National Baby Safety Month Highlights the Power of Early, In-Home Guidance to Keep Newborns Safe

Jodi Wahba on September 7, 2026

During National Baby Safety Month, Family Connects International (Family Connects) is emphasizing a simple but critical truth: most infant injuries are preventable when families have early access to trusted guidance, education, and support.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unintentional injury is a leading cause of death for children in the United States. Each year, thousands of infants are hospitalized due to preventable injuries related to unsafe sleep environments, falls, burns, and choking hazards. The CDC also reports that approximately 3,400 infants die annually from sleep-related causes, highlighting the importance of safe sleep practices during the first year of life.

The first months of life—often called the “fourth trimester”—are a period of rapid learning for families. Parents and caregivers are adjusting to life with a newborn while navigating sleep deprivation, recovery, and new routines. During this time, even small safety gaps can pose risks.

“Baby safety isn’t about perfection—it’s about support,” said Jade Woodard, Executive Director of Family Connects. “When families receive clear, compassionate guidance early, they’re better equipped to create safer home environments for their babies.”

Family Connects partners with communities to deliver a universal, evidence-based nurse home visiting model that reaches families shortly after birth—when safety education is most impactful. Topics include but are not limited to:

Safe Sleep

  • Placing babies on their backs to sleep
  • Using a firm mattress
  • Keeping cribs free of loose items such as blankets, pillows, or stuffed toys

Choking Hazard Prevention

  • Identifying small objects—anything that fits inside a toilet paper roll—as choking risks
  • Ensuring button batteries and other small items are stored securely and out of reach

Car Seat Safety

  • Selecting the right car seat for a baby’s age and size
  • Ensuring proper installation and use using the SEAT approach: Select, Ensure, Adjust, Tighten

Home Safety

  • Anchoring heavy furniture and televisions
  • Covering electrical outlets
  • Using baby gates on stairs
  • Securing blind and curtain cords

“Families don’t always realize how many safety decisions they’re making every day,” said Alain Glen, Chief of Nursing at Family Connects. “Our nurses help families identify risks early and make small changes that have a big impact.”

And it’s important to create safety through support—not fear. National Baby Safety Month is an opportunity to move beyond fear-based messaging and toward prevention through partnership. By meeting families at home, nurses can tailor guidance to real-life settings, reduce overwhelm, strengthen caregiver confidence, and prevent injuries before they occur.

This September, Family Connects calls on health systems, policymakers, funders, and community leaders to invest in early, nurse-led prevention strategies that support families during the most critical months of a child’s life.

“When families have the right information at the right time, babies are safer,” said Woodard. “Early support saves lives—and strengthens families for the long term.”