of examples:
Fred Pressure Fit Stairgate – White Wood Panel
Fred Pressure Fit Stairgate – Clear/Acrylic Panel
Thermometers and Humidifiers
When your baby is young, it is important to monitor the atmosphere and temperature of their room, so you can ensure the healthiest level of airflow to keep them comfortable and safe. Babies under six months old cannot regulate their own body temperature, so it is vital that you do what you can to make sure they are at the safest temperature, especially while they sleep. This is where a thermometer and humidifier is most important.
Here are some of our favourite products from our thermometer and humidifier collection:
The Maxi Cosi Breathe Humidifier ensures that your nursery is always at the perfect level of humidity to ensure your little one sleeps soundly. It can also be used as an essential oil diffuser for a scented and soothing snooze.
The Purflo Starlight Colour-Changing Room Thermometer has an adorable design and helps to keep your baby’s room at a safe temperature. The colour changes from blue when it’s too cold, to amber when it’s getting too warm, and green for just right. It is also portable so you can take it with you wherever you go.
The Shnuggle Pebbly Bath Thermometer makes bath times completely stress free so you can focus on the fun. All you need to do is place it in your tub and wait for the light to turn green which tells you that the water is the perfect temperature.
Baby Monitors
Baby monitors are important to make sure you can check on your little ones while they sleep, or while you’re out and about and your baby is home with a babysitter. They are a handy piece of parent-tech that gives you the peace of mind that your baby is safe and sound.
The Leapfrog LF2936 HD Video Baby Monitor is a great option, with touch screen control and a 1080p HD video display, you are sure not to miss a thing. Wherever you are, you can check in with your little one using a smartphone or tablet too – this is truly a monitor for the modern mums and dads.
We would highly recommend the Owlet Smart Sock 3, which is the first baby monitor to track your baby’s oxygen levels and heart rate, which are the best indicators of a baby’s health while they sleep. Over a million parents around the world trust Owlet every night to help them keep their babies safe while they sleep. This award-winning Smart Sock goes beyond the capabilities of any other baby monitor to tell you the things that really matter, when it really matters.
Baby Proofing
The final thing you need to consider when thinking about child safety around the home, is how you’re going to baby proof each room. There are a number of baby proofing products you’ll need, including corner protectors, door slam stoppers, drawer catches and multi-purpose blocks.
If you’re looking for a bundle that has it all, why not go for the Fred Home Safety Starter Kit V2, that comes with all the baby proofing essentials to create a safe and secure environment to grow up in.
Sun Safety
Sun safety is a hot topic all year round, but is especially important during half-term and the summer holidays when your little one is likely to be outside in the sun for longer periods of time.
Children are extremely vulnerable in the sun, and more at risk from harmful UV rays than adults are. Their young eyes receive three times more annual UV exposure than us due to their larger pupils. This is why it’s important to take the necessary precautions to keep your little one protected from the sun all year round.
Sunglasses
Baby sunglasses may seem like just a cool fashion accessory, but they are actually a vital element of child safety in the sun that parents all-too-often ignore. Just 30 minutes a day wearing a pair of 100% UV protection sunglasses will gain over 3000 hours of UV-free time for your little one.
Babiators sunglasses are the number one choice for children’s sunglasses that we will always recommend. Not only do they provide 100% UV protection, but they are also made from a flexible and durable material to withstand all kinds of bending and twisting, and they look so snazzy and stylish.
Sunhats
Baby sun hats are another child safety essential that you’ll need to keep your baby safe in the sun. A full coverage UPF 50+ sun hat like the ones from Babiators are a stylish summer holiday essential that are designed to protect your child’s head, face and neck from sunburn, and will put them at lower risk of sunstroke.
Download the Babiators complete Sun Safety Pack here for all the tips and advice on how to keep your little explorer safe and happy in the sun this summer.
Sleeping
The final aspect of child safety to talk about is sleep safety. Your little one is extremely vulnerable when they are sleeping, and there are a number of steps you need to take to make sure your baby is not at risk of SIDS, or other sleep related dangers.
Here are five things you should consider when putting your baby to sleep:
- Have you removed all blankets and pillows? Babies should sleep on a bare mattress with no blankets, soft toys, pillows or anything that may put them at risk of suffocation. If you are using a swaddle, it should be wrapped securely and fastened so their head cannot become covered.
- Is the room the correct temperature?
- Is your baby placed on their back near the base of their cot?
- Are they dressed appropriately for the weather?
- Is the air in the room clean? You could consider getting an air purifier or humidifier such as this one from Glow Dreaming.
If you would like a full guide to safer sleeping, check out this blog where you can hear from experts at Glow Dreaming, how to create the ultimate safe and secure sleeping environment for your little one.
We hope this handy guide has helped answer all of your child safety related questions, but if you are still unsure about something, please do visit us in store and chat to one of our product specialists who can walk and talk you through everything we’ve covered and more.
Don’t forget, we are currently offering 10% off car seats for child safety week with the code SAFE 10.
Shop car seats now for 10% off.
