If you child is ready for solids, she's entering into another fantastic milestone. But, it's also time to buy a high chair, and other fun baby gear for the kitchen.

Time To Buy A High Chair

When it comes time to purchase that high chair, the choices are limitless. Some key factors to consider include: sturdiness and cleanability. High chairs should also be wide-based to avoid tipping hazards.

It's also important to consider versatility. Some high chairs convert to booster seats, which eliminates the need to purchase a second chair as your child grows.

It's important that the high chair you choose have the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) seal of approval present on the chair, or packaging.

Safety features should include a safety harness and wheels that lock.

Falling from a high chair can cause serious injury to a baby. Always use the harness, and do not leave your child in a high chair unattended. Be wary of older high chairs that may not be up to today's standards.

Babies can be transitioned from a high chair to a booster seat when they sit upright for long periods of time without falling over. Safety straps should always be fastened and booster chairs should be safely strapped to a chair.

Choking Prevention

Both babies and toddlers have small airways which make choking a common cause of injury and death. Added, is the fact that babies are just developing the skills to chew and swallow foods. Mealtimes should always be supervised. Monitor and teach your child the appropriate amounts of food to put in their mouth. In fact, you should also be portion controlling their food on their behalf. Cut up food to an acceptable size before introducing the food to their plate or food trays.

Here are some other key points:

• Introduction of solids should happen when a child is at least 4 months old, or when your baby has the motor skills to swallow properly. If you have concerns, consult your physician.
• Avoid risky foods: hot dogs, meat, cheese chunks, whole grapes, raw vegetable, or fruits in chunks, marshmallows, etc.
• Avoid hard foods: seeds, nuts, popcorn and candy
• cut food into tiny pieces, and use peanut butter with caution
• Toddlers and older children should be encouraged to sit at the table when eating

Unrelated to food, but also related:

• Monitor toys: keep small parts out of reach and dispose of broken parts
• Watch for household items that are dangerous: buttons, coins, etc.

Every parent should have training in baby and child CPR. First aid training is also recommended. Make it a part of your preparations during pregnancy. If you haven't already done so, do it now. Your child's life may depend upon it.

Safety Considerations While Breastfeeding

You may think "breastfeeding is natural. What could be unsafe?" Surprisingly, there are safety issues for you to consider when it comes to breastfeeding your child.

Many medications are safe to use during pregnancy; however, they will still get into your milk, and it may affect your milk supply. It's best to check with your doctor before taking any drugs, including over-the-counter medications.

If you have questions regarding medications, you can get more information by going to the LactMed database website. The site has a fantastic search engine built into it, and provides excellent information on what prescriptions are dangerous, or what impact they have on a mother who breastfeeds. After searching for a particular drug, look for the section titled, "Summary of Use during Lactation" for a brief overview.

Storing Your Milk

Guidelines exist for the Proper Handling and Storage of Human Milk, as set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you plan on pumping, and storing your milk for any length of time, it's important that you familiarize yourself with the guidelines. Human milk, like any other form of food, does spoil.

Safety Considerations For Bottle Feeding

• Propping up a bottle with anything but your hands can be extremely dangerous. Infants left alone can choke on the liquid, and bottle-propping may contribute to tooth decay. It's never a good idea to use a pillow or towel to prop up a bottle for your child.
• Avoid microwaving bottles. Hot spots could form on the bottle, and there are burn risks associated with microwaving.