Safety tips for expecting moms

With all the joy surrounding a baby’s birth, it’s important to remember these safety tips:

– Use a fitted sheet on the crib mattress. Place your child alone on its back in a crib (not an adult bed) to avoid suffocation from blankets or stuffed animals.

– Talk with your child’s caretakers about how they deal with stress and the best ways to cope with a crying baby. Shaking a baby can be fatal.

– Keep pet bowls out of reach and drain the sink and bathtub after use. A child can drown in as little as 1 inch of water, often silently.

– Kelley Parris, Children’s Board of Hillsborough County