September is Baby Safety Month, but making sure we keep our little ones safe is really a 12 months a year job. Thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, we're not alone in that journey. Plenty of parents, nurses, and other experts have shared their safety hacks that all of us can use to keep our babies healthy and happy.
From reducing their SIDS risk to properly baby-proofing a home, here are 17 parenting hacks to promote baby safety.
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Create a Baseline
Easy Nail Trimming
There's something so terrifying about holding nail clippers to our babies' tiny fingers. The clippers are basically bigger than their hands! But thanks to TikTokers like @pediatric_np, we now know there's a better way — an electric nail file. These devices use baby-safe buffer pads that allow parents to gently grind down long nails without the risk of cutting the child.
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Safer Falls
To protect our little ones when they fall backward, we can buy a cushioned backpack head protector. Developmental physical therapist and TikToker @thebabypt recommended them to help make little falls less scary — especially since falls are a normal part of a baby's development as they learn to crawl and walk.
"It can increase the practice time, lessen the anxiety, and give them a little bit of cushion. I'm all for it," @thebabypt said in a video about the product.
Better Way to Eat Apples
A lot of foods can be choking hazards for our little ones. But one way to make serving dangerous foods like apples easier is just to grate them. As @mylittleeater pointed out on TikTok, this hack also lets little ones work on their fine motor skills as they pick up the shredded apple pieces.
Avoiding Hair Tourniquets
A hair tourniquet happens when one of Mom's (or Dad's) hairs loops around a baby's toe, finger, or — for baby boys — their private area. It can go undetected until it's a major problem cutting into the skin and cutting off circulation. Board certified pediatrician and TikToker @therealdrkey recommends keeping Nair on hand to dab on any hair tourniquets before they become emergencies.
Safer Baby Gates
Baby safety expert @safebeginnings on TikTok wants parents to know that pressure mounted baby gates are hazards. It just takes a little pressure the wrong way at the wrong time to send a child tumbling down the stairs of this type of gate is mounted at the top. Instead, use a hardware installed gate that drills into the wall.
Soft Spot Awareness
Tiktoker @nurse.carly posted a video to educate parents on the two soft spots that can be found on a baby's head. Parents know to be mindful of those spots, but they can also indicate the health status of a child as well.
According to Carly, a bulging soft spot can let parents know that their child's brain is in danger. And a sunken soft spot can indicate dehydration. Keeping an eye on that spot is so important.
