Childproofing Your Home Checklist
Being a new parent is both exciting and scary. From knowing how to bathe your little one to baby-proofing your home, there are so many things to learn. Making sure your home is safe for your curious explorer is easier than you think. Read on to learn some of the best ways to baby-proof your home.
Cover Stove Knobs
As your baby becomes more mobile, they’re going to want to see their world on their terms. Unfortunately, this will probably include the knobs to your stove if they can reach them. Once your baby can stand, it’s a good idea to put protective covers on stovetop knobs, which prevents them from turning. This is particularly important if your stove runs on gas. Since gas is odorless, you might not know it is on until it’s too late. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills hundreds of people every year, so play it safe and cover the knobs.
Install Cabinet Locks
Once your baby is moving, they’ll want to explore everything and everywhere, and this includes your cabinets. While it’s okay for them to open and close the doors while you’re watching, it’s still better to install safety locks to keep babies out of harm’s way. Cabinet locks and latches make it difficult for babies to open and get into potentially dangerous cleaning products.
Protect Power Supplies
While is sounds like common sense, a lot of new parents forget to baby-proof the electrical outlets in their homes. Sadly, fat too many babies end up in the Emergency Room after trying to stick their tiny fingers into the power supply. You can find plastic safety inserts in just about every grocery store, which blocks access to the power supply. If you’re not sure where to find them, or if you have other questions about protecting your baby from electrical injuries, contact an electrical services company for help.
Close the Fridge
The older your baby gets, the more he or she is going to explore. In addition to safeguarding your power supplies and cabinets, you also need to secure your refrigerator door. Latches can easily be installed at the top of the door to keep baby safe.
Bolt Furniture to the Walls
As your baby continues to grow and become fully mobile, their ability to pull themselves up onto furniture will increase as well. With a child being injured every 17 minutes from falling furniture, bolting standing furniture to walls is a must. Dressers and bookshelves should be bolted to the wall, as should other free-standing pieces that can topple over on top of baby.
From scooting to scaling the steps, your baby is now ready to take on the world. Safeguarding your home (#ad) can be done easily in a weekend. Go room by room and make sure that anything and everything on your checklist is baby-proofed and ready for your little explore.
