Babyproofing your home is an important topic for many parents to consider. I know it has been on the discussion table for my husband and me as each of our kids starts getting to the almost mobile stage. I also do not recommend waiting too long to start thinking about babyproofing. In many cases, you might think your baby will not start rolling over, scooting, or crawling tomorrow but our babies are amazing and you just never know what they might do.
In no way do I consider myself an expert on this topic, but I do have 4 kids and I have lived through many scenarios with them. I also feel that the babyproofing of my home has evolved since my oldest was a baby. You might think I was extremely overprotective being a new first-time mom and baby-proofed every surface, cabinet, door, outlet, etc. I was actually the opposite and learned a lot from my mistakes. Thankfully no babies were harmed by my lack of information, I just needed to start looking at my home the way my child looks at it, from their level. If you remember to look at babyproofing your home from that perspective, you will have no problem ensuring your home is safe for your growing child.
I will go over some of the basics of each room in your house, one thing to keep in mind every child is different, just when you think there is no way my child could that is most likely exactly what they will do.
BabyProof Your Bathroom
Your bathroom can hold many hazards for your child. Many times I choose to keep our bathroom door closed, unfortunately, with older kids in the house, there are many times the door is left open. So I am sure to keep some extra safeguards in place. A bathtub is a place with many dangers. You should never leave your baby unattended in the bathtub, even for a minute or a second. Babies can drown in a very small amount of water, and it can happen quickly. No chore/phone call/or other distraction is worth the risk. Another danger in the bathtub is extremely hot water. You should set your water heater to a maximum of 120° F, this is to prevent scalding. When bathing your baby in the bathtub, especially slightly older curious children be sure to position them so they cannot reach the faucets. This will help to prevent them from accidentally turning on the hot water and to be sure they do not bump their head on the hard handles. If you are worried about your child getting hurt on the faucets or the tub spout there are specially made covers you can purchase for extra protection. Laying down a non-skid mat in the bottom of the tub is also a good idea. A wet, soapy, slippery baby is not a good mix. Here are examples of the types of products you could get:
Puj Snug Ultra Soft Spout Cover
Mommy’s Helper Bath Mat Froggie Collection Skip Hop Moby Floating Baby Bath Tub Thermometer
Another safety hazard in the bathroom is the toilet. Unfortunately, children love the toilet. They want to peek, they want to splash, they want to throw things in, and all of the above can lead to an unsafe situation. A toilet lock is the best thing to buy to prevent these things from happening.
Safety 1st Easy Grip Toilet Lock
BabyProof Your Kitchen
Our kitchens are where we spend a lot of our time. Unfortunately, there are also many dangers in there for our little ones to get into. Cabinets, especially under the sink cabinets and those that are low to the ground should be kept locked. Since I have young children I have started keeping poisonous cleaning products on the top shelf of our hallway closet just to add an extra layer of protection. Fortunately, there are easy to use and install cabinet locks available almost anywhere to keep the contents of your cabinets out of your baby’s hands.
Safety 1st Finger Guard Cabinet and Drawer Latches
I never thought our kitchen trash would be something high on the babyproofing list. Well, it has been added. Nothing is worse than a knocked over trash can full of gross trash especially when your adorable baby is playing in it. When it comes to your trashcan, I like to choose a taller heavier one that is harder to knock over and has a latching or locking lid. Another item to be aware of in your kitchen is small appliances. Be sure they are either locked away, pushed to the back of the counter and that their cords are not left dangling over the edge of your counter or table. You even want to be aware of where you set your baby in their highchair. I have had my kids grab many things they shouldn’t have off the table or counter with their enhanced view from the highchair. Another important item to pay attention to in your kitchen is the stove. A good tip to remember is only to use the back burners, to prevent a pot of boiling water from falling on your child. The knobs of your stove are also potential dangers. You can buy covers to prevent your child from accidentally turning on the hot surface of your stovetop.
Babies R Us Stove Knob Covers – 5 Pack
BabyProof Your Baby’s Bedroom
Since your child’s room is where they will spend the majority of their time playing and sleeping it is important to be sure it is completely child proof. A good place to start is the crib. Depending on the age of your child, if they can pull themselves up make sure the mattress has been lowered to the lowest setting. You should also remove all loose objects from the bed. That cute mobile could be pull down where your child could potentially hurt themselves with or cause small choking hazards. Be sure if all the blinds and their cords are secure in your child room. It would be easy for your child to strangle themselves or become trapped with unsecured cords. The furniture in your child’s room and other rooms in your home should be secured or anchored to the wall. Many curious toddlers may try to climb up a bookcase or pull a drawer out to use as a step to get something off the top of the dresser. This could easily result in that piece of furniture toppling over onto them, creating a very unsafe and potentially deadly situation.
BabyProof Your Living Room/Playroom
In our house the living room is the playroom, many of these next tips of this baby proofing guide could easily be used for any room in your house. Electrical cords and outlets, cords should be kept off the ground, a child could chew on electrical cords which could lead to injury. All electrical outlets should be covered to prevent small fingers from getting a shock. I like to keep a supply of covers in the house since you never know when you might need to stick one in an unused outlet.
Safety 1st 12 Pack Ultra Clear Outlet Plugs
Any rugs you have in the rooms of your house or hallway be sure they have a non-skid mat underneath or replace it with non-toxic playmats. As toddlers learn to walk and run you do not want the rug slipping out from underneath them or causing them to trip. If you keep any houseplants in your home double check that they are not poisonous. Curious children love to play in the dirt or they might want to experiment with how a leaf or flower tastes. If you have small kids in your house it might be a good time to pack away your treasured knickknacks. They could be knocked over and broken leaving small pieces that could be choked on or sharp glass that could cut your child. It is smart to be aware of any sharp or pointy edges and corners on coffee tables and end tables. It doesn’t mean you have to switch out your favorite table you can add soft corner covers to prevent a good bump on the head. We have a fireplace, so we also added a cushion edge to our brick fireplace.
I also have a few odds and end things to be aware of. Stairs, if you have stairs in your house be sure to install a gate. We just have 2 small steps going from our kitchen to the living room. As soon as all my kids learned to walk we taught them the safe way to go down those stairs. It always amazed me how quickly they learn to do this.
Protect By Munchkin Auto Close Metal Baby Gate
Any door that you do not want your child to go through, like a non-baby-proofed room or a door that leads to the basement stairs or garage you may consider adding some door knob covers. We have them on several doors in our house, and at times they can be a hassle, many of the baby proofing items we have discussed can be a hassle but they are more than worth it to ensure the safety of your child.
Safety 1st Grip N Twist Door Knob Covers, 3 Pack
Even if you feel that every area of your home has been baby proofed thoroughly nothing can replace a parent or caregivers watchful eye. It is so important to never leave your little one unattended. Be sure to keep emergency numbers and poison control’s phone number listed where it can be easily located in case of an emergency.
Enjoy this time with your small children, don’t take it for granite, and know there will come a day when you can uninstall that toilet lid latch.