For many parents, baby’s first crawl can be a mixed bag of emotions. As exciting as it may be to see your little one cruising around the playroom or army crawling in their adorable bodysuit, your baby’s newfound mobility can open the door to an entirely new set of potential dangers in your home.
From electrical sockets and random cords to sharp corners and pointy objects, the sheer number of ways your tiny mover can injure themselves in your home is scary. To turn your home into a safe haven for baby, here is your step-by-step guide to childproofing your home.
Step #1: Crawl Around Your Home
Start the childproofing process by getting down on your hands and knees and crawling around like a baby. Although it may sound a little silly, crawling around like your child is one of the best ways to identify any immediate dangers in your home. The two biggies to watch for? Messy cords and uncovered outlets. You can get cord organizers and outlet covers to keep baby safe as she grows.
Step #2: Secure Furniture to the Wall
If you live in an earthquake-prone area, you may already have your furniture secured to the wall. But in case you do not, you should go ahead and get this task done to prevent accidental tip-overs. According to Anchor It, nearly 40 kids every day are injured by tip-over accidents. As your child learns how to stand up, she will inevitably grab onto things to help pull herself into a standing position. Purchasing furniture and television anchors can help prevent accidental tip-overs and keep your child safe as she grows.
Step #3: Place Pads on Sharp Corners
Toddlers run and trip all the time. The last thing you want is for them to trip over their wobbly legs and fall headfirst into sharp corners on your coffee table, fireplace or countertop. To protect your little one, pick up foam cushions and use them to cover all the sharp corners in your home. It may look somewhat ridiculous, but your baby’s safety is far more important than your interior design. If you want it to look nice, choose corner cushions that match the color of your furniture.
Step #4: Set Up Baby Gates
If you have a two-story home, a baby gate is a must-have. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, stairs are one of the most common sources of injury in young children. Most babies will want to climb the stairs in your home at some point. To prevent falls, it’s important to set up not one but two baby gates: one at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom. The top of the stairs should have a hardware-mounted baby gate installed, as pressure-mounted baby gates are too dangerous for stairs.
Step #5: Use Child Safety Locks on Cabinets and Doors
Every home has hazards in it. From cleaning products to medications, it would be highly impractical to get rid of every item that could pose a danger to your curious baby. The easier solution is to prevent your little one from accessing these hazards by installing cabinet locks and doorknob covers in your home. Even if you install a doorknob cover, it’s a good idea to install cabinet locks in that room. If your doorknob cover fails for some reason, the cabinet locks can serve as backup protection.
Step #6: Mind the Stove
A kitchen is a fascinating place for kiddos. They love watching you whip up meals and pull colorful items from the cupboards. To keep them safe while you cook, consider installing a baby gate that blocks them from entering the kitchen area. If you don’t want to block off the entire kitchen, try to make the kitchen as safe as possible by childproofing your appliances. Secure all appliance knobs and handles, install a stove guard and keep small appliances unplugged and out of reach. Don’t forget to practice safe cooking by using the back burner of your stove.
Step #7: Secure Windows and Blinds
Windows are an often-overlooked part of childproofing the home. Sadly, it’s not uncommon for curious toddlers to walk over to window ledges and fall out of them. Installing a window guard can prevent accidental falls from windows and save your child’s life. Don’t forget your window blinds. According to a study published in Pediatrics, an estimated 16,827 children were injured by window blinds between 1990 and 2015. To avoid accidental strangulation, choose cordless shades or keep the cords as short as possible.
Step #8: Consider Drowning Hazards
According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death in children aged one to four. The sad truth is that it doesn’t take much water—or even much time—for a young child to drown. Even your toilet is a drowning hazard for youngsters, which is why it’s important to babyproof your toilet seat by using a toilet lock. If you have a pet door, consider getting rid of it, especially if you have a pool. Babies can crawl out of pet doors while you’re not looking and quickly drown.
Additional Child Safety Tips
In addition to the steps above, here are a few more ways to make your home safer for youngsters:
- Install carbon monoxide and fire alarms and test them regularly.
- If you have a rambunctious toddler, be sure to remove drawstrings from their toddler clothes. Drawstrings are a hazard because they can easily catch on play equipment and other items.
- Clean your house regularly. Paper clips, buttons, dirt and other things on the floor will be found by your crawling baby and may be ingested.
- Reduce your water temperature to prevent scalding accidents. You can do this by adjusting your water heater’s maximum temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Learn CPR. You never know when you may need it.
Watch Them Closely
No matter how much you childproof your home, keep in mind that it will never replace full-time, adult supervision. If you need to take a call or answer the door, put your baby somewhere in which he or she will be safe. By following these steps and supervising your child, you can significantly reduce the possibility of your precious little one getting hurt.
Every warning tip was on right on the money!! I read & heard about a couple of horror stories regarding toddlers or babies getting hurt or worse! Each time they broke my heart! For the child and their parents! We still have gates, some safety latches, and plastic coverings over the electrical wall outlets.
ReplyDeleteNot too long ago I read about a country and western singer’s toddler drowning. I also heard on the news about a bookcase falling on a child crushing him to death! This next one broke my heart and I have never forgotten it. Conor Clapton died on 20 March 1991 at the age of four after falling out of an open bedroom window on the 53rd floor of a Manhattan apartment building! Watching them closely is the best advice ever!! Knowing where your child is and what they are doing are the best tips yet!! Also babies are very slippery when wet! Personally, I couldn’t live with the guilt of a child got hurt under my watch!! This was pin worthy and shared this important information on Facebook and Twitter! Thank you for sharing!! Great helpful review!!
There are so many things that we would not think are dangerous. It is hard to make sure everything is in order, but your tips are amazing and a great help for many of us.
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips. You can never be too careful with the little ones.
ReplyDeleteThese are some really great reminders! The safety of our children is so important!
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