Midwife Pip Podcast Episode 83.
Protect Our Little Ones in Our Home
As a mum, there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my little boy and I was honestly shocked to hear statistics like at least 1 child under 5 years dies from an accident of which over 75% take place in the home. Our homes should be safe places for our little ones to explore and thrive and so I am super excited by this week’s guest, Kate Ball, founder of Mini First Aid @minifirstaid as we can learn how to keep our little ones as safe as they can be at home.
Listen HERE
Protect our Little Ones in Our Homes
Children are so adventurous and creative, attributes that we do of course want to nurture but doing so without injury can pose a huge challenge. The statistics on accidents in the home truly terrified me as a parent, as we all know from the bumps and grazes that seeing your child hurt or upset is the most gut wrenching and mum guilt inducing time.
What are the most Common Accidents that happen to Babies and Children in the Home:
Thousands of children under 5 years are admitted to hospital each year from preventable accidents in the home. Often it is the simple things we don’t think about in our homes that can lead to injury such as falls, accidental poisoning and choking. Currently on the rise are burns and scalds in babies and toddlers.
Top Tips to preventing Burns and Scalds in Babies and Toddlers:
Baby skin burns much easier than adult skin, so it is important to take extra care.
Use a bath thermometer to test water before putting your baby in.
Use the hob rings at the back when cooking and turn handles towards the back to prevent them being grabbed by climbing and reaching fingers.
Keep hot drinks out of reach., mugs are often very attractive to a baby and a hot drink can scald for up to 15 minutes after it has been made.
Keep irons and hair straighteners out of reach.
How to choose the best Child Safety Products for your Home:
I learnt so much chatting with Kate, most shockingly I learnt that child safety products don’t need strict regulation to be on the market… how this is OK I cannot comprehend and whilst Kate shares her expert knowledge on how to choose high quality products, I wanted to share some of my favourite simple home safety products with you here:
Door jammers- great for ensuring little fingers don’t get trapped
Stair gates- a must for preventing stair falls
Drawer/ door locks- to keep cupboards with hazardous objects, medicines, or products safe
When looking for home safety products like door jammers or corner covers it is really important to ensure they don’t look like a toy, and they aren’t made from foamy type materials that could be chewed on and parts then become a choking hazard… because lets me honest babies and toddlers will eat anything and everything.
How does a Safe Home promote Play and Development?
Once our homes feel like a safe and secure place for our children to explore the power for them to unleash their natural curiosity is present. Watching them meet developmental milestones and learn how to interact with the world around them is one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent. Although, it does come with a side helping of responsibility to make sure you are meeting their physical and psychological needs as they grow.
To understand how to balance play and screen time and how to play with your little one to support their development- I recommend reading on here: www.aptaclub.co.uk/midwifepip
And remember, your child doesn’t need a perfect parent and we all have days of smashing parenthood followed by those of barely surviving. Here is to the beautifully chaotic rollercoaster that is raising children.
For more on ‘How we can protect our little ones in our homes’ listen to Midwife Pip Podcast Episode 83 HERE.
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"This week I am joined by, Kate Ball, a paediatric first aid specialist, mum of 6 (including 2 sets of twins!!) and featured on BBC 1 Dragons' Den in 2021 securing investment from Sara Davies MBE. Kate shares some very important information on the safety regulation of products..."
p.s. have you checked out Midwife Pips Courses
The Author: Midwife Pip
Pip is a Mum, Podcaster and practicing Midwife in the UK, currently working as a Delivery Suite Sister she has a wealth of experience supporting parents-to-be through all aspects of pregnancy, birth and the postpartum. Pip has trained and worked in some of the leading maternity units, has completed a master's programme and is passionate about all aspects of women's health and wellness.
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