Your home contains many hazards that could hurt your baby. Electrical outlets, stairs and your kitchen all pose dangers to small children who aren't yet able to identify and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Babyproofing your home by securing unsafe items and preventing falls and other injuries is an important step in making your home safe for your baby.
Preventing Falls
Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for all children ages 0 to 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Using child safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and placing guards on windows can help prevent injuries due to falls. Falls can also occur if children are not securely strapped into changing tables, high chairs, baby swings or strollers.
Making Dangerous Areas Safer
Your kitchen contains multiple dangers and requires special attention when you are babyproofing. The Home Safety Council recommends keeping cleaning supplies, alcohol and other poisons in a cabinet with a child safety lock or latch to prevent accidental poisoning. Remove knobs from your stove and carefully supervise your child when you are cooking to prevent burns.
Whether you keep prescription and over-the-counter medication in the kitchen or bathroom, it is important to place these products in a locked cabinet or high place inaccessible to your baby. The garage can also be a dangerous place for a young child. Locking away gasoline, car wax, tools and other potentially dangerous items can help reduce the chance that your child will injure himself.
Nursery
Accidents and injuries can also occur in the nursery. Unsafe cribs can pose entrapment dangers for young children if slats are too far apart. Look for a Consumer Product Safety Commission sticker when buying a new crib. If the crib contains the sticker, it meets safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. When buying a used crib, Safe Kids USA recommends that slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart and that there are no sharp pieces that could hurt your baby. Use a crib mattress that fits the crib. If you can fit more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib, the mattress isn't big enough.
Using Home Safety Products
Placing outlet plugs in electrical outlets may prevent your child from placing items in outlets, but your baby may be able to remove the plugs and place them in her mouth, according to BabyCenter. Buying new outlet covers that feature sliding safety latches built into the cover is a better safety choice. Unsteady furniture can easily topple over if your child holds on to furniture while pulling up to standing position. Using brackets that connect the furniture to the wall can help prevent this type of injury.
Choosing Safe Toys
Buying only age-appropriate toys is a good first step in keeping your baby safe. If you have older children, make sure that they put away toys when they are finished playing with them, particularly if the toys contain small pieces that pose a choking hazard. Safe Kids USA suggests using an empty toilet paper roll to determine if a toy could choke your baby. If the toy fits inside the toilet roll, it is too small and shouldn't be used by your child.
