Tips to Babyproof Your Home

Baby proofing should begin before the baby even gets into the home. Babies become mobile more quickly than you might think and see the world in a very different way than adults, so it is essential to create a safe home. Start by looking around your home at baby height, i.e. floor level, to see what kinds of dangers may be lurking. There are some essential things you must do to babyproof your home.

1. Electronics: Make sure to put safety covers on all electrical outlets so babies can not put their fingers in them and receive shocks. It is also a good idea to place large furniture in front of any electrical outlets so babies cannot get to them. Tie up all electrical cords so that the baby can not pull on them. Unplug and put away all unnecessary appliances.

2. Furniture: Secure all heavy furniture, such as dressers, TVs, and bookcases by bolting them to walls or floors. Place bumpers on all sharp edges. Lock all drawers so that babies cannot use them to climb. Secure rugs and carpets with nonskid backs and repair loose floor tiles. Make sure to use baby gates at the tops and bottoms of stairwells..

3. Water and Drowning: Keep toilet lids closed and locked so that babies can not play in the water. Never leave a baby alone in the bath or near a body of water such as a pool. Do not take your eyes off a child in water for a second. Set your water heater to 120 degrees. a baby’s bath water should be at 100 degrees to prevent scalding. Babies are more sensitive to hot water.

4. Sleep: Have the baby sleep in a crib with bars no wider than 2 and ? inches apart so that the baby cannot fit its head in between the bars. Make sure the mattress is snug to the edges of the crib so that the baby cannot fall in between the cracks and suffocate. Do not out blankets, pillows, or toys in the crib as these are suffocation and choking hazards. Keep the child’s crib away from windows to prevent falls.

5. Medications and Chemicals: The problem areas are typically the kitchen and the bathroom. Keep all medications locked in a medicine cabinet and on a high shelf that the baby cannot reach. Do not take medication in front of children so that they will not want to imitate you and dispose of unused medication properly. Keep all poisonous substances, such as cleaning supplies, locked up.