Health & Safety

Your baby is increasingly mobile, curious, and determined to eat everything they find on the floor. This lesson arms you with AI-powered tools for babyproofing, doctor visit preparation, immunization tracking, and knowing when something is a real emergency versus normal baby weirdness.

🔄 Quick Recall: In the previous lesson, you tracked developmental milestones and built activity plans. As baby reaches motor milestones — rolling, crawling, pulling up — the safety stakes rise. A baby who couldn’t reach the electrical outlet last month can reach it now.

Room-by-Room Babyproofing

Help me babyproof my home for a [age] baby who is currently
[rolling / crawling / pulling to stand / walking]:

My home type: [apartment / house / townhouse]
Rooms to cover: [list rooms baby will access]
Specific concerns: [stairs, pool, pets, older siblings with small toys]

For each room, create:
1. Hazards checklist (what to check)
2. Actions needed (what to buy/install/move)
3. Priority level (urgent / soon / when budget allows)
4. Estimated cost for safety items
5. What to re-check as baby grows (gets taller, stronger, more mobile)

Critical babyproofing by age:

✅ Quick Check: What common household item is the leading cause of poisoning in children under 5? (Answer: Laundry detergent pods. They’re colorful, squishy, and look like candy to babies. Keep all cleaning products — especially pods — in locked cabinets above counter height. Other common poisonings: medications, vitamins, and button batteries. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.)

Pediatrician Visit Prep

Help me prepare for my baby's [age] well visit:

Baby's current stats (from last visit): [weight, length, head circumference]
My concerns: [list anything you've noticed]
Changes since last visit: [new foods, new skills, any illnesses]

Generate:
1. What the pediatrician will check at this visit
2. Vaccines due at this age
3. Questions to ask based on baby's age and my concerns
4. Milestones the doctor will screen for
5. Topics I should bring up proactively
6. A one-page summary of baby's month that I can share with the doctor

Well visit schedule (first year):

When to Call the Doctor vs. Go to the ER

My [age] baby has [symptom]. Help me assess the urgency:

1. Is this an emergency (go to ER now)?
2. Is this urgent (call pediatrician today)?
3. Can this wait until the next business day?
4. Is this likely normal for this age?

Also provide:
- What to watch for that would change the urgency level
- What information to have ready when I call
- Home care measures while waiting

Quick reference:

✅ Quick Check: Your 7-month-old pulls at their ear frequently but has no fever and is otherwise happy. Should you call the doctor? (Answer: Ear pulling without fever is usually just baby discovering their ears — it’s a self-soothing behavior and normal exploration. Ear pulling WITH fever, unusual fussiness, or disrupted sleep is more likely an ear infection and warrants a call. Mention it at your next well visit if it continues.)

Key Takeaways

• Babyproofing is progressive — what’s safe for a 3-month-old isn’t safe for an 8-month-old, so reassess every time baby gains a new physical ability
• The toilet paper roll test identifies choking hazards: if it fits through the roll, it’s too small for baby’s environment
• Prepare questions BEFORE pediatrician visits using AI — parents who bring prepared lists are more satisfied and catch more issues
• Fever rules depend on age: under 3 months, any fever (100.4°F+) is an ER visit; over 3 months, response depends on severity and other symptoms
• Trust your parental instinct — if something feels wrong even without clear symptoms, call your doctor; pediatricians would rather hear from you than miss something

Up Next

In the next lesson, you’ll focus on the person everyone forgets about in the first year — you. Self-care, postpartum recovery, relationship maintenance, and planning for what comes after parental leave.