A Child Proof Home Is Priceless
A child proof home is not only an absolute necessity but is also priceless. Infants have a way of getting into trouble even when they are just a few feet away from their parents. And that is why child proofing is so important.
Every new parent realizes that their number one concern in life is to keep their baby safe. It can seem overwhelming at times because there are just so many areas that can be overlooked. What you might consider baby proofing the baby might consider a fun game. It is imperative that you research and take the advice of experts that have experience in keeping babies safe.
Your first step in your quest to baby proof your house will be to see your house as your baby will see your house. Make no mistake, a baby will see a house with a totally different eye than an adult. If you want to see what your baby sees then get down on your hands and knees and take a tour of your house. Now you will get a baby eyed view of the potential hazards that you might miss from 6 feet up. All of a sudden electrical outlets look right at eye level…danger! There might be electrical cords hanging down from lamps or appliances that can easily be looped around a little neck…danger! Tables and chairs that you never gave a second thought about seem to have corners that have jagged like points…danger! You will need to remove anything that can harm your child.
The number one hazard that you must include on your childproofing list is anything that can cause your baby to stop breathing. Hanging cords, standing water, or slotted railings can cause great harm before you realize anything is wrong. You should have these hazards removed or neutralized before the baby is brought home from the hospital.
Always remember that as soon as infants can crawl they will be on the move constantly. It is never wise to leave the child unattended. Babies have a way of getting into things that can get them in trouble. You will need to move all items that can break or shatter out of the reach of your child. Remember that a baby will put everything and anything they can into their mouths. This means that you will have to remove everything from the babies reach that they can put in their mouths. A good way of testing if something has the potential to go in the babies mouth is to see if it fits inside the cardboard tube of a roll of paper towels. If it fits then it will fit in the babies mouth.
There are a lot of baby proofing products out in the market. Many of these products are very useful when your goal is to have a child proof home. Just about everybody is familiar with baby gates and they should definitely be on your shopping list. These gates are the perfect item to block your toddlers path from places they shouldn’t go. Do you think having a baby safety gate at the top of a staircase is a good idea? How about blocking the access to the door of a bathroom where there is a water hazard in the toilet? Gates are not expensive and you should get plenty of them and use them liberally.
When baby proofing your house you will be using ideas that were thought of 70 years ago and some that are just now becoming mainstream. One golden oldie that every house that has an infant needs to use is electric outlet covers. You remember these! They are plastic plugs that go into the eclectic outlet and prevents the child from sticking their tiny little fingers in the outlet. A great way to avoid your baby getting shocked. There is also a neat little child safety product known as the electric outlet lock. This interesting device works along the same line as prescription drug containers. In order to plug anything into the outlet you need to insert the plug and then turn it. Most infants cannot accomplish this task. Problem solved!
Kids will be kids and that means that they will find ways of putting themselves in danger despite your best efforts. The very last thing you want to see happen as a parent is a child open a window and fall out. Or the child is able to open a door, go outside, wander around the streets, and get into real dangerous situations. There are gadgets that can prevent these types of unwanted situations from occurring. You might see something in the store you can buy called a tot lok. Or child proof locks are a very useful item to have in your home. Child safety items to help child proof your home is a necessity.
There are all types of babyproofing products that you can buy to help you with your baby proof home. There are child proof locks, child safety latches, and door knob covers. There are items that will cover up the sharp edges of tables and other furniture, electrical outlet covers, and cord retractors for window blinds. While we are on this subject, before purchasing window blinds you should make 100% sure that the cords that come with them are the break away type. This way if you babies head get caught in the cord they won’t suffocate…the cord will break away.
Many new parents worry about their babies slipping through or getting caught in the banisters of a staircase. There is a product that is very much like deck netting that you can attach to the railing that will take care of this problem. If you live in a 2 story house then this must be on your baby proofing checklist.
Speaking of a baby proofing checklists there are plenty of them available from people who make it their business to help further the cause of child safety. Check online or with your pediatrician or local hospital for a free copy of one.
Danger lurks in the nursery. Perhaps the one thing that new parents do to endanger the infant without realizing it is to place stuffed animals or pillows in the crib with the baby. It is very easy for these “cute” items to suffocate a small child.
The kitchen is an extremely dangerous place for young children. Make sure to put all items that contain chemicals, including all cleaners, way out of the grasp of your child. Most kitchen appliance have electrical cords which must be stowed away and not left hanging over counters. You should never leave your infant in the kitchen without an adult being present.
The safest child proof home is one where the parents will take the time to eliminate any and all threats to the safety of the child. Sometimes it might be inconvenient and sometimes it might make you put away items that you want out. But in the end a child proof home is more important than any inconvenience!