Home is where the heart is—but it’s also where the baby hazards are. If you’re a first-time momma, you might be stressing about all of the potential safety issues scattered around your home.
Home is where the heart is—but it’s also where the baby hazards are. If you’re a first-time momma, you might be stressing about all of the potential safety issues scattered around your home.
Yes, there are a lot of dangers you need to take seriously, but don’t let that make you paranoid. As long as you prepare well ahead of time, childproofing your home isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
In honor of Baby Safety Month, I felt inspired to give new mommas a few essential childproofing tips. While this list is by no means comprehensive, I know it will help new mommas prepare their home for curious kiddos.
Four Simple Tips For Babyproofing Your House
Make Your Bathroom A No-Go Zone
Babies and bathrooms are a big no-no. From scalding hot water and accidental drownings to toxic medications and harsh cleaning products, there are so many potential hazards in your restroom. The best way to prevent all of these issues is to lock the door.
I also recommend going a step further and buying a few doorknob covers for any rooms you don’t want your kiddos entering. These simple devices will make it impossible for little ones to enter or exit rooms without your permission.
If your toddler breaks into the bathroom, there are other baby proofing strategies you could use to prevent a safety issue. For instance, there are now toilet covers that prevent kiddos from slipping into the toilet bowl. You could also bring your water heater’s max temp below 120°F to eliminate the risk of accidental burns.
Anchors Ahoy! – Harness Heavy Objects
If you want to baby proof a home, you must see the world from your kiddo’s eyes. That means new parents should get on their hands and knees and explore as a little one would. Although this may feel silly, it’s the easiest way to scan for potential safety issues.
As you’re crawling around different rooms, pay extra careful attention to heavy objects and furniture. A couple of the most common items that could accidentally topple include TVs and lamps.
If possible, mount your TV directly to the wall. You could also invest in heavy-duty straps to “tie” your TV in place.
While you’re securing your TV, you might as well put a few straps on your furniture to keep everything in place. You can find easy-to-use anti-tip straps for all kinds of heavy furniture.
Seal Up Your Electrical Sockets
As you’re rearranging rooms for your kiddo, pay attention to where electrical outlets are located. If possible, you could use your furniture to hide these dangerous plugs so your kiddo won’t be tempted to crawl near them.
For extra security, buy electric plug covers and snap them into all of your electrical outlets. Instead of clear plastic wall plugs, I recommend going with lockable plug covers that hide your sockets. Not only are these more difficult for little hands to remove, they also don’t draw as much attention.
While we’re talking about electrical issues, you should also be cautious about what wires you’re using and where they’re placed. Kiddos have a nasty habit of pulling and chewing wires, so you need to make sure they are all safely out of reach. You could also stick a few handy on-wall covers over your cords to prevent your little ones from feasting on wires.
Secure Your Staircases With Baby Safety Gates
Here’s a sobering statistic: 8,000 kids in the U.S. are treated for fall-related injuries every day. While your kiddo may feel ready to climb “Mount Staircase,” new parents should put a solid staircase barrier into place.
Most pediatricians recommend breaking out the staircase gates around the six-month mark, or when your kiddo starts moving. If you have railings on your second floor, you should also look into safety netting. The great thing about safety netting is you could also place it along the sides of the staircase, crib and bedside window.
If you’re going to use gates on your staircase, make sure they always open toward you. This way, if your baby figures out how to push open the gate at the top of the staircase, she won’t fall forward.
Bonus Tip: Buy A Baby Bouncer!
If you’re always stressing about your baby getting in harm’s way, I’ve got one final tip for you: get a baby bouncer! Trust me, when you’re running around doing chores, you’ll feel at peace knowing your kiddo is safe and secure in one spot.
If you’d like to see my recommended baby bouncer, check out my full “Pre-Stork Shopping List.”
