Keep babies safe in hotels

Planning a family trip over spring break that involves staying overnight at a hotel? If you’ve got a baby, follow these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to keep your young ones safe in hotel rooms.
Never leave your child alone in the room. “Monitor or no monitor, resist the temptation, even if your hotel room is within sight.”
Practice safe sleep. The AAP says to put your baby to sleep in a portable crib or playard, which are often available upon request in hotels. “Just make sure they meet current safety standards and are in good repair, with no broken or missing parts, loose hardware, or padding other than the manufacturer’s original mattress.” The bedding should also tightly fit to the mattress. And make sure to set up the sleep environment away from anything within baby’s reach that can fall or be pulled down on them. Go to aap.org/en/patient-care/safe-sleep for more information on sleep safety for babies.
Do a “safety crawl.” Once you’re settled in the room, it’s time to do a “safety crawl.” Get down on the floor and check for any items that may have been overlooked during cleaning. These include pills, pens and pins.
Beware of outlets and cords. The AAP suggests “keeping a few inexpensive plastic electrical outlet covers and twist ties for electrical and drapery cords in your suitcase to use while traveling.” Worth noting: “Some hotels may offer childproofing services for guests who request it.” Call ahead to see what your hotel offers.
Watch out for furniture and TVs. If they’re close to the edge, push TVs to the back edge of furniture so kids can’t reach them. Another suggestion from the APP is “taping lower drawers of dressers closed so they can’t be opened and climbed on.”
Lock balcony doors. Room with a view – and a door? “Many hotels have childproof locks on sliding glass and swinging doors that lead to balconies.” Or, when making the reservation, request a room with no balcony.