Safety tips for baby change tables
- Ensure the surface has no gaps within your baby's reach that could trap their fingers or other parts of their body.
- If your change table is foldable, make sure the locking devices work well and are strong so the table won't collapse.
- Have everything ready before you start to change your baby, so you won't need to leave them. If you need to get something, take your baby with you.eep one hand on your baby at all times, to prevent them rolling or wriggling off the change table.
- Keep anything that could harm your baby away from their reach, including nappy creams or choking hazards. Remember that babies love to put things in their mouths.
- Don't try to fix broken change table latches or locking mechanisms yourself. Take the table back to the manufacturer or discard it.
Which clothes should I buy or borrow for my newborn baby?
Babies grow fast, so you may prefer to buy just a few items of clothing in each infant size range. In Australia, the common size range for infant clothes is 0000 for newborns, 000 for 0 to 3 months of age and 00 for 3 to 6 months of age. Size 00000 is available for premature or very small babies. Some larger babies may fit into size 000 or even 00 clothes when they are born. You may like to buy clothes that your newborn will grow into soon and roll up the sleeves until they fit.
Babies have sensitive skin, so soft, cotton clothing is best.
Choose clothes for your newborn that are close-fitting and have a low fire danger label. Don’t choose clothes that are long and flowing, as they can catch fire more easily if these come into contact with a flame.
Remove any loose ribbons or decorations on clothing as this can be a choking risk. Make sure mittens, socks and bootees don’t contain loops or loose threads that could twist around your baby’s fingers or toes.
How do I put clothes on my baby?
The video below, from Raising Children Network, gives you some ideas about how to put clothes on your baby. It's important to be gentle, even if your baby is wriggling.
- Put your baby's singlet over the back of their head first, then over their face. Do the same in reverse when taking it off.
- Don't pull your baby's arms — this may cause them to pull back. Gently guide their arms through the sleeves.
- For long sleeves, bunch up the sleeve and stretch it to create a wider hole. Then reach through the hole to gently hold your baby's hand and slide the sleeve on.
- Do one arm first, then gently roll and slightly lift the baby while sliding the rest of the outfit underneath. Then do the other
- arm.
- When babies are older, they may move and fidget more. Reassure and distract them with a toy, talking, making faces or singing
- a nursery rhyme.
