I love watching nature shows. As a pediatrician, I am amazed at how animals are born and how they participate in their survival within minutes. Whether it’s clinging to their mothers, getting up and walking, or staying quiet and motionless, baby animals have survival mechanisms that human babies don’t have. In fact, infant development continues long after birth.

Yes, babies are totally helpless and mostly unaware of their surroundings for their first 3 months. So, we need to protect infants for a very long time after birth. Let me itemize a few things you can do.

Until babies can roll over on their own, they are at risk of not being able to breathe properly if they are left on their tummies when they sleep. By having babies sleep on their back and providing tummy time when they are awake you can sharply reduce their risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Another problem for newborns is their immune system. By keeping them away from being exposed to gatherings of people for the first three months and providing the proper immunizations at the right time, you reduce the risk of possibly fatal diseases that have no treatment. Mothers can get vaccinated during pregnancy for diseases like whooping cough (pertussis). Insist that everyone around the baby washes their hands.  

What you feed your baby can have serious consequences. Once a baby is capable of safely managing solids (usually at around 4-6 months), your pediatrician can give you suggestions. One food that a baby can never eat in the first year of life is honey, because it cannot be purified safely. Honey may contain spores that our adult intestinal tract will destroy, but in infants the spores develop into bacteria that make a toxin causing botulism. The toxin makes muscles weak, affects breathing, and leads to death. Surprisingly, some foods – like peanuts – should be offered as early as possible  because regular early ingestion reduces the risk of a life-threatening allergy. Peanut powder mixed in yogurt is a good example of a safe source of peanuts for infants.

Babies’ survival instincts are so poor that we have to think like detectives. We baby-proof the house because toddlers do not recognize dangers like falling into the toilet and drowning, falling down the stairs (especially in a walker, a contraption we do not recommend), or grabbing the handle of a pot that may contain hot food or liquid. Infants and toddlers should never be left alone in a bathtub, even for a few seconds. Whoever is calling you on the phone can call back!  And similarly, infants cannot be left alone on a changing table. Don’t let the first time your infant turns over be on the changing table. It has happened more than once.

A few words about babies and cars. The first car seat should be professionally installed before your baby leaves the hospital (Google “car seat installation” for listings of free installers.). As your child gets older, you will need different car seats and boosters. Get the correct appliance for each age. The more carefully you drive, the safer your family will be. And when you leave your car, make sure you take your child with you. During the summer, infants left in cars die every day.

It is a scary world for new mothers and their babies. By being prepared, you will have a much easier time and so will your baby. Eventually, you will both sleep comfortably through the night.  

Robert B. Golenbock, MD, is currently retired. He has cared for children in the Danbury area for 43 years, including at the Center for Pediatric Medicine. The CPM is located at 107 Newtown Rd, #1D, Danbury, CT, 06810. For more information, please call (203) 790-0822 or visit their website at https://centerforpediatricmedct.com.