Safety for babies
Baby’s First Year: birth to 12 months
Kidsafe WA Factsheet
For your 4 months child health nurse appointment
PDF version
Babies learn and develop new skills quickly - keeping you on your toes!
During the first year of life, most babies learn to:- Wriggle and roll over
- Kick and push
- Put things in their mouths
- Pull themselves up
- Crawl and walk
- Falling from furniture
- Pulling things down on themselves
- Burns and scalds
- Drowning
- Injuries from riding in the car
- Choking on small objects
Safety Check
- Install smoke alarms, test them regularly and change the batteries on the 1st April.
- Use baby equipment that meets Australian Standards. This includes cots, prams/joggers, toys, car seats and high chairs. Check that second hand products are in good condition and suitable for use.
- Do not hold your baby while you are eating or drinking anything hot.
- Always use a correctly fitted and adjusted child car restraint suitable for your child’s age and size.
- Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Grate, mash, blend or chop food into tiny pieces to avoid choking. Do not give your baby nuts, popcorn or lollies.
- Keep medicines, cleaning products and other poisons locked high and away.
- Secure any top-heavy furniture such as televisions, bookshelves and chest of drawers to the walls to avoid these toppling onto children.
Safety tips to keep your baby safe:
Practice caution around water
- Never leave your baby unattended around water. When preparing a bath, make sure you have everything you need with you. If you need to leave the bathroom, even for a second – TAKE YOUR BABY WITH YOU.
- Familiarise your baby with water through water familiarisation classes.
Preventing burns and scalds
- Always test the bath water temperature before bathing your child. The maximum recommended temperature for bathing your child is 38°C.
- Always run the cold water first and last when filling up a bath and never leave a hot running bath unattended.
- Put your child down before consuming hot drinks.
- Always test the temperature of children’s food if it is warmed up. Shake or stir warmed bottles and check the temperature before giving to children.
First Aid for Burns and Scalds
- Remove any nappies or wet clothes
- Immediately apply cool running water for 20 minutes
- Keep the child warm, to prevent them from going into shock
- See a doctor if the burn or scald is on the face, hands, feet, genitals or buttocks, if it is larger than a 20 cent coin or blistered
- In an emergency, phone 000 for an ambulance
- Never use ice, oils, ointments or creams
Preventing poisoning
- Keep poisons out of your baby’s reach. This includes medicines, cleaning products, cigarettes, and alcohol.
- Do not store potential poisons near food items.
- Store poisons in their original container.
- Always keep the Poisons Information Centre phone number (13 11 26) near your phone.
Be aware of choking and suffocation
- Pillows and bumper pads are unnecessary for children under the age of two.
- Choosing a firm mattress is most important to prevent accidental suffocation or SIDS.
- Soft surfaces such as bean bags and water beds can increase the risk of suffocation.
- Putting a baby to sleep on its back is most important. Contact Red Nose for more information. www.rednose.com.au
- Avoid ties, ribbons or hoods on baby’s clothing.
- Always remove bibs, headbands and jewellery such as amber beads before putting children down to sleep.
Keep your baby safe in the car
- Buckle up every child on every trip in a suitable child car restraint. Never hold your baby on your lap while travelling in the car.
- Children under 6 months must use an approved rearward facing child car restraint with a built-in five point harness and must stay in the rearward facing position until at least 6 months of age and has outgrown the height marker on the restraint.
- Once a child has outgrown the rearward facing child car restraint he/she must use a forward facing restraint with a built-in five point harness until at least 4 years of age and has outgrown the height marker on the restraint.
- Use child car restraints to the maximum size limit. Only move a child to the next stage when they have reached the maximum height marker.
- It is illegal for a child under 4 years of age to occupy the front passenger seat of a vehicle with two or more rows of seats.
- All infant and toddler restraints used in Australia require the use of an upper anchorage or tether strap – ensure you know where to find your vehicle anchorage points by referring to your vehicle owners handbook.
Fitting your child car restraint
If you need help fitting your child car restraint or advice on which restraint will suit your vehicle and individual needs contact Kidsafe WA on (08) 6244 4880 for more information.Choosing a car seat:
- Before you purchase a child restraint check to ensure the car seat you choose fits in your vehicle. There are different types of child car restraints to choose from:
- Capsule / Travel System – rearward facing only.
- Convertible restraints - these can be used in a rearward facing or forward facing position for a child from birth to approximately 4 years of age.
- Combination Restraints – these can be used in a forward facing position only and are suitable for a child from approximately 6 months to approximately 7 years of age.
For more information on child safety, visit:
This publication is for general education and information purposes. Contact a qualified healthcare professional for any medical advice needed.
© State of Western Australia, Child and Adolescent Health Service printed with permission by Kidsafe WA
Produced by: Child and Adolescent Health Service - Community Health
Reference: CAH-000992
Last reviewed: 2018
Last Updated:
02/02/2024