10 tips for baby proofing your home
Expecting a new arrival? You might be tempted to put off baby proofing your home until your little one starts to move around by themselves. But it’s a good idea to get ahead of the curve by identifying possible hazards before accidents happen. Here are 10 home safety tips to help you ‘baby-proof’ your home.
Eliminate trip hazards
You might think it’s too early but accidents can happen while you’re pregnant or carrying your new baby. Secure rugs so you don’t trip, put a non-slip bath mat in the bath and tuck away loose wires and cables that could be potential hazards.
Before baby becomes mobile
Once baby arrives, you’re likely to be more alert to danger spots in the home. Ensure baby seats, Moses baskets and cots are always fixed and on stable surfaces. Make sure there are no small objects within reach of little hands such as toys belonging to older siblings. Don’t leave loose items or blankets in baby’s cot at night.
After baby becomes mobile
This is where things REALLY get interesting! Once they are able to pull themselves up and grab hold of things, there’s a lot of potential for mishaps. Pre-empt this by securing wires and cables, stabilizing furniture and putting breakable items up high out of reach.
Go cordless
There have been serious incidents involving blind cords so these are very important to secure. Fit safety winders to the cords to wind them up out of reach, safe away from your child.
Cut corners
Many items of furniture come with sharp edges which can injure your little ‘wobbler’ if they fall on them. ClevaMama’s Corner Cushions stick on easily with double sided tape and provide soft cushioning protection to keep your little one safe from harm.
Anchor furniture
Babies love to pull themselves up while using furniture to hang onto. Not a good idea if you have a tall unit or heavy bookcase that could topple over on them. Make sure these are safely secured to the wall.
Guard against Fireplaces
The dangers of fireplaces are two-fold. First, there is the fire, which you don’t want your little one anywhere near, so invest in a fireguard, preferably one that will cover the full fireplace and can be secured to the wall. If you just have a small fireguard, which leaves the fireplace exposed, you will also need to guard against any sharp edges here too.
Cover electrical sockets
Traditionally, electrical sockets are located close to the floor. Which is in easy reach for your child. They may be tempted to stick little fingers into the holes so cover these with socket covers. Our Home Safety Starter Kit contains 12 of these along with a host of other useful items to keep your little one safe.
Secure doors
Small children can easily catch their fingers in the doors so anchor them firmly with a door stop or a use clip-on cushion to stop the door closing fully and trapping little fingers. Our Home Safety Starter Kit also contains one of these.
Baby gates
Babies and toddlers love to explore and the stairs can be a magnet. Invest in a baby gate to make sure they can’t get to them.
We hope this guide is of help. Baby-proofing your home will give you peace of mind and provide a safe space for your little one.
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