BabySecurity Blog

Travelling with a baby, especially a newborn, can be fraught with difficulty. Babies have an awful lot of needs, so you shouldn’t underestimate how prepared you will need to be whether you choose to travel by car, plane or train.

The following are a few important travel tips for parents, which should help you and your baby have a peaceful and stress-free journey.

Equipment and accessories

There are a large number of useful baby products you can get in preparation for car journeys. The following baby car accessories, for example, may be necessary:

• Car seats for babies and very young children
• Absorbent car seat protectors
• Car window screens and shades (many available in fun patterns and designs)
• Travel baby bottle warmers
• Pop up trash bins (which can also be used for storing extra toys)
• Travel trays for eating, playing and drawing

All of the above should help to keep your baby comfortable and happy while travelling. However, you will also need to pack the usual kit you use to keep your baby clean and hygienic, such as a changing bag containing wipes, nappies and maybe even a travel potty (depending how old your child is). It is also recommended to take a travel first aid kit with you.

General tips

• Dress your child in lots of light layers, which can be taken off or added if it gets too hot or cold
• Take more food and drink supplies than you think you’ll need, just in case you get stuck in traffic or face other delays

Don’t worry – travelling with a baby gets a lot easier once that first journey is over and done with!

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a topic that is extremely worrying for parents, but it is important that anyone with very young children is made aware of exactly what SIDS is and crucially, how it can be prevented.

What is SIDS?

Also known as cot death, SIDS causes the unexpected deaths of infants who seem in perfectly good health. Whilst cases of SIDS are very rare, the condition most often occurs in babies who are less than six months old and according to the NHS, boys tend to be more at risk from SIDS than girls. The risk is also greater for premature babies or those that have a very low birth weight.

What causes SIDS?

The defining feature of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, unfortunately, is that its cause is not known. However, the following factors are suspected to contribute to it:

• Exposure to tobacco smoke – both during pregnancy and after the baby is born
• Hot temperatures
• Sleeping arrangements – the risk of SIDS is greater if the baby sleeps on their stomach or side, with a quilt, duvet or pillow, or in the same bed as an adult (especially an intoxicated adult) rather than in their own crib

Preventing SIDS

There are many practical ways you can help to reduce the risk of SIDS. For example, you can:

• Stop smoking
• Make sure your baby sleeps on his or her back, with covers securely tucked in no higher than your baby’s shoulders. Make sure there are no loose blankets, sheets or toys in the cot. When your baby is awake, he or she should lie in a variety of different positions.
• Use air purifiers, humidifiers and de-humidifiers to give your baby comfortable sleeping conditions
• Make sure your baby sleeps in his or her own cot or crib

Baby toys and other baby products can be instrumental in teaching your child about the world, helping them to develop the skills and knowledge they need as they grow up.

One of the most recent innovations in the world of educational baby products is toys that teach young children about time. As a parent, you first teach your baby about the concept of time by helping him or her to establish a sleeping pattern. This is often done with the help of blackout blinds or soothing nightlights, along with a number of other tried and tested techniques.

When you have finally managed to get your baby sleeping at normal times (which also gives parents a much-needed break) and once your child is old enough, it will soon be appropriate to start teaching him or her about time.

Baby products such as the Onaroo Teach Me Time Sleep Trainer are ideal for children who are just out of the cot, as well as older children who want an alarm clock just like their parents have.

Interactive products like this, which consist of a talking time clock and dual-colour nightlight, actively engage your children in learning about time and make the whole process fun. Colour changes tell the child when it’s time to get up and go to bed, and numerous difficulty levels of talking time-telling games challenge the child to develop his or her skills until they are comfortable telling the time on their own.

Another great advantage of these kinds of child wake-up alarms for parents is that they can help with establishing a proper bedtime for young children, in the same way that you taught your newborn baby to sleep through the night.

Protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays is very important for adults, as excessive exposure to the sun can cause health problems such as melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. It is, however, even more crucial that you protect babies and young children from exposure to the sun.

