Car Safety

If your baby is more than 20 pounds, then you may have moved to a larger child safety seat by now. Be sure it is still a rear-facing car seat, correctly installed in the back seat. Many people use a convertible child seat at this age. It can face the rear now. Later on after your baby is one year old, it can be strapped in facing forward.

Never, ever allow a child in the front seat with an active air bag. The force of the air bag will injure or even kill any child. It is never recommended that your child ever rides in the front seat. It is a dangerous place for him.

Use your baby’s car safety seat for every ride. Everyone else should wear seat belts. Don’t allow yelling, horseplay or other distractions when you drive. If your child needs attention, pull off the road and stop. Never turn around in your seat when you’re driving. Never leave your baby alone in the car — even for a few minutes.

Safety First

Examine your baby’s toys to make sure they are safe. Can they be pulled, dropped, or chewed without breaking?

Here is a list of safety rules: Stuffed toys should have sturdy seams. Babies can choke on stuffing. Look to see that eyes, nose and clothing are securely attached to the toy.

Check labels to see that toys are non-allergenic, machine washable, and machine dryable.

Metal or plastic toys should have smooth, rolled edges.

Balloons are very dangerous for infants. They can be sucked into the windpipe and cause a child to choke to death.

Look to see that the pieces of a toy fit together. If the pieces are bent out of shape or have a sharp edge, throw the toy away. Do not give your baby toys that look as if they might break into sharp, jagged pieces.

Check toys to see if they need repairs. A drop of glue, a tightened bolt, a few drops of oil, or even a bit of adhesive tape may allow your baby to safely use the toy.

Sleep Problems?

Many 8-9 month-olds have trouble settling down to sleep. They’re so excited about sitting, crawling and exploring that they don’t want to go to bed!

Here are some sleepy-time tips: Put your baby to bed at about the same time every night. Put your baby to bed when he is drowsy, but awake. Spend time cuddling, reading, singing or talking to your baby at bedtime. Routines or doing the same thing in the say way, help children settle down to sleep. Being sure your child gets plenty of cuddle time during the day will probably help him sleep better at night -- according to recent studies. Help her slow down and relax with bath time, gentle massage and book reading. Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle. This can cause cavities, or your baby could choke.

If your baby cries after you’ve put him to bed, check on him, but keep the lights dim. If he is OK, pat his back for a minute or two, and leave.

If he continues to cry, check on him every few minutes until he falls to sleep. Slowly increase the time between your checks. Try to be understanding, not angry.

Show him you are there for him, but that he must fall to sleep on his own. If you are consistent, and if he is not truly afraid of being alone, he will learn to sleep on his own by learning how to comfort and calm himself.