The Parenting Journal
Age and Stage
Tummy Time Safety: How to Practice Safely and When to Start
The phrase "Back to Sleep" is familiar to most new parents. The other half of that guidance, "Tummy to Play", is equally important and starts just as early.Tummy time is not a milestone you work toward. It is a daily...
Age and Stage
Bassinet vs Crib Safety: Which Is Better for Your Newborn
About 3,500 infants die each year from sleep-related causes in the United States, according to CDC SUID data. Most of those deaths happen in sleep environments that were unsafe in some way, which means the choice of where your baby...
Age and Stage
Bath Time Safety for Newborns: Temperature Support and Never-Leave Rules
Every new parent I’ve talked to describes the same moment: standing over a tiny newborn in a little tub, suddenly aware of how much they don’t know. The water looks fine. The baby seems okay. But is the temperature safe?...
Age and Stage
Baby Proofing for Autism: Sensory-Safe Home Modifications That Help
Every child deserves a home that keeps them safe. For autistic children, that bar is higher, and the work is more specific.Standard baby proofing assumes a child who responds to danger the way most children do: flinching from sharp edges,...
Age and Stage
Transitioning from Crib to Toddler Bed: Safety Checklist
The crib that kept your baby safely contained for two years can start to feel like a liability the first time you watch a small leg swing over the top rail. That moment, more than any birthday or pediatrician visit,...
Age and Stage
SIDS Prevention Tips: Evidence-Based Steps for Safe Infant Sleep
About 3,500 infants die each year from sleep-related causes in the United States, according to CDC SUID data. That number has not changed much in recent years, despite everything we know about how to reduce it. Most of those deaths...
Age and Stage
When Do Babies Start Crawling? Milestones and Baby Proofing Timelines
Most parents picture crawling as a distant milestone, something to worry about later. Then one afternoon your baby rolls across the room and disappears behind the couch, and "later" is suddenly right now.The window between "not yet mobile" and "everywhere...
Age and Stage
Diaper Changing Safety: Preventing Falls from the Changing Table
Every diaper change is a small, ordinary moment. It is also one of the most common settings for an infant fall.Changing table falls send thousands of children to emergency rooms each year in the United States. Most of those falls...
Age and Stage
Co-Sleeping Safety: Risks Guidelines and Safer Alternatives
Every year, about 3,500 infants die from sleep-related causes in the United States (CDC SUID data). That number sits behind every conversation about where babies sleep, and it deserves to be taken seriously rather than filtered through reassurance.Co-sleeping means different...