How To Baby Proof Your Home

Your baby can be wrapped up in a swaddle like a burrito now but pretty soon that little bundle of joy will be an eager crawler or house explorer who'll reach for knob covers, outlet covers, and sharp edges in your living room.

If there's one thing you as parents cannot control, it is the curiosity of a growing child. What you can do however is to start baby proofing your home way before he or she starts climbing out that baby's crib.

Reality is that a baby can be a handful. As much as parents want to keep a baby safe and shield them from all bumps and cuts waiting to happen, supervising that little one 24/7 might not be completely possible. The key is baby proofing your home and it's manageable if you break down every room. Get ready to install those baby gates and to clear all things that present a choking hazard to your child.

A child can be surprisingly creative when it comes to getting into any mischief. That's why parents must get ahead and assess which parts of a room or house can lead to possible accidents. Not to worry, Dads and Moms! Here's a checklist of how to baby proof your abode.


1. Baby Proofing The Entire House

The first step to baby proofing is to ensure that the safety features of your home are installed and that you are on top of the repairs and renovations.

• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Make sure to test these critical devices to be aware if they need to be recharged or of their batteries need to be refreshed. Their batteries normally need to be changes annually.
• Baby gates. Safety gates are the bets means to keep your child from entering rooms and falling from the stairs. Limiting your child’s access to rooms and hallways is a pro tip when it comes to baby proofing your home.
• First aid kit. A well-equipped kit should contain bandages, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, and over-the-counter pain medications are a must in every home especially ones with children. It goes without saying that medicines should be out of kids' or baby's reach.
• Outlet cover. A baby's tiny fingers and little toys can easily be inserted in electrical outlets. Installing cover stops are the most efficient way to prevent these hazardous openings.
• Furniture mounts. Make sure to install mounted hardware and safety straps right before your little one becomes a strong climber. This will prevent heavy appliances and furniture from tipping and falling.
• Doors and knobs. It is important that doors can be opened quickly by an adult in case a child accidentally locks themselves in a room. Make use of door knob covers so doors won't slam shut and catch a baby's fingers.

2. Baby Proofing The Nursery

A top priority when baby proofing is to make sure the nursery is a safe and comfortable room for your child. No-tip furniture, cordless window blinds, and smart toy storage are the best features to consider when it comes to the baby's own room.

• Crib. Your baby's main nest should be the safest of all which means it should be free from stuffed animals, pillows, comforters or blankets. Slide your baby’s mattress to the lowest setting as soon as she learns to get up and a mobile over his or her head is unnecessary especially when the baby becomes capable of grabbing it.
• Cordless windows. A baby's hand or neck can easily get caught in cords. All window blinds therefore should be cordless. Windows should also have a window guard to make sure they don't easily open.
• Toy box. An open toy box or large basket is better than one with a lid so toddlers won't climb in and find themselves stuck or to avoid getting their fingers caught in the hinges.

3. Baby Proofing The Bathroom

One of the unsafest places for a baby should be the bathroom. Never leave its door open and make sure to baby proof the following.

• Bathroom floor. Keep the bathroom floor dry at all times. A slippery floor could cause so much trouble even for adults. Rubber mats can come in handy to cover your bathroom floor.
• Toilet seat locks. Installing a safety latch that prevents your busy bee from lifting the lid and peering inside is necessary.
• Cabinet lock. Storing hair dryers and bathroom cleaners in higher shelves is a wise way to keep them out of baby's reach. Having cabinet locks to keep toiletries and medications from a child's easy access is also a wise way to baby proof the bathroom
• Faucet. Children could easily bump their heads on hard faucets so having a spout cover should keep their bath time safe. It is also important to watch their skin from burning on the surface of faucets that have water heater.

4. Baby Proofing The Kitchen And Dining Area

Sharp objects including knives, forks, scissors, pointed ladles plus high heat from the oven and stove are among the obvious reasons the kitchen should be a baby-free zone. Of course this cannot be helped especially when parents have to prepare food. Make sure the following kitchen features are baby proofed.

• Knives and sharp corners of appliances. It's a no no to leave a knife on the kitchen counter or the dining table and make sure they are out of reach in a block that sits on a high drawer with a safety latch. Food processors and blenders should also be kept away from children's sight.
• Kitchen cabinets. A lock should be installed under the sink cabinet and other lower cabinets where cleaning products like cleansers, bleach and other dangerous liquids are normally kept. For extra childproofing, you can store those household products in high-up locked cabinets too.
• Kitchen appliances with plugs and cords. Make sure to unplug kitchen appliances when not in use so that your children's little fingers can't reach them. Keep them safe as well by not leaving dangling cords on kitchen tops and tables or appliances lying around.

• Kitchen counter edges. Keep hot dishes and liquids away from counter edges where they may accidentally fall on your baby. It is also a good idea to avoid using runners and tablecloths because a toddler might easily yank them causing an avalanche of heavy hot kitchen ware to topple.
• Candles and matches. Never leave matches and lit candles in a little one's sight or reach. Keep matches in a high, locked cabinet and never leave a lit candle unattended.

5. Baby Proofing The Living Room

The living room is usually where sharp furniture corners, lamp cords, and fragile housewares are kept. Baby proofing this precious part of your home by going through this checklist.

• Table corners. Keep in mind to cover the corners of tables with sufficient padding to keep running toddlers or babies who are learning to stand up from bumping or running into these pointed corners.
• Lamp cords and other electrical cords. Childproof these homewares by tying up lamp and other gadget cords to keep them out of your baby's grasp. As for cords attached to window coverings, shorten them, attach plastic covers to the ends, and secure them to the wall with a tie-down device.
• Electric fan. It's important to keep these appliances turned off at all times so a curious and unattended child doesn't stick their fingers and cut them with the fan's blades.
• Fragile decor. Part of baby proofing a home is saving some fragile items for when the kids are older. Don't risk the possibility of your child knocking out these items while playing. Keep in mind that when that happens, kids could easily get cut from shattered glass. Mirrors could be mounted or anchored to the wall securely.

Among the many responsibilities of a parent is making sure their home is the safest place to be for their kids. While bumps and bruises are all part of childhood, a parent will do all he or she can to avoid their children from getting hurt. Until your child is old enough to know what's off limits, make sure to practice these baby proofing tips to reinforce a secure home.