My children have outgrown the “put everything in my mouth” stage, and are very into Legos and beads and toys with small parts! However we have plenty of friends and family with small children. When we are preparing to have them over, we go through the house looking for small pieces and removing them from reach.
It reminded me of when we first baby proofed our home and thought I’d share some insights for those of you who might first be getting to that stage.
You may wonder “When do I need to start baby proofing my home?” As your baby begins to get mobile, working his way across the room, it’s a good time to get down on your hands and knees and see what your baby sees.
First, consider putting gates at the top and bottom of stairwells, because before you know it you will turn around and the baby will be down the hall. With an open stairwell, the baby might fall down and get badly hurt. You will find that stairs are very appealing to little ones on the move, and they might spend quite a bit of time trying to climb the stairs. In time, this is a skill that you can teach them, but again, once they start up, they are likely to fall down, or to get stuck not knowing how to get down.
Next, think about the electrical outlets. Children tend to stick things in holes, and explore anything sticking out. You can get individual outlet plug covers, or get a new “face” for your outlet that has the holes either twisted or slid off center. These still provide easy access for an adult to use the outlet when necessary, but does not leave the baby vulnerable.
Consider keeping extra outlet plug covers with you so when you travel or go to someone’s house which is not baby proofed, you can stick the outlet covers in the plugs in the room where the baby is spending time.
Drawer Latches: Baby will try to pull themselves up on tables, chairs, cabinet doors, anything they can reach. They may also sit and open/close over and over again. Decide which cabinets and drawers do not have potentially dangerous things in them and keep them unlocked. Drawers that have sharp utensils, or breakable dishes in a low cabinet may need to get locked. There are many different child safety locks on the market. Some work with magnets, others on springs and some just need to be pushed down with some force to clear the doorframe. Along with door latches, don’t forget to move all cleaning supplies/detergents up to a high shelf/ or locked cabinet.
Some other things to consider, is bolting down air vent covers, so children do not get cut or throw things down into the vent. Also, bolting tall or heavy furniture to the walls prevents furniture, books, TVs etc. from being pulled down onto a child who is just trying to stand up, or explore.
Be aware of what type of household plants you have, as some may be poisonous and you may not want a plant that frequently drops leaves or “needles” easily accessible to a young child.
Toilet Locks can be helpful so that children do not play in the toilet, and watch out for drawstrings on window blinds which can choke a child.
You can also purchase a clear shatterproof guard for the spindles on the banister, whether they are too wide or are just in a 2nd story foyer. This prevents children from climbing on the spindles and from losing things through them. If the space is too wide between spindles, it is possible for a child to get his head caught in between.
Bifold doors can easily pinch a child’s fingers. Getting a simple slide lock goes over the top of the door and tightens to prevent door from opening.
For these and other baby proofing items check out http://www.kidsafeinc.com/?gclid=CKaZ846jsKYCFYHc4AodGifKnw
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/pages/Kitchen-Safety.aspx
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