Babys safety

As common sense will tell you, babies  and infants safety is of paramount importance.
More than the more usual dangers in the home:

Electrical sockets
stairs
Loose carpets
Doors (fingers can be trapped)
Hot drinks left in easy reach

Well you know the rest because its all obvious.

There are still the less obvious to look for and protect against,
and these should be guarded against from birth onwards, so the habit is formed.

One of the greatest dangers to babies and young children is choking.
Kids are naturally curious and tend to put everything they touch into their mouths.
Many children under the age of five die each year due to choking and of those, two-thirds have not yet celebrated their first birthdays.
Since children are not capable of deciding what is and is not safe, it is up to the adults in their lives to be sure that they don't have access to things that pose choking risks.

Mealtimes safety:

Always supervise infants and young children at mealtimes.
Cut food into pea sized pieces, very small
Only give tiny amounts at a time, babies will tend to stuff everything at once into the mouth.
Teach from early to always eat at the table, never allow a child to run, play, or lay while eating.
Do not allow a child to eat in the car, it isnt possible to give adequate supervision or assistance.

Some foods present a hazard all alone, the most common foods known to choke babies and small children are:

Hot dogs
Raisins
Popcorn
Grapes
Sticky sweets
Thick peanut butter
Marshmallows
Cherry tomatoes
Lumps of meat or cheese
Melon balls

When feeding your baby any of the items listed above, be sure that you take the time to mince or chop them finely.
Babies have a tendency to swallow foods without chewing, so their foods must be very small as not to block their airway.

Toys and Other Choking risks
Although most parents know to exercise caution at mealtimes, babies and young children are always on the lookout for new and interesting things to see.
Items left on low tables are well within the reach of crawlers and young walkers, so be sure that you are alert to things that your child could choke on.
Coins, buttons, paperclips, marbles, pens and pen caps, pieces or wire and string and small batteries are all items that are VERY dangerous to young children.
Try to establish a place in an out-of-reach shelf where you get into the habit of emptying your pockets at the end of the day.

When purchasing toys, take the manufacturer's age recommendations seriously.
Although your child may be clever enough to understand and play with a toy labeled for older children, the age suggestions are designed to keep children safe.
Often, toys are labeled for children over three years of age because they contain small parts.
And not because the toy is difficult for a younger child.

To be certain a childs world is a safe place, put yourself into THEIR world!
Get on hands and knees, and crawl about, look to see what you can find that could possibly hurt a small child.

It is important for all parents and carers to learn infant CPR and first aid to use in emergency situations.
Check with your family doctor or local child clinic for advice on taking a class to help you prepare for such an event.
It is knowledge that you need to have, even though you hope you'll never have occasion to use it.

Lastly, and i cannot stress enough, think what can happen to a baby or small child BEFORE it happens, then help to prevent it happening.. ever.