Top tips on baby proofing your home

 

Time goes so quickly when you have a baby in the house. One minute your cuddling a tiny little bundle of joy, the next – you’re chasing after a walking, talking little person! But it’s worth remembering that as soon as your little one is mobile, safety needs to become a priority. Suddenly everything quickly becomes a hazard. So, what can you do to ensure that your home is a safe haven for your little one?

Here are some ideas for baby proofing your home.

 

Baby-Gates

One of the more obvious safety measures that a parent can place around the home, are baby-gates. Ideal for the top and bottom of the stairs, these gates ensure that your baby can’t travel up or down the stairs without your supervision and put themselves in danger. But did you know that baby-gates are an ideal way to seal off other rooms too?

Firstly, ensuring you have doors that are sturdy enough to withhold the pressure a gate (and a baby pushing on it!) gives out is a must. Before anything is installed check your doors aren’t damaged or weak. If they need replacing, companies like doorstore have something for every home.

If you’re cooking in the kitchen and you’re worried about the baby being under your feet, then a baby gate is ideal across the threshold of the room. If you have a pet that sleeps in a separate room, it may be wise to place another gate there, to ensure that they don’t rub your pet up the wrong way with pulling, pinching and unwanted attention!

 

Anchor your furniture

If you’ve not done this already, secure any tall or heavy pieces of furniture to the wall. Crawling babies love pulling themselves up on things, and once they get slightly older your adventurer might try to climb up bookcases and chests of drawers too.

Fastening your furniture to the wall makes it less likely that they’ll pull the whole thing down on top of themselves. It’s also best to keep tall lamps sandwiched against the wall by other furniture. Cords should be carefully hidden in case your child decides to give them a good pull!

 

In the kitchen

Keep cleaning supplies in a high cabinet rather than under the sink. If you put dangerous products under the sink, use a child-proof lock on the cabinet door. Use back burners for cooking whenever possible and turn the handles of pots and pans toward the back of the stove. Don’t use magnets on the refrigerator. They can fall down and your baby could swallow one.

 

In the bathroom

Never leave water standing in the bath, the sink or even a bucket. Babies can drown in very little water. Keep medication and cosmetics away from your baby’s reach. Adjust your water heater temperature to 120 degrees F. Make sure there is no way your baby might accidentally lock themselves in. Keep bathroom cleaning supplies out of reach, locked in a cupboard or placed on a high shelf.