Category Babies

About baby play and cognitive development Babies are active and curious learners, busy watching, thinking and trying to work things out. They learn and grow through new experiences , especially new play experiences. Through play, babies develop the skills to think, understand, communicate, remember, imagine and work out what might happen next.

How to avoid child poisoning from medicines Poisoning often happens when medicine is left within reach. The best way to avoid poisoning from medicines is to never leave medicines where children can get them . And it's essential to lock medicines away in a child-resistant cupboard when you're not using them.

Helping baby sleep and settle in the early months In the first six months of life, babies need to wake at night to get enough food for growth and development. For most babies, sleeping 'through the night' and settling by themselves comes later, when they're developmentally ready. But there are three things you can do in the early months to help with baby sleep and settling: Emphasise the difference between night and day.

Poisoning: what you need to know Accidents with poison usually happen at home. They're very common - almost 50 Australian children a week are admitted to hospitals because of poisoning. Poisoning accidents are often unexpected. Suddenly your child can open a bottle or reach a cupboard you thought was safe.

Understanding child injuries It's not possible - or even a good idea - to protect your child from all the bumps, bruises, scrapes and falls of childhood. These are just part of growing up for an active, curious child. But with some practical steps and planning, these incidents are more likely to be the kind that a kiss, cuddle or bandaid will fix, rather than one of the many serious accidents that happen in Australia each year.

About baby carriers, slings and backpacks Baby carriers, baby slings and baby backpacks are different types of equipment for carrying your baby on your chest or back. A baby carrier is a soft padded carrier that you wear on your front. Some have adjustable options so you can wear your baby on your back or hip.

What to expect from baby talking and language Babies develop language at different rates - some learn quickly and others might need a bit more time. As your baby starts to learn about language you might hear him: cooing, gurgling and babbling putting together simple sounds - for example, 'ba-ba' copying words communicating 'no' with a shake of the head.

Making your garden safe for children Gardens are generally safe and interesting places, and children often love spending time in them. But gardens aren't always designed with children in mind. Supervising your child is the best way to avoid danger in the garden or anywhere else, but this isn't always possible.

Sleep routines and travel with kids Part of the fun of family travel is the break from routine. But a break from routine can affect how much sleep children get. Even if you can't always keep up your children's usual sleep routines, there are a few things you can do to make it more likely that children will sleep while you're travelling.

About baby monitors Baby monitors let you know whether your baby is awake and making noise, even when you're not in the room. There are different kinds of baby monitors - for example, baby breathing monitors or apnoea monitors. Baby breathing monitors Baby breathing monitors have an alarm that's designed to go off if your child stops breathing.

Doors, hinges and jammed finger injuries Children under five are particularly prone to jammed finger injuries. When children get their fingers jammed in doors and hinges, they can end up with crushed, fractured and even amputated fingers. The hinge side of the door often causes the worst injuries, especially for children aged 1-2 years.

About falls and falls prevention In Australia falls are the most common cause of injuries in every age group. As babies and children start moving around more, they're more likely to have falls and bumps. Injuries to children often happen when you don't expect it, because children grow and develop new skills so quickly.

Leaving children in hot cars Never leave your child or pet alone in the car , even for a minute. If you have to leave your car for any reason, always take your child with you. Parked cars can get hot very quickly. Even on cool or overcast days or when the car is parked in the shade, the temperature inside a car can rise to dangerous and even fatal levels very quickly.

Baby sleep: what's normal and what's a problem? In the first six months of life, it's normal for your baby to wake regularly at night . Your baby will probably need you during the night for feeding and help with settling during these early months. Even after the first six months or so, baby sleep habits and behaviour vary a lot.

Dressing baby for bed: the basics Choosing the right clothes Dress your baby in enough warm clothes to keep her warm without blankets. Once she can roll over, she can get out from under the blankets and get cold. If you dress your baby in layers of fitted clothing, you can add or take away layers as the temperature changes.

Camping out: what is it? Camping out is a way of dealing with persistent settling and waking problems in babies and young children. It can also help with older children who are having problems getting to sleep, particularly if they feel anxious or frightened. The idea behind camping out is to help children go to sleep by themselves, rather than needing you to feed, pat, rock or cuddle them to sleep.

A positive bedtime routine: what is it and how can it help? A positive bedtime routine involves your child going through a few pleasurable activities about 20 minutes before bedtime. A good bedtime routine helps soothe and calm your child so she's ready for sleep. It also helps your child develop good sleep habits now and for the future.

Preventing dog bites Any dog can and might bite a baby or child. Even friendly dogs might bite. Dog bites to children often happen in or around the home. Usually, it's the family dog or a friend's dog that bites. The most dangerous times are when a child is playing alone with a dog or when a child is trying to play with a dog that's eating or sleeping.

SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents: risk factors When a baby dies unexpectedly and for no obvious reason, it's often described as sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI). SUDI is a broad term that includes SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents. Deaths from SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents have decreased a lot in Australia.

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