When you welcome a baby into your family, your house interior and decoration do not stay the same. You should make some adjustments before your child starts crawling around the house. You can still keep your home updated and look presentable when you baby-proof your space.
Here are some simple changes that you can make around the home to ensure the safety of your child.
Use Safety Gates
The first and most important thing is to install safety doors inside and outside the home. For the front yard, you can get a commercial fence in case your child makes his way out of the front door.
Put up barriers inside the home in hazardous places like the staircase, bathrooms, and fireplaces. Make sure to put a gate at the top and bottom of the stairway.
Keep Delicate Things Out of Reach
Keep the delicate decoration pieces out of the reach of children. Even the kitchenware should be kept on a high shelf or table. Keep other breakables away from sight.
Also, keep the plants, especially those that have toxic leaves away and somewhere high.
Lock the Cabinets
You should invest in good quality safety door locks for every drawer, especially those that are within the reach of the child. You could be storing products like medicines, sharp utensils, cleaning products, and much more than are poisonous when ingested.
For a more efficient lock system, get locks that automatically engage when you shut the door.
Cover Electrical Outlets
Before your child plays with the electrical outlets, cover them up. If your child ends up getting his fingers inside, it could spark a current.
For more convenience, you can get automatic slides that cover up outlets when not in use.
Secure Your Furniture
As your baby starts to crawl and stand, he or she may try to climb and hold the furniture. You can get the bookshelf, dresser, lamps, and TV cabinets attached to the wall. Look for baby safety products like furniture brackets, and fasteners for more protection. Don’t forget to pad any sharp corners of your bed and table corners.
If you feel like your baby might get close to the window then you can try sealing it or replacing it with skylight windows for more security.
Keep Away from Certain Rooms
Keep your children away from certain rooms that may pose a danger. Consider sealing off the kitchen, bathroom, and office with a gate or a child-safe door knob protector. For the bathroom, put safety latches on the toilet lids, and don’t leave your child unattended in the tub.
Here are some other precautions that you should take around the home:
- In the kitchen, keep the oven and dishwasher latched.
- Put knob covers on the stove so your child can’t turn on the burners.
- Use backburners whenever possible.
- Keep your countertops appliances like a toaster, blender, and food processor away from the edges of the counter so your child doesn’t pull them down.
Tie up Cords
Tangled wires and cords pose a hazard and your child may fall on the floor. To baby-proof your home, make sure to tie them up and keep them out of reach.
Don’t forget the cords that are attached to the window coverings. Secure them to the wall with a tie-down device.
