When your baby's movement skills increase and she is more on the go, your household can present several dangers. From electrical outlets to unsecured cabinets, the home presents several hazards. Babyproofing your home involves considering your child's curiosity and height level in order to prevent accidents from occurring. Taking steps to babyproof every room in the house ensures your peace of mind and your baby's safety.
Survey Your Home
In order to determine what items you will need to babyproof your home, grab and pen and paper and survey each room. Baby Center recommends getting on all fours and evaluating potential hazards. This includes electrical outlets, cabinets and small objects. You also should make sure that your furniture is secure---note any furniture that could fall or tip over easily and make plans to better secure it.
Detectors
In addition to products at your baby's eye level, you also should take basic precautions in regards to smoke and water safety, according to Parents.com. Each floor of your house should have both a carbon monoxide and smoke detector. A fire extinguisher also is needed in your kitchen. You also should set your water heater to less than 120 degrees F. This ensures your child will not be scalded when you are giving her a bath.
Room Considerations
Although it is important to babyproof every room in your home, make special considerations for your bathroom, kitchen and baby's room---these are where he will spend most of his time. Strings can be a hazard in baby's bedroom---evaluate the area around your baby's crib for electrical cords, curtain or blind pulls and strings on toys, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. In addition to safety detectors in the kitchen, utilize only back burners for cooking, wind up any appliance cords and place childproof locks on drawers and cabinets. Wind up any cords in the bathroom, check the water before placing your baby in the tub and never leave your baby unattended.
Tools
A myriad of childproofing items exist to protect your baby from harm. However, not all are needed and can be costly, according to Baby Center. Be aware of a few vital items, however, which are needed to babyproof most homes. These include safety gates, which keep your child in a particular room or prevent her from traveling up and down stairs. An outlet cover is another key tool. Baby Center recommends purchasing outlet covers with a sliding safety latch---babies can remove individual plug-ins. Locks to keep toilet seats, cabinets and drawers closed also are needed---read the instructions carefully on how to properly install.
Expert Insight
Regardless of the steps you take to babyproof your home, remember that watching your child is required at all times. "The best device is still supervision. I'd rather not recommend a product that suggest one that gives parents a false sense of security," said Annie Altman, a Santa Rosa, California-based childproofing consultant on Baby Center.
