7 Ways to Baby-proof Your Home

by Jennifer Gilligan on January 24th, 2014 | No Comments »

Now that your first child is on the way, take a look around your house and imagine it from a baby's perspective. How many dangerous things do you notice? It's time to baby-proof your house. Grab your wallet, run to the store, and get any needed supplies to make your house safe for infants.

7 Ways to Baby-proof Your Home

Install Safety Gates

One of the very first things that you should do to baby-proof your house is buy a ton of safety gates. Kids won't be mobile for at least eight months, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Once they're up and going, they'll be everywhere, and the last thing you would want them to do is have a tumble down the stairs. The safety gates are also handy in keeping pets out of the areas that the baby will be in. You certainly don't have an animal shedding everywhere.

Get Corner Guards

There's a hidden danger in your home that you may not have even been aware of. Off of the top of your head, how many pieces of furniture would you say you have in your house? Each of those pieces of furnitures likely has sharp corners, or, at the very least, a corner that your baby could hit their head on. Invest in a lot of corner guards and place them on all of your tables, desks, and whatever else you have in your house that might have a sharp corner. You don't want your baby to accidentally give themselves a concussion when they're just learning to take their first steps.

Use an Alternative to Water Softeners

It's always smart to filter your water, but are you using a water softener? Did you know that water softeners don't retain healthy materials, are bad for plants and pets, and actually use salt and chemicals? Do you want something like that for your baby? Check out alternatives to water softeners. Many alternatives are salt-free, they're great for plants and pets, and, best of all, they taste great.

Lock Down Your Toilet Lid

For some inexplicable reason, babies are drawn to toilets. Once they're mobile, make sure to lock your potties down. You'll want to keep the lid locked down so they don't pick it up and slam it on their tiny hands. You also want to make sure that they don't accidentally flush personal items down the toilet. The last thing you want to do is hear a flushing sound and open the door to see a kid peering over the bowl wondering where your jewelry or some other valuable just went.

Remove Pesticides and Cleaning Supplies

This should probably go without saying, but remove all pesticides and cleaning supplies from the baby's reach. It's tempting to keep them under the sink, but that's directly level with the baby. Place them up high to where your child can't reach them. If they're ingested, you'll have to make a trip to the emergency room, and no parent should ever have to take their kid there.

Remove Other Toys

As tempting as it is for other children to share their toys, you have to remember that the baby doesn't know that they shouldn't stick that tiny piece of plastic in their mouth. Toys have a recommended age for a reason. Remove all items that aren't made for babies in the area. If your baby manages to get one, there's a good chance that they could choke on it.

Fasten Furniture to the Wall

This is one of those things that you might not think about until it's too late. Bookshelves, TV stands, and other large pieces of furniture can tip over. When there's a kid involved, the likelihood increases exponentially, as they'll use the furniture to pull themselves off of the ground. Make sure to avoid any potential tragedies by fastening the furniture to the wall.

There are literally hundreds of things you can do to baby proof your house. Don't drive yourself crazy doing this, though — just take a look around your room and take care of things one at a time.