Baby proofing is one of those things that every parent thinks of, but most parents don’t worry about right away. When our babies were born, we weren’t really worried about them fidgeting with sockets or dashing into tables. After all they were just babies and were supposed to be that way for quite some time. Right? But in reality in no time they started crawling and later walking and were just all over the place, curious about anything and everything. From kitchen drawers to refrigerator doors- toddlers climb all over. And if you are still thinking when to start the baby proofing process, you might just be a bit too late!
Baby proofing your home is a major concern – and rightfully so. Many accidents that happen in the home could be prevented with a few safety precautions. These tips are going to help make your home safe for your child in no time.
Look around and make a list
Baby proofing won’t work if you miss something. Take the time to walk through your home and make a list of things that need to be baby proofed. This includes looking for things like cabinets with cleaning agents, sharp edges on furniture and cabinets, and electrical outlets that are low to the ground. The tips below for baby proofing help you remember other common hazards.
- Look for any place where drowning could easily occur. Leaking faucets, bathtubs, toilets, and similar areas.
- Get on a baby’s level of eye view by crawling around the floor to check for hidden outlets, holes, or wires that may not be as noticeable from above.
- Don’t forget to properly secure furniture and appliances that could potentially fall over and hurt your child.
- Have a friend with a little one? Invite them over and follow them around to see what they try to get into. They will find places you never thought of – guaranteed!
Also read “Getting your home ready for the Baby’s Homecoming”
Common baby safety items
Once you know what areas of your home need baby proofing, you can make simple modifications to improve safety. The most needed baby proofing products are : (click on each header)
Safety Locks for Cabinets, drawers & Refrigerator
Corner guards for coffee table, dining table & edgy furniture pieces
Electrical Socket covers for outlets
Tap Covers
You would find a wide variety of Child proofing products in the market but you would not need all of them. Pick up the most common accident-prone areas like corners and socket covers to start with. If you have stairways, ensure that zone is taken care of. Easiest way to get started is to pick up dangerous objects and keeping them out of reach. Trust me, that would give you enough peace of mind!
Spot the danger
- While setting up newborn’s nursery or picking up stuffed toys etc, ensure there are no buttons or any such swallowable thing. Don’t use Crib bumpers.
- Same goes for newborn’s clothes – avoid buttons & drawstrings.
- More so, as a nursing mother I was very particular of not wearing nursing gowns or tops with beads etc.
Also read “What to buy before the Baby arrives- Newborn Checklist”
Start baby proofing early on
Ideally, baby proofing should be a part of your agenda before the baby is born. Trust me, you have much more time and energy to get the job done in that stage. However, even after your baby is born you have a little time to get things in place. At first, your baby won’t be mobile which gives you time to finish baby proofing before baby starts crawling which is generally around 5-6 months.
- Many parents work hard at child proofing their home but may miss hidden choking hazards throughout the home. An easy test to determine whether or not an object is a choking hazard is to see if it will fit through the hole in a toilet paper roll.
- If an object can slide through easily, it can be picked up by small hands and put in the mouth. Make sure that you don’t make a baby-proofing mistake by overlooking common objects in your home that could spell big danger, such as loose screws, coins, small toys, etc.
Ensuring your baby’s safety is an important part of parenting. It may seem overwhelming at first, but if you focus on baby proofing one room at a time, it is manageable. It won’t be long before baby is crawling around, so it’s important to use these tips to start baby proofing early.
Go Mommy!
Also read “5 Must have Toys for Infants” and “5 Must have Books for infants”