Ways To Babyproof Your Home
Are you about to have a baby or already got a little one in your home? Well, it’s time to babyproof your home fully to give your newborn a safe and memorable childhood.
There’s no denying that toddlers have the tendency to explore everything they see out of curiosity. What they don’t know is that their adventures can lead to irreparable damage.
That’s where you come in. As a parent(s), it’s your responsibility to keep your child safe. So, let’s kick off our discussion and help you learn some common yet valuable ways to babyproof your home.
What is Babyproofing?
To put it simply, babyproofing refers to identifying different safety hazards in your home and eliminating them to provide a safe environment for your toddler to grow up. Of course, parents are told to always be alert of their baby’s whereabouts in the home while supervising them at all times. However, babyproofing is necessary to control your baby’s adventurous nature.
Let’s Babyproof Your Home
It is always a good idea to childproof every room in your house, so your baby can go on their little adventures exploring the surroundings safely. Here are a few tips and baby proofing products you can use to create a safe environment for your little one.
- Start by installing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors throughout your home. Don’t forget to check their batteries every month to change them as required.
- One of the best things you can do during your babyproofing endeavour is to install safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Moreover, put safety gates at the entrances of rooms that you don’t want your child to visit. Examples include your garage, laundry room, workspace, kitchen, etc.
- Now place carpets on stairs and slippery floors to keep your baby from slipping and hurting themselves. Ensure your child doesn’t run on slippery or wet areas while wearing socks.
- Most importantly, keep checking your home for any items that your baby can put in their mouth, as kids tend to get adventurous upon seeing new stuff.
- To avoid electrical hazards, cover all outlets and keep chords out of sight and reach. You must realize that a child often tries to stick their toys or fingers in electrical outlets, and this has highly unpleasant consequences.
- Did you know batteries are not only a choking hazard but also pose other crucial threats? That’s right; batteries generate an electrical current after coming in contact with saliva, which can burn body tissues. If a battery is swallowed, it can extensively damage the lining of the organs.
Therefore, it’s better to keep all the batteries away from your child’s reach. In addition to this, secure all devices powered by batteries and lock their compartments to keep your baby safe.
Never let your baby into the kitchen or bathroom without the supervision of a trusted adult. Finally, baby proof edges by covering all sharp corners in your home to avoid any unwanted accidents.
Also Read: 5 Tips For How To Make A Kitchen Garden
How To Babyproof Your Child’s Nursery?
For starters, you ought to babyproof the nursery to ensure your toddler’s safety to the fullest. Let’s help you get started with some helpful tips.
- First, you need to secure the crib so your child can sleep soundly and safely. Ensure the crib fulfills all the current safety standards. For instance, the crib slats should be 2 ⅜ inches apart with a flat mattress. Most importantly, keep the crib free of any tangling and decoration items in which your child can get caught up.
- Next, get a sturdy changing table with a two-inch guard rail on all sides and a changing pad with a concave middle. Plus, never leave your child unattended on the table. You can keep your baby’s clothes, diapers, and other supplies close to the table but out of the toddler’s reach.
- Get your child a toy box without a lid or cover to keep them from getting stuck inside or trapping their fingers while trying to get their favourite toy or exploring the container.
- Lastly, you may get your child a low bed or a floor mattress if they can climb out of the crib. Again, go with the safest option according to the baby’s age.
A pro tip is to stand in your baby’s crib and come up with different situations when the kid can hurt themselves. Consequently, take steps to avoid such instances but don’t go crazy overthinking everything.
Babyproofing House Checklist
Here’s a babyproofing checklist to help you create a safe environment in your home for your toddler;
- Ensure no decorative materials, delicate items, or cords are inside or near the baby’s crib.
- The crib must have safety gates to keep the baby from falling out of it.
- Install locks in doors, windows, and cabinets.
- Non-Slip pads in bathtub
- The toilet seat must be down or locked.
- Carpet for slippery floors and stairs.
- Cover all electrical outlets.
- Unplug all electrical appliances and keep every wire out of your child’s reach.
- Install knob covers on stoves.
- Keep all harmful substances and dangerous objects out of your child’s reach.
- Install corner guards on every sharp corner in the house.
This is a summed-up checklist you must follow. However, feel free to add to it based on your preferences and experiences, so your child can have a good time without hurting themselves.
You can also consult your parents or grandparents and friends and family who have already had their experiences raising a child about babyproofing your home. You’ll find that they often have the best advice to offer in such cases.