Baby Safety Month: Essential Water Safety for Your Little One
September is Baby Safety Month, and with drowning as the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, there is no better time to focus on water safety. Most drowning incidents for infants under the age of 1 occur at home. As parents and caregivers, make sure you prevent accidents by following this checklist:
- Stay within arm’s reach whenever baby is near water, including in the bathtub
This is non-negotiable. Whether it’s bath time, pool time, or even near a bucket of water, constant touch supervision is your first line of defense. Phone calls, doorbell rings, and other distractions can wait.
- Empty all buckets, tubs, and kiddie pools immediately after use
Babies can drown in just 1 to 2 inches of water. That mop bucket, pet bowl, or kiddie pool becomes a hazard the moment you turn away. Make emptying water containers an automatic habit.
- Install four-sided fencing with self-latching gates around pools
If your baby is crawling or beginning to walk, proper barriers are essential. Four-sided fencing (separating the pool from both the yard and the house) with self-latching gates can reduce drowning risk by up to 83%.
- Supervision is #1: never rely on floaties, bath seats, or other marketed devices
Bath seats, floaties, or other marketed safety devices are no match for a parents arms and full attention in this early stage of life. These devices can fail, deflate, or slip off and give adults a false sense of security. Your active supervision is the only foolproof protection.
Start Early, Stay Vigilant
The American Association of Pediatrics recommends parent-child lessons as early as age one to help form safe water habits at a young age and to build swim readiness skills. New parents should learn infant CPR as an extra measure.
This Baby Safety Month, commit to making these four safety practices non-negotiable in your home. Because when it comes to drowning, there are no second chances.
Learn more about on our Infant Swimming Safety FAQ page.