As most parents know, babies’ skin is very delicate and sensitive, and it needs very gentle care. Very young skin is also not able to protect itself from sun exposure in the same way as adults, because it does not possess enough melanin (the pigment which gives colour to skin, hair and eyes). This makes babies more susceptible to the sun’s damaging effects.

The following are a few useful tips to help you protect your child from the sun:

• Keep all babies under 6 months of age out of the sun. At this very young age, sun screen is not suitable for your baby’s very sensitive skin, so it is best to keep him or her out of the sun completely.

• Use baby products such as UV Travel Tents, UV Pram and Buggy Blinds, UV Car Blinds, and UV Safety Swimwear to keep your baby’s skin safe from the sun.

• If you live somewhere hot or you are on a family holiday abroad, keep young children out of the sun in peak sunshine hours, which are usually between 10am and 4pm.

• If you are concerned about your baby getting too hot, dress him or her in lightweight clothes that still cover arms and legs fully.

• Last but not least, make sure your baby has a suitable sun hat on!

Planning the nursery is a very important part of preparing for your new arrival, and it is something that can be done as a couple if you choose to.

Transforming a room into your baby’s new nursery is no simple task, however. There are many things to think about, such as colour schemes, nursery furniture, layout and other more practical considerations. Many expectant parents don’t have a clue where to start, so if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by your new redecoration project then you won’t be alone.

The following are a few of the things you should think about before decorating and furnishing your baby’s nursery:

• Keep the design simple. Babies grow awfully fast, and the décor you choose for your child as a newborn may not be suitable once they grow a little. Go for a design scheme that is easy to change as your child gets older.

• Make use of temporary nursery decoration accessories like peel-off stickers, fun mobiles, door hangers, pictures, cushions and toys to add colour to the room and stimulate your baby’s senses. These can be easily changed and replaced whenever you like.

• Don’t forget the ceiling. Remember that your baby will spend a lot of time looking up, so make sure the ceiling design is as stimulating as possible. Cot mobiles are the best for this, as they can be changed far more easily than actually painting on the ceiling.

• Install blackout blinds. If you don’t know which type of window covering to go for, always choose blackout blinds. They effectively block out all light, giving your baby a dark sleeping environment and helping them to establish proper sleeping patterns.

Above all, have fun and be creative when decorating the nursery – it is a very important part of preparing for your baby.

Baby monitors are incredibly useful devices, allowing the sounds and movements of a young child to be monitored at all times. They give parents great peace of mind, as they can easily and quickly check on their babies or toddlers no matter where they are in the house.

Baby monitors used to simply be radio systems, but there are now devices available that transmit digital sound and video. This gives you many more baby monitor options to choose from, but it can cause confusion over which is really the best one to purchase.

To help you find exactly the right baby monitor to suit you, your baby and your home, here is a little information about each of the main types currently available.

• Digital baby monitors. The best thing about these monitors is that they are resistant to interference from wireless routers and phone signals, so you never have to worry about a drop in signal or sound quality. They also offer full LED night vision, talk-back communication and remote pan and scan functions, as well as the facility to record photos to an SD memory card.

• Analogue baby monitors. Whilst still offering features like full LCD colour screens and night vision, these monitors are a great option for first-time parents or those on a budget.

• Baby sensor monitors. Placed underneath the cot mattress or clipped onto the baby’s clothing, these monitors use sensor technology to respond to your baby’s breathing and movements.

• DECT baby monitors. These are advanced devices which use the latest technology to offer full monitoring even in larger homes. They offer everything from two-way communication and temperature displays to lullabies to soothe your baby to sleep.

Babies learn about the world through play, but they need lots of stimulation to encourage them to learn. This is why many parents use educational toys to help their babies pick up the basic skills and knowledge that are essential to healthy physical and mental development.

For example, educational baby toys can help to teach infants about:

• Solving simple problems
• Controlling movements and body parts
• Using imagination
• Figuring out how things work
• Sharing and cooperating with others
• Controlling things in his/her world
• Playing by themselves

In addition, educational baby toys can help build physical strength, balance, co-ordination and muscle control.

Do your research

Before buying early learning toys for your baby, it might be worth researching the topic on the internet or in your local library. Get the opinion of other parents and see what experts in baby development have to say on the subject, then you will know exactly the right kind of baby toys to buy.

