Get Your Home Ready
Many of the things you will do to childproof your house (see Chapter 13) can wait until your baby is getting around on his own, but there are a few things you should take care of immediately to keep your baby safe. These include checking the temperature on your hot water heater and eliminating secondhand smoke.
Hot Water Heater Temperature
Younger children, especially newborns, are very sensitive and their skin can burn easily. Also, they usually are not able to quickly pull away from scalding water or let you know if the water is too hot, so it is important to protect your child from hot water to prevent scalding burns.
Simply testing the water is not enough, because your infant may turn the water faucet on herself and quickly get burned if the water temperature is too hot. The best precaution is to turn down the temperature of your hot water heater now, before you even bring the baby home.
How quickly can a child get a third-degree burn?
In only 2 seconds if the water temperature is 150ºF
In only 5 seconds if the water temperature is 140ºF
In 30 seconds if the water temperature is 130ºF
In about 5 minutes if the water temperature is 120ºF
Could you get your baby away from the water in two or even five seconds if she is playing with the hot water tap and manages to turn it on? Probably not, and that's all the reason you need to lower your hot water heater temperature to no hotter than 120º Fahrenheit. It's not always easy to see exactly what temperature a water heater is set at, so even after lowering your heater's temperature, it is a good idea to test the water with a cooking thermometer.
Also be sure to test the water before you use it near your baby each time, especially if you are lowering her into a bath, and never leave your kids unsupervised in the bathroom or kitchen.
Setting your hot water heater temperature is not always easy, especially because many thermostats don't actually include a temperature gauge. If you need help, call your electric company, gas company, or the water heater manufacturer for detailed instructions.
Eliminate Secondhand Smoke
One of the healthiest things that you can do, for your baby and yourself, is to make your home smoke-free. If you smoke, the best time to quit is now, before your baby is born and you bring him home.
If you had been planning to just smoke outside, understand that really isn't enough to keep your baby healthy. Many studies have shown that babies whose parents smoke are more likely to have ear infections, allergies, and asthma, and are at greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This is true even if the smoking isn't done directly around the babies. Your doctor or a good website, like
