Summer Vacations: Hotel Safety
Summer vacation season – Memorial Day to Labor Day – is officially here. Yippee!!! Taking your baby on vacation is a whole new experience for baby and parents. It’s a lot of fun for baby, seeing all the new sites, and it’s fun – and often a little stressful – for mom and dad. Hotels can be dangerous places for babies, so here’s a few tips for staying in a hotel safely with your baby.
Cribs. Most hotels can supply a crib. The crib may not be what you expect. In a recent study of cribs in hotels, a shocking 80% of hotel cribs did not meet current safety standards. More had been recalled, but the hotel was still using them. You might also be offered a filthy mattress and ill-fitting sheets to go on it. I got the chance to stay a night in a four-star hotel with my son, and was offered a crib that looked like it came from a Romanian orphanage.
Call the hotel in advance, and inquire about the state of their cribs. If they can’t give you peace of mind that your baby will be sleeping in something safe, bring your own.
A pack-n-play or portable crib might be a pain to tote along, but it’s better to know your baby will be sleeping in something safe. Or, have baby sleep in bed with you, if you are comfortable doing that.
Room Safety. If your baby is on the move, check out the hotel room for dangers. Some parents bring outlet covers with them. Watch for TVs on the edge of shelves, and furniture that might topple over.
Balcony Safety. Babies can fall through the rails on most hotel balconies. I won’t stay in a balcony room with my son, but I’m paranoid. Whatever you do, never leave a child unattended on a balcony. And the same goes for a room with open windows.
The first vacation with your baby is something you’ll always remember. Keep safety in the back of your mind, and you should have a wonderful vacation.
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