Congratulations! Welcoming your new bundle of joy into this world is a time of excitement and happiness. Before you bring your baby home, you want to make sure that your home is completely safe and sound for them. Babies and toddlers are known to get into everything and there are many things around the house that can hurt them. In fact, many of the simple things we use and pass by everyday can cause injuring to your little one. Below, you will find some tips to help you baby proof your home prior to arriving at home with your new addition.
Baby Proofing for Newborns
- Make sure that ALL furniture in the room, including the crib, is anchored to the wall and meets all safety standards
- Keep baby monitors in the room and keep one with you or place them throughout the common rooms in the home
- Remove any corded window blinds and replace them with cordless blinds, especially if your baby’s crib will be near a window
- Install smoke detectors and make sure they work
- Remove all plush items from the baby’s crib to ensure safety
Baby Proofing for Crawlers
- Cover up all electrical outlets
- Remove all breakable items from within the child’s reach (you can place these delicate items in a storage unit for safe keeping)
- Hide all electrical wires
- Never store water in buckets and close all lids to toilets (you can also install covers over handles to the water in the sink and tub)
- Remove all household cleaners and medicine from under the sinks and place them somewhere out of reach
- Cover up sharp corners of furniture
Baby Proofing for Toddlers
- Utilize locks on all appliances such as the stove and oven
- Remove sharp or dangerous items from countertops
- Keep hot food and pans away from the edges of counters
- Lock all doors and windows
- Keep medications and household cleaners in a safe location
Babyproofing for Children
- Continue to ensure all doors and windows are properly locked for safety
- Keep cleaners and medications out of reach
- Explain to children which items are dangerous and why
- Continue to keep electrical outlets covered
- Check smoke detectors to ensure they work
- Keep matches out of the reach of children
- Always monitor children when they are using the restroom or bath
- Keep all firearms and weapons locked up in a location that is inaccessible for the child
Additional Tips for Baby Proofing
There are many things that need to be baby proofed in the home and it can be overwhelming. One of the best pieces of advice would be to get on the level of your child. For example, if your child is crawling, get down to their level and look around. What do you see that could be dangerous for them?
Baby proofing your home will take time but the most important thing to remember is to adapt and continue to ensure there is protection in the home to keep your child safe.