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10 Essential Safety Tips For New Parents

April 10, 2026
By GEICO Team
4 min read
Editorial Guidelines
Parents making a heart shape with their hands around their newborn baby's feet.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Make the Nursery Safer for Sleep and Diaper Changes

Buy a crib that meets U.S. safety rules. The gaps between the slats should be no wider than 2 3/8 inches. Put your baby to sleep on their back on a firm, flat mattress. Keep pillows, loose blankets, and stuffed animals out of the crib to lower the risk of suffocation and SIDS. On the changing table, use the safety strap and never leave your baby alone on the table, even for a second.

Get Ahead of Kitchen and Bathroom Dangers

Before your baby can crawl, add locks so they can’t open the oven and covers so they can’t turn stove knobs. Pick up pet food; dry kibble can choke little kids. Move cleaning supplies up high, or lock low cabinets that hold them. In the bath, use non-slip mats in the tub and on wet floors. Check the water temperature first. You can add an anti-scald device to help keep the water from suddenly getting too hot. Stay with your baby the whole time during a bath. If you must leave, drain the tub first.

Baby-Proof the Rest of the House and Check Product Recalls

Bolt heavy furniture and TVs to the wall so they can’t tip over. For outlets, sliding covers are safer than little plastic plugs babies can pull out and choke on. Follow baby gear recalls on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website under “babies and kids” so you know if something you own is unsafe.

Welcoming a new addition into the fold is, as any parent can tell you, the most wonderful, rewarding, joyous, and simultaneously stressful thing you’ll ever do. Cut back on some of the stress by studying up on these safety tips (by no means an exhaustive list). And keep in mind: You’ve totally got this.

In the Nursery:

Baby sleeping in their crib.

1. Follow Safety Standards When Purchasing Baby Furniture for Your Little One

Be sure it adheres to federal safety standards. In the case of a crib, the space between slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches wide. To reduce the risk of SIDS or suffocation, keep bedding, pillows, and stuffed animals out of the sleeping area, and put your child to sleep on his or her back on a flat, firm mattress.

2. Reduce the Risk of Falls

Babies are squirmy—especially when they shouldn’t be. To reduce the risk of falls, purchase a changing table with a built-in safety strap. And never, ever leave your child lying on the table unattended.

In the Kitchen:

Baby walking next to kitchen cupboards with baby locks installed.

3. Install Baby Safety Locks

Long before your child starts crawling, ensure little hands can’t pull on an oven door by installing an appliance lock. Stove knob covers will also keep your baby from fiddling with burners.

4. Ensure Pet Food is Out of Reach

Never leave pet food lying around. Dog and cat kibble can pose a choking hazard to infants and toddlers.

5. Remove or Lock-up Cleaning Supplies

If you store cleaning products under your sink, or in any other low-lying cabinets or drawers, consider relocating them to a closet shelf way out of Baby’s reach. If that isn’t an option, install cabinet locks to prevent your child from gaining access.

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In the Bathroom:

Baby playing with a green safety bath mat.

6. Use Non-Slip Accessories In and Around the Tub

Purchase non-slip mats for the bathtub, but also for any hard surfaces that may get wet around the tub, such as tile floors.

7. Tips for Running a Bath

Always test the temperature of the water before bathtime. You may also want to consider installing an anti-scald device on your tub’s faucet, which will prevent water temperature from fluctuating. Once bathtime gets going, never, ever leave your child unattended. If you have to step away for even a moment, drain the tub before you do.

Throughout the Home:

Baby trying to pull off a plastic outlet cover.

8. Ensure Furniture Can't Fall Over

Heavy furniture (dressers, TV stands, and bookshelves, for example) should be mounted to the wall to reduce the risk of tipping over.

9. Use Sliding Outlet Covers Over Plastic Outlet Covers

Plastic outlet covers can be choking hazards. Instead, opt for sliding outlet covers, which automatically slide back into place after devices are unplugged.

10. Frequently Check for Baby Product Recalls

Stay on top of baby product recalls by bookmarking the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website. They make it easy to search by product category—click on “babies and kids” for the latest.

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  • In the Nursery:
  • In the Kitchen:
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  • In the Bathroom:
  • Throughout the Home:
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