If you’ve recently had a baby (or babies like me!) it won’t be long before the little bean(s) will be crawling around your home and getting into things, like cabinets, cupboards, and trouble! So, it’s important to be sure that you and your home are ready to safely be explored.
The best way to see what your kiddo will see when crawling around your home is to get down on their level. Go around your home on your hands and knees. It sounds crazy, I know, but it’s amazing all the things you will find besides the traditional wall outlets that need covering.
Here are some of my top tips for baby proofing:
1. Child proof locks should be installed on cabinets, drawers, and doors. Even with these safety measures in place, you should move any harmful products to a higher level, out of reach of your child.
2. Relocate anything that has small parts or pieces that your child could choke on. Use the old toilet paper roll trick. If an item can fit inside of the roll, your child can choke on it.
3. Remember to move your jar of coins or the place you empty your pockets to a higher surface.
4. Make sure cosmetics and personal care items are not left scattered about. These items can cause more harm than a face-full of clown makeup if your child gets into them. Also, make sure to always store medicines and vitamins in a higher cabinet.
5. Check all large furniture, like bookcases, dressers, and entertainment centers for stability. Attach as many large furniture items to the walls or floor as you can with screws or furniture anchors. Toddlers often use furniture to pull themselves up when learning to stand, and these furniture items could tip over on them if not secured. It’s pretty scary to read stories about children who have had fatal accidents from furniture falling on them. I read one the other day and just sat there in tears. It was so sad and so preventable.
6. Cords from window treatments and blinds should be wound up and stored out of the child’s reach since toddlers can become wound up in these cords if they are left dangling.
7. Ensure there are no exterior doors or windows that your toddler can escape or fall from. Avoid using low windows if at all possible and keep them shut and secured.
Once you have examined and baby proofed your entire home, be sure to remind guests to abide by your rules. Do not allow guest’s purses or overnight bags to be set on the floor, where toddlers can easily rifle through them and find potentially harmful things. Just because you are used to your child getting into things and are used to keeping small objects away from them does not mean your guest is.
Also, be sure to actually enjoy this stage of development! I know it can be hard when there is so much to worry about, but our babies will grow up so, so fast. I know mine already have!
Have I missed any baby proofing tips?