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Once your baby starts being able to move around on his own, you will need to become an instant expert on the art of childproofing. It is best to begin as soon as possible, since even the tiniest children can surprise you with their ability to get into things better left untouched by baby hands (or mouths). But – it’s all so complicated! Just where – and how – to begin? Well, you might start with investigating this short list of baby-proofing essentials.
1. Safety Gates – a must-have if you have stairs in your house. Always install hardware-mounted gates at the top of stairs where a baby might fall. Pressure-mounted gates are only for the foot of stairs (where you are trying to prevent baby from climbing up) or for use as a temporary doorway barrier (if, for example, you’re trying to keep baby out of the kitchen while you’re cooking).
2. Rail Nets – if you have a staircase with a banister railing, you will need to install one of these (usually made of mesh netting or heavy plastic sheeting) in order to prevent baby from falling through or getting their heads trapped between rails. These should also be used on outdoor decks with rails.
3. Furniture Straps/Anchors – these should be used to anchor all topheavy pieces of furniture (bookshelves, dressers, or anything at all prone to tip over if a child should attempt to climb it) or heavy appliances like TV sets or computers.
4. Electrical Outlet Covers – use these on all open outlets (ones which do not have appliances plugged into them at all times) in the house. You should also look into getting cord covers if you have any electrical cords out in the open where baby might get into them. (When possible, hide cords behind furniture or tuck them out of the way.)
5. Cabinet Locks – these prevent babies from opening cabinet doors – an absolute must in bathrooms, kitchens, and anywhere hazardous materials (cleaning fluids, medicines, etc.) might be stored.
6. Drawer Locks or Latches – these prevent baby fingers from getting pinched in drawers or investigating forbidden contents.
7. Appliance Locks or Straps – these prevent baby from opening large appliