Top baby-proofing tips can help you a lot
Tips on Baby-proofing Your Space
- When you get inside the car, secure your baby in the baby car seat before you speed on.
- Every time you take your baby out of your house, there’s always that fear if the outdoors is safe for your baby.
- When you’re sleeping in someone else’s house, the facilities are different and you probably have a lot of adjustments to do.
- If you’re in a building, in a hotel, know where the escape routes are and the emergency exits so you’ll know where to run your baby for safety.
- For your toddlers who are already running loose the moment you turn your back, it’s important that you make sure that the area has no sharp corners and dangerous bumps or holes, electrical outlets which are not properly kept, and slippery floors.
- When dining, you can make sure your baby is secured with the baby chair’s strap.
- Keep all bottles out of baby’s reach.
Baby-Proofing Your Home Tips
Apply plugs or safety covers in all electrical outlets.
Install latches on all cabinets and drawers within baby's reach and make sure that all knobs, pulls, and knockers are secure and can't be pulled off.
Wind up all dangling cords, wiring, and tassels. Move electrical cords and wiring behind furniture where they cannot be reached.
Install stove knob covers, stove top protectors, and oven locks if necessary.
Remove all heavy, small, breakable, or valuable objects that may be toppled off tabletops; and any space heaters, fans, or other hazards that can be reached.
Move houseplants out of reach.
Anchor all bookcases, shelves, dressers, and floor lamps to walls.
Use corner covers to pad sharp edges on furniture, railings, etc.
Use door stops to prevent open doors from slamming shut on your baby.
Install and use locks or hook-and-eye sets onto doors so your baby can't get into the pantry, bathroom, basement, or other rooms. Sliding door locks are also available.
Install gates to block access to stairways, fireplaces, and all other hazards. Some gates can be installed without drilling holes in walls or door jams.
Dump out any buckets containing water and remove or block access to any other standing water such as toilets and fish tanks. Infants can drown in as little as two inches of water, and according to the CPSC, fifty young children drown every year in buckets containing water used for mopping floors and other household chores. Install a banister guard or safety net to a balcony or railing that is not child-safe.
Install window guards, which will prevent low windows from opening more than six inches.
Make sure that all your baby equipment and toys meet current safety standards. Visit the CPSC Website for updates on product safety.
Stock your house with first aid supplies. Ask your doctor what he or she recommends you include for your baby.
Install smoke detectors in the hallway near every bedroom and one near the kitchen. Check them monthly to be sure they're working properly and change the batteries every six months. A working smoke detector cuts the chances of dying in a fire in half.
Have your home checked for lead and asbestos.
Test your water. Depending on the results, consider installing a purifier or talk to your doctor about sterilizing your baby's bottles and pacifiers.
via parentingweekly
Baby-proofing Hotel Room Tips
- If you are going to stay in a hotel that does not offer these services, you will need to bring your own baby-proofing equipment.
- Make sure that you inspect the room carefully, including an inspection of the floor for loose staples or lost buttons that the sweeper might have missed.
- Many hotels are able to provide traveling families with cribs; however, many are not up to current standards.
- It is important to remember that the water temperature in your hotel may not be set for the same temperature as your home thermostat.
- If your baby is old enough to pull himself up to a standing position, be sure to protect the sharp corners on nightstands and dressers.
tips to keep in mind when buying a home
- In older homes, especially those built before 1978, you'll want to know that there is no lead paint.
- Another concern in older homes is asbestos. This substance can be found in floor tiles, insulation, and fireproofing. You'll want to insure that asbestos is not in your home, or will be professionally removed prior to moving in.
- All homes, new or older, need to be checked for radon. Simple kits are available for consumers.
- Plumbing, wiring, and heating systems should be inspected as well for any potential safety problems. .
- Appliances can be checked out for problems, too, and make certain there have been no product recalls for safety reasons.
- Mold is everywhere and virtually impossible to eradicate entirely, but mold can be a serious health concern.
- If the home has a well, have the water checked for pesticides, contaminants, and lead. .
- Check out the Environmental Protection Agency website for more information.
- Other concerns for parents when looking at homes to buy include the layout of the outdoor environment for their children.
- Inside the home, will it be easy to restrict little ones' entrance to less safe areas of the home, like the garage, kitchen and laundry rooms through the use of doors or gates?
- Are stairways able to be safely barred with gates?
- Windows, particularly those on second floors, must be secured so that children cannot fall through them or injure themselves trying to put them up or down.
About the list
