If you are moving into your new home along with your baby, the first and foremost thing to do is baby-proofing or childproofing the entire home. Baby Proofing is nothing but making a note of all potential hazards for a baby and eliminating them. Babyproofing requires proper planning and execution, so you may want to dedicate a couple of days to the process before moving in with your little one.
The best way to begin the process of baby proofing is to walk into each room and identify any potential threats and jot them down on a piece of paper. Then start eliminating the hazards in each room, one after the other. Remember to address even the slightest threat to ensure your baby’s safety and peace of mind. Some of the most common causes of injury and death among children are suffocation, falls, choking, and drowning. Let’s now look at the top five ways of childproofing your new home.
1. Electrical outlets, cords, and appliances
The first and foremost area of concern for you as a parent is electrocution. Make a note of all the electrical outlets present in the house and ensure that you cover most of them with furniture, even if they have sliding covers. Toddlers and children are attracted to electrical outlets and appliances. Kids often try to insert metal objects or fingers into outlets, resulting in electric shock or a fire hazard.
Make sure that there are no electrical appliances and power strips within your little one’s reach. Purchase power strips with a sliding cover only if you have to use them to plug any additional electrical appliances. Do not leave any extension cords lying on the floor or running through a doorway.
1. Kitchen
The kitchen is another place that possesses several hazards to your baby. The chances of accidents and injuries happening in the kitchen are more because the parents are usually busy cooking. Always ensure that you place stove knob covers when the stove is not in use. That prevents the gas stove from turning on accidentally.
Another crucial risk factor that may hamper your child’s safety in the kitchen is the chemicals stored under the sink. Laundry detergent pods and dishwashing pods look like candies to babies and children, so make sure to lock or latch the kitchen cabinet doors or shift the essential chemicals to a top-level cabinet that is beyond your little one’s reach. Make sure to keep the electrical appliances such as air fryers, food mixers, etc., in the kitchen cabinet when not in use.
2. Bathroom
Drowning is the primary cause of injury-related deaths among children below the age of four. In infants below the age of one, the bathtub is the most dangerous place in the bathroom. Make sure not to leave your baby in the bathtub even for a minute until you grab something or plan to complete a quick task.
An inch's water level may also pose a serious threat to infants, so always hold your baby while they are in the bathtub. It’s better to lock the bathroom door at all times to avoid your baby crawling their way into it. Place the bathtub and the child far away from the faucets to prevent any injury. The same goes for razor blades, medicines, and other cosmetic products.
3. Livingroom
The living room may appear like a safe and secure environment for your baby, but it necessarily isn't. Firstly, make sure to mount the TV set onto the wall to avoid any tipover. If you have a heavy or bulky TV setup, place it on a sturdy piece of furniture and secure it with straps to the wall. The living room has the most furniture, which means many sharp corners.
Make sure to cover all the sharp corners of the low-level furniture with soft guards and ensure to secure bookcases to the wall as well. Keep remote controls and other appliances out of your child's reach because they have batteries in them and may pose a severe threat to your baby.
4. Children’s playroom and bedroom
It is crucial to childproof the children’s playroom and bedroom as it is the place where your toddler spends most of their time. Install a new crib for your little one and make sure that it meets your country's safety requirements. Suffocation is another primary cause of death among infants under one year.
Therefore, eliminate any stuffed toys, pillows, blankets, etc., from your baby’s crib except the installed mattress sheet while putting your baby to sleep. Strings of the window blinds also pose a threat of strangulation, so it’s better to have one without any strings or keep the strings out of the baby’s reach. Secure the dresser to the wall and lock all drawers and cabinets at all times. Place a thick carpet by the side of the crib to protect your baby from a fall.
Final Thoughts
Apart from the tips mentioned above, make sure to keep any button batteries way out of your children’s reach. Have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and make sure that you know how to use it in an emergency. Prepare a separate first-aid kit for your baby apart from the adult one, and make sure to add all the essential items in it.
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