Babies can fall from baby or nursery products such as baby walkers, change tables, bouncers, cots, beds, prams and high chairs. Sometimes these falls can cause serious head and other injuries. This is because their brain and bodies are still developing and their skull doesn’t completely close until around 2 years of age.

Safety tips

• Always use a 5 point harness (straps over the shoulders, hips and through the legs) to secure your child. This type of harness can be used for high chairs and feeding booster seats, bouncers, swings, prams and strollers. If there is no 5 point harness provided with the product, don’t use it
• Always supervise your child when using infant and nursery products
• Baby walkers are not recommended as they can delay walking, if they are used too much, for 15 minutes or more at a time. They also let your child move around and put them into places where they can reach other dangers. Falls down stairs are a common injury from baby walkers
• Use baby safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent falls down stairs
• Take care when holding your baby and remove items on the floor that you could trip on. Be careful when going up and down the stairs when you are holding your baby.

Change tables

• Always stay with your child when they are on a change table or change them on the floor instead
• Make sure you have everything ready and within reach before you start changing your child
• Change tables with roll off protection, such as raised ends and sides over 10cm in height help to keep wriggling babies on the change surface. However this may not stop them from rolling off completely
• Never assume your baby is too small to roll or move. Even a very young baby can wriggle off a change table.

Bouncers and swings

• Always use a baby bouncer or swing on the floor. Never use them on raised surfaces such as tables, counters, chairs or beds
• Stop using bouncers and swings when your baby can roll over.

Cots

• Always keep the side of the cot up when your child is sleeping
• If you can adjust the height of your baby’s cot, make sure you drop the cot base down to the lower position when your child is able to pull themselves to a standing position. This will stop them from falling out of the cot.

Beds, chairs and lounges

• Never leave your child alone on a bed, chair or lounge, even if they are away from the edge. Even a young baby can move quickly and roll off.

Prams and strollers

• Always use the brake when you are not moving the pram
• Always keep hold of the pram when you are out, especially at train stations. Use the wrist tether strap to stop the stroller or pram rolling away
• Don’t allow older children to climb on the front or back of a pram or stroller. The added weight may tip it over
• Add on boards that attach to the back of your pram are a safe option that you can buy for your toddler to stand on
• Your pram or stroller can tip over if heavy bags are hung on the handles. Use the carry baskets on your pram instead but don’t overload them.

High chairs and feeding booster seats

• Always use the 5 point harness when your child is using a high chair or feeding booster seat
• Don’t put feeding booster seats on a raised surface.