Traveling Safely With Babies

Vigiliance is vital as infants begin to explore their world

Infants are pretty stationary creatures. Place one in a safe spot under your watchful eye and you can be pretty confident he or she will remain unscathed.

However, by the six-month mark, your little one will discover the joy of hands and how they can grab things and put them in their mouth. Mobility becomes a factor. You can’t turn your back for a minute without the tyke rolling over, scooting forward or climbing up in delightful exploration of the world. Vigilance is key at this stage, especially while traveling in unfamiliar environments.

You can’t expect where you are staying to be properly baby-proofed. Whether you are with friends, relatives, a hotel or condo, it is ultimately your responsibility to secure the environment for your child. Obviously, you can’t cart around all the safety gadgets and gizmos you might outfit your home with, but here are a few tips to help keep your child under one safe while traveling. A little duct tape goes a long way!

• Get on your hands and knees and explore the room from your mobile baby’s perspective.
  
• Secure any loose phone cords or electrical wires your child might be tempted to tug on with a strip of duct tape.
  
• Ensure balcony doors are locked and there is no climbable furniture near the railing.
  
• Make sure no furniture is placed or can be moved near open windows – babies this age are notorious climbers.
  
• Look for sharp coffee table corners and other bumping hazards. If possible, move this furniture out of your baby’s crawl space or pad the corners with a padded edge cushion (a standard baby proofing item) or simply tape a washcloth over them.
  
• Check under beds and in low drawers for small objects that might be harmful – for example, a dropped pin, pill or button.
  
• Pack some plastic covers for electrical outlets – or cover with a strip of duct tape.
  
• Tie up cords on any window blinds so they aren’t a choking hazard to your exploring child – a twist tie or pipe cleaner will do the trick.
  
• If you’re a guest in someone’s home, check that medications and household cleaners are secure from your baby’s path of exploration.
  
• Make sure you don’t leave your own razors, medicines or other toiletry hazards where your child may discover them.
  
• You might want to bring an adjustable safety gate to secure a stair case if you’re little one is prone to climbing.
  
• Pack some cupboard latches – or wrap some pipe cleaners or strong rubber bands around the handles or knobs of cupboards you don’t want your baby getting into.
  
• Make sure you test the water temperature where you’re staying before giving your baby a bath – it might come in hotter than what you’re used to at home.
  
• Pack a toilet latch if your little one is fascinated with this porcelain water toy – or, you guessed it, secure it with a strip of duct tape.