Keeping the babies and small children in your care safe and healthy is, of course, top priority. It can be nerve-wracking to think about all the things that could go wrong, but with some common sense, a few simple tips, and some great tech tools, you can relax and enjoy all the special moments of watching your little one grow up. 

Keep baby safe from injuries 

Although there are no safety measures or safety products that can substitute for careful and constant supervision, many injuries can be prevented with careful baby proofing. Here are a few baby proofing steps parents and caregivers can take to ensure a safe home environment for the baby:

Baby-proof the house

Parents and caregivers need to make sure hazardous, no-baby zones like the bathroom, kitchen and the garage are baby proof. Make sure that any thing that could be of danger to the child is secured, locked away or stored far from baby's reach. Inexpensive baby proofing products exist to keep toilets locked, and shower doors closed. Buckets or basins of water or washing are particularly hazardous - remember to put them on a high table far from baby's reach. 

Make sure toys are baby proof

It’s important to remember that not all toys are safe for babies to play with. Don’t buy toys that are inappropriate for the baby’s age; have small parts that are choking hazards; have batteries that are not secured, old or leaking; and have jagged edges, loose parts, or chipped paint or finishes. While we all love a bargain, make sure all the toys baby is given are of good quality and won't break easily. 

Close access to and cover the pool

If you have a pool, lock the door or gate leading up to the pool and ensure that the pool is covered at all times. Never leave children near the pool unsupervised, even if you think they can swim. Learning to swim is an important skill, and kids should be taught to be water safe as early as possible. 

Keep baby healthy

To keep your family healthy, you need to know the signs and symptoms to look out for. When should you be worried and go to the doctor or clinic, and when will a visit to the pharmacy suffice? Vodacom Mum & Baby Premium has a useful tool called Am I Sick? that can help answer this important question. 

You may already have signed up to Vodacom Mum & Baby's free portal, and be benefitting from useful SMSes, videos and content that helps you care for the little ones in your life. Now, with Mum & Baby Premium a small subscription fee gives you access to so many more useful tools. If you're on the Vodacom Siyakha Price Plan, you can get access to Mum & Baby Premium for FREE! 

'Am I Sick?' can help you determine whether you are sick, and what conditions you may possibly have. While it doesn't replace the advice of a medical professional, it can help you decide whether you should worry about a fever or a rash that you or your child may be experiencing. 

Here are some more tools available on Mum & Baby Premium: 

• The Health Centre: The Health Centre is a directory tool helps you locate health services of your choice in your area or an area around you. In order to be able to use this service, you need to activate your GPS by switching on your location services on your mobile device.
• The Medicine Reminder: The Medicine Reminder helps you remember to take your meds. 

It's important to note that the information provided in the tools listed above has been specifically compiled for purposes of providing non-diagnostic or professional health information about medication or related matters.

Visit the Vodacom website to register and get started with Vodacom Siyakha Mum & Baby Premium.