If you are taking care of a baby in your home, it is very essential to have your house baby-proofed. This allows your precious little one to play, learn, explore, and discover new things while maintaining a safe and fun environment for them. It is a great way to avoid the possible dangers lurking in every corner of your house.
Good thing it is easy to make your home baby-friendly, just follow these five steps.
Gate off the stairs
The stairs are one of the most dangerous places for your baby. Especially if they have already started crawling, it is necessary to gate off this part of the house. It is too easy for babies to get close to the opening, climb up, and they can quickly stumble and fall as well.
You can avoid this by installing pressure-mounted gates at the top and bottom of the staircases. These gates are designed to prevent any injuries or accidents. They are also useful for blocking rooms and areas that are off-limits to your baby.
Keep electric outlets and cables out of reach
Most of the time the little ones cannot help but touch every single thing that piques their curiosity — that includes electric outlets and exposed wires and cords. They might want to pull or chew on them. Household cords can quickly get tangled and choke up your baby, therefore presenting a danger.
To avoid this hazard, you can use plastic outlet covers that require two hands to pry off. You can also use spring-loaded outlet covers to replace your current electrical plates. Adjust and arrange your house furniture in front of the outlets to hide the dangerous cords from your baby’s sight. As much as possible, any exposed electrical wires and cords should be wrapped up, secured, and covered.
Use corner guards on sharp corners
As your baby begins to explore more, he or she might tend to run and bump into different corners of the house. These sharp corners are found in furniture such as TV stands, coffee tables, or window sills. Use rounded corners instead, or cover them with corner guards. It will protect your baby from possibly getting hurt.
They might also use the furniture as their personal walker. Stabilize these heavy pieces such as dressers or bookcases by anchoring them to the wall. You can also use furniture straps or brackets to avoid the risk of these things toppling over your baby.
Make hazardous products inaccessible
There are household products that can be hazardous to your baby if ingested. These toxic products include laundry soap, cleaners, dishwashing liquids, or paint. There are also things from the first-aid kit that should be avoided such as medicines or alcohol. Make sure to keep these products inaccessible to your baby. Store them in a high, secured, locked cabinet that is out of the baby’s reach.
Install locks on different cabinets and drawers
Babies can soon display an ability to open and empty your cabinets and drawers. It could turn out really messy, and they might even find something they are not allowed to touch. It could be the latest Omega Constellation watch you’ve saved up for yourself or that fragile porcelain figurine you got for your birthday.
That is why it is advisable to use cabinet or doorknob locks to keep your little one in areas he or she is not allowed to be. It includes areas that are not a baby-friendly zone, like the kitchen for instance. This way, you can block it off by simply closing the door.
Although it is not feasible and affordable to baby proof every inch of your house, you can consider creating baby-friendly spaces in a safe spot. It will enable you to focus on areas where your baby resides the most such as their bedroom, living room, dining room, or playroom. In the kitchen, you can also provide them with their own cabinet that they are free to empty. You can fill it with various safe items like plastic containers, stacking cups, and wooden spoons.
By following these five easy steps, you can ensure the safety of your baby and you can now feel even more secure in the comfort of your home.
Author Bio
Chelsea is a Communication Arts graduate and has been exploring the world ever since. She has worked with kids as an assistant teacher for three years in Europe, and now she is a content writer and editor in Manila. Most of the time you will find her doing two of the things she absolutely loves: music and writing.
