Make Sure Your House Is Ready with These 6 Baby Proofing Tips
A lot of new parents experience anxiety over bringing their baby home for the first time. One of the best things you can do to help alleviate this stress – and ensure you are ready – is to make sure your house is safe for your baby.
You’ll want to get started on baby proofing at least a few months before your child is due. This may seem like more time than necessary, but you’d be surprised how long some recommended preparations can take. It all depends on your unique living situation.
Baby proofing your home a few months in advance means you won’t be rushing to get it all done right as the baby arrives – which means you’ll have one less thing to stress about. If you’re not sure where to start, check out these tips:
1. Do a Systems Check
Make sure you have smoke detectors in each room and hallway. If you have a garage attached to your house or any oil or gas appliances, you will also need a carbon monoxide detector on each floor. You’ll want to check that detectors are up to date and have working batteries before bringing baby home – and you should re-check batteries at least twice a year.
2. Eliminate Hidden Threats
Keep your baby healthy by making sure your house is free of any disease-causing pests, vermin, and mold. You can have a pest control company come out and do an inspection; companies like AllDry will help get rid of any mold issues you may have. These threats can be hard to detect, so they are best left to the experts! This is one thing you really don’t want to wait on – even during pregnancy, they can cause major issues.
3. Check for Lead
Lead was banned for residential use in 1978, but if your house was built before that, you run the risk of having it somewhere in your home. The main sources of lead are pipes and paint. You can have your water tested and either use water filters or replace the piping if the levels are too high. As for paint, you’ll want to look out for chipped and flaking paint – if you have any, you’ll need to seal it or have it professionally removed.
4. Cords, Outlets, and Wires
Once your baby is able to roll over, you’ll need to make sure all cords and wires are well out of reach. Babies love to pull on electronic wires, and cords from blinds or curtains present a potential strangulation hazard. You should also make sure all your outlets have plastic outlet protectors on them to prevent your child from sticking any objects (or fingers!) in them.
5. Install Child Locks
Put child locks on everything – cabinets, drawers, the garbage cans, and doors. Anything you need to keep your baby out of, you should put a lock on. If you don’t like the way they look, you can get discrete, easy to install locks that go on the inside of drawers and cabinets. For doors, a simple handle cover should suffice. Make sure any hazardous material like detergent, paint, and any chemicals are locked away.
6. Get Rid of Bite-Sized Knickknacks
Box up and put away any little trinkets or knickknacks that could fit in a baby’s mouth. This should also include things that have smaller, removable parts that could be a choking hazard. Even if you think it’s up and out of the way, things can easily fall or get knocked over. Always better safe than sorry!
By following these 6 safety tips, you’ll be prepared to bring your baby home and rest easy—if not through the night—knowing that you’ve made a safe haven for your little one.