Things to look for in educational toys

There are few essential criteria you should look out for when shopping for play-based baby products, including:

• Age-appropriateness – only buy toys that are specifically recommended for your baby’s age group
• Durability and ‘washability’ – the most well-loved toys tend to get very dirty and wear out quickly
• Interactivity and stimulation – will the toy be able to catch and keep your baby’s attention, as well as actively encouraging him or her to learn?
• Level of challenge – the ideal educational baby toy will be challenging, but not frustratingly so.

Babies’ skin is extremely sensitive and delicate, so it needs to be cared for using only the gentlest baby products. This is especially the case in the summer months, when rising temperatures may cause conditions such as heat rash that can make your baby uncomfortable.

The following are some tips on avoiding some common baby skin problems in the summer or in hot weather:

• Heat rash. This occurs when the baby has been overdressed or overheats, so make sure you choose baby clothes that are breathable. You could also consider using a humidifier or dehumidifier in the nursery to create more comfortable sleeping conditions for your baby.

• Sun exposure. Babies’ skin is not able to protect itself against the sun’s harmful UV rays, so keep your baby covered up at all times using hats, buggy shades and car window shades.

Skincare and hygiene on the move

Lots of parents like to take their babies out to the park in the summer, to enjoy the warm weather or simply to get out of the house for a while. If you are planning a family trip out, you’ll need to make sure you’re all prepared to meet your baby’s skincare and hygiene needs on the move.

Ideally, you should have a summer baby care kit containing everything you need to keep your baby clean, comfortable and happy wherever you go. It should include essentials such as baby wipes, digital thermometer, teether, medicine dropper, baby toothbrush and so on.  This sort of kit, especially if it is compact and easy to carry, can be a godsend to parents in the summer.

When your baby is old enough to move from a cot to his or her very first bed, it is important to ensure that all safety measures are in place. This means fitting safety-focused baby products such as bed rails and bed guards, which are essential for preventing very young children from falling out of bed at night and hurting themselves.

Bedguards also come in very handy when travelling, especially if you don’t have travel cots and you find yourself staying somewhere without suitable sleeping facilities for babies. Depending on what model you choose, bed guards can be fitted to most types and sizes of bed to give you peace of mind that your baby is safe even in an unfamiliar environment.

Installation

Many bed-rails and bed-guards are specially designed to be easy to fit, but you still may need to do a little assembly work. The following are a few tips to bear in mind when installing a rail or guard on your baby’s new bed:

• Always read the manufacturer’s instruction manual before starting, as well as checking that the bedrail will fit the mattress you are installing it on

• Get a professional in to install the bed rail if you aren’t confident doing it yourself. Faulty installation can be dangerous for your baby, the biggest risk being that your baby becomes trapped between the mattress and the rail because too much space has been left between them

• Make good use of locking mechanisms to ensure that the bed-rail is in place

• Choose bed rails that are more portable and that can be quickly and compactly collapsed

The environment your baby sleeps in is very important for a number of reasons. Good, safe conditions in the nursery can help your baby to sleep for longer and get better quality rest, as well as lowering the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

There are several things you can do to improve sleeping conditions for your baby. For example, you should consider using:

• Blackout blinds. Until your baby adapts to a regular night-time sleeping pattern, light levels in the nursery can disrupt sleep. Standard blinds and curtains let too much light through, which is why blackout blinds are used to block out all light and leave a completely dark room.

• Bed rails and bed guards. These are essential safety devices that should be fitted to every cot and child’s bed in order to keep your child safe whilst he or she sleeps.

• Air purifiers. Using devices such as air purifiers can improve air quality in the nursery and thereby combat allergies and respiratory problems, as well as neutralising unpleasant odours. You can also use either a humidifier or a dehumidifier to balance moisture levels in the room.

• Peaceful lighting. If your baby is having trouble sleeping in complete darkness (achieved via blackout blinds), you may want to try soothing them to sleep with a gently glowing, ambient nightlight.

As well as increasing comfort and safety, setting up the sleeping conditions in the nursery in this way is also an important part of establishing a regular sleeping pattern for your baby.