Keep your baby's holidays safe

The holidays are even more fun with a baby around. But you'll want to keep a close eye on your little one to make sure her environment is a safety zone. Here, three essential child-proofing areas to watch throughout the holiday season—and beyond.

Clothes: Inspect ready-made or homemade costumes or holiday outfits, including hand-me-downs, carefully for unraveling thread, which can get wound around a baby's little fingers; loose buttons, pompoms, or snaps (which can be choking hazards); or scratchy appliqués and elastic bands, which are uncomfortable. (Socks should be inspected inside, too, for threads that can be wrapped around toes.) Avoid loosely knitted clothes—sweaters, booties, or hats—that look like they might trap a baby's fingers or toes. Cut all dangling threads before your baby wears a garment, and avoid clothing that has seams with very few stitches per inch. As a rule, don't dress your child in anything that appears unsafe or uncomfortable to you, even if it's only for an hour.

Food: Infants don't need candy, and won't expect it, so I'd think twice before introducing it now, just because it's a holiday. If you still want to offer candy, stay away from small offerings such as M&Ms, nuts, raisins, gummy bears, gum balls, or candy bars with nuts, which are all choking hazards and not appropriate for infants or toddlers. Also, peanut products like peanut butter and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are generally off-limits until at least age 2. If you have older children, your little one may try to sample their candy or food, some of which may not be safe for her to consume, so be prepared to be the "treat" police.

Toys: When toy shopping, follow the manufacturer's age recommendations displayed on the package. A more advanced toy could be unsafe. A stuffed toy, for example, that's labeled for a child over age 3 could have eyes or other parts that, if they come off, are potential choking hazards for a younger child. Check the U.S. government's recall Web site, www.recalls.gov, to see if the toys you plan to buy (or the toys already in your home) have been recalled. Even better, sign up for free e-mail notices of future recalls at Consumer Product Safety Commission's Web site, www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. There have been a large number of toy recalls in the past few months. Staying up-to-date can help prevent you from buying a recalled toy, or provide a remedy if you bought a toy that has been recalled. Finally, keep toys with small parts meant for your older children away from your baby.

For more information, see our reports on baby clothing, baby food, toys for babies, toys for preschoolers.