Newborn Car Safety Restraint When your child leaves the hospital, his or her first ride must be a safe ride in a car seat. The car seat must be set […]

Newborn Car Safety Restraint

When your child leaves the hospital, his or her first ride must be a safe ride in a car seat. The car seat must be set in the rear facing position. A rear facing car seat must not be in a seat where the air bag may deploy.

By the time a child is one year old, weighs 20 pounds and is sitting well unsupported, the car seat may be faced forward.

According to the Arkansas Child Passenger Protection Act, which was approved February 28, 2001, a child should remain restrained in a child passenger safety seat until the child is approximately 60 pounds or about six years of age, then a safety belt is sufficient to meet the requirements of the law.

A rear facing car seat must not be in a seat where the air bag may deploy. This is very dangerous.

Crib Safety

Crib side rails should always be kept up when the infant is unattended. Crib bumpers are recommended. The distance between crib slats should be less than 2-3/8 inches. You should avoid toys and mobiles with long strings, cradle gyms that are not securely suspended and small objects in the crib. Do not place crib near a window with blinds.

Newborn Accident Prevention

  • Never leave your infant alone with young siblings or pets.
  • Your water heater thermostat should be set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. This is a little below the normal setting.
  • Never leave your infant alone on a bed or other surface from which he/she may roll off.
  • Never leave your infant alone in a house or in a car unattended.
  • Do not shake or jiggle your baby’s head vigorously.
  • Infant jewelry such as earrings, necklaces, rings or other types of jewelry are not recommended.
  • Do not drink hot liquids or smoke cigarettes while holding your child because you could burn your child.
  • Do not use an infant feeder to feed your child baby food or semi-solid food because of the risk of choking and aspiration of food into the trachea.
  • All infants should sleep on their back or side to lessen the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).