As many of you already know, hearing the news that you will soon become a grandparent is quite a joyous occasion.  You feel happiness, excitement and pride for your child and have great anticipation for what the future will hold for them.  You help them prepare for their soon-to-arrive bundle of joy and share the knowledge you’ve gained through your parenting experiences with them.

Upon reflecting on my own conversations with my children, I came upon a great article entitled “New Rules for Being a Grandparent” by Pediatrician Marta Markman, M.D.  The article sheds light on parenting as it pertains to the 21st century.  I’ve included some important excerpts below.

Safety is a top priority when considering even the basic needs of a grandchild. The most important way to create a safe environment for your grandchild is to educate yourself. You must familiarize yourself with the most up-to-date techniques for child caring, as well as any new or modernized equipment that may not have been available in the past. Some of the most common and essential adjustments include:

Nutrition: In the past, babies were put on solid foods as soon as possible. It is now recommended that infants be kept on formula until they are at least a year old. Due to an increase in the presence of food allergies among children, new foods should be introduced by giving the same vegetable or fruit for at least three consecutive days to determine if an allergic reaction occurs.

Immunizations: Babies need 20 immunizations during their first two years. These include older vaccines like measles, mumps and rubella; as well as newer immunizations such as hepatitis B, chickenpox and Prevnar, which prevents infections that cause pneumonia and meningitis.

Medicine: Baby aspirins have been replaced with acetaminophen to treat children with a fever. Giving baby aspirin to a child with a fever may cause a serious illness called Reye’s syndrome. The old home remedy of rubbing whiskey on the gums of a child is also dangerous, as it’s found to be poisonous.

Sleeping position: Infants must be put to sleep on their backs, not on their stomachs as many grandparents were taught to do years ago with their own children. Putting infants on their backs helps reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of death among infants that claims the lives of about 2,500 each year in the United States.

Cribs: Today’s cribs are designed with slats that are close enough together to prevent any entrapment of the baby. Make sure the crib has a firm, flat mattress and remove any loose blankets. The exclusion of blankets and soft bedding decreases the risk of suffocation and SIDS.

Car seats: Infants should be placed in rear-facing car seats in the back seat until they are one year old and 22 pounds. All children should remain in the back seat until they are 12 years old. Be sure to purchase an up-to-date seat because older car seats no longer meet the requirements of today’s safety standards.

Baby monitors: This modern item is designed as a listening device to hear the baby while you are in another room. Monitors are also available in a video format so you can not only hear but see the baby while they are sleeping.

Childproofing: While children in the past were free to roam, homes today are rigged with safety precautions. Putting up baby gates, covering electrical sockets and locking cabinets are just a few ways to make your home child friendly.

Keep your little ones safe!

Tags: babies, Baby Sleeps Safe, Dr. Vicki Folds, grandchildren, grandparents, Infant Safety, parenting, SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, tips for parents

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 1:42 pm and is filed under Infant Safety, Parenting Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.