Tips for Baby-proofing Your Home
By Jen Hart
Life changes when you become a parent. A home where a newborn or crawling toddler lives looks very different to that of a home with a young couple without kids. These differences are essential to ensure the safety of children because an average house has many hazards. It takes time to baby-proof your home, but can often happen gradually as your baby jumps from one milestone to the next -- just make sure you are one step ahead!
This home safety list includes many essential safety ideas as well as many items that would be a most appreciated and practical gift for new parents.
General
- Remove small, fragile or breakable items
- Barrier gates on stairs
- Covers on all power points
- Safety locks on windows to stop them opening more than 4 inches
- Child proof locks for cupboards, drawers, fridge, washing machine, dryer and toilet
- Stickers or frosting on glass areas to prevent collisions
- Secure large objects to prevent them from falling eg. bookcases
- Blind and curtain cords out of child's reach
- Ensure suitable number of smoke alarms installed
- Heating appliances out of reach
- Place all hot drinks out of reach
- Move furniture away from windows, ceiling fans and electrical switches
- Fireguards in front of all fires
Bathroom
- Lockable medicine cupboard
- Bath thermometer
- Cosmetics, razors, hairdryers all out of reach
- Reduce hot water tap below 120 degrees
- Heater out of reach
- Non-slip mat in bath tub
Laundry
- Store poisons out of reach
- Diaper bucket with firm fitting lid
Kitchen
- Barrier gate to restrict access
- Fit an oven guard
- Fire blanket/fire extinguisher
- Store plastic bags out of reach
- Safety lock on dishwasher
- Lockable cupboard for cleaning products
- Knives and sharp objects out of reach
- Saucepans placed on back hot plates with handles turned to prevent them being pulled down
- Child resistant latches on cupboards you do not want your child getting into
- Replace tablecloths with placemats
- Kettle and appliance cords out of reach
Outside
- Store poisons, pesticides, paints out of reach
- Clear pathways
- Remove all branches hanging at child's eye level
About the Author:
Jen Hart is the author of the informative website www.baby-patch.com/newborn.html providing baby and toddler gift advice, parenting information, baby sign language and ideas of how to create the perfect baby shower. She is the mother of a charming baby boy and writes about him frequently on her blog www.baby-patch.com/blog.
Article courtesy of www.ideamarketers.com.
