Keeping newborns safe with a toddler in the house

Does your toddler love to hug your newborn, and does he or she attempt to "play" with the new baby? Many toddlers are absolutely in love with their new sibling, but don't have the motor skills or sense to be careful enough with them. You may wonder how you can keep your baby safe with an active and curious toddler in the house.

The first tip we have is to prepare your toddler for the new baby while you are still pregnant. Tell your toddler that tiny babies really don't make great "play mates" and that they are fragile and need lots of sleep. Explain the need to be gentle with the baby at all times, and also inform your toddler that she shouldn't pick your baby up at any time.

The next tip to keep your baby safe is very simple, but may be hard to implement. It's this: don't leave your newborn alone with your older child, and supervise them at all times, at least until you have seen that your toddler is indeed very gentle with your baby. That probably means taking baby into the bathroom with you, or making sure that one parent is holding the baby most of the time.

And another important step is to give your toddler plenty of time to bond with his new sibling. Give him the opportunity to hold the baby under your watchful eye, and include him in baby care as well. Simple tasks like handing you a diaper or choosing baby clothes are great. If your older child is jealous of the new baby, go out of your way to spend special one on one time with him so he doesn't feel left out. As a separate note, newborns really aren't as fragile as they look. Being picked up by a curious toddler and falling down is not desirable, but it can happen and even if it does, your baby will most likely be just fine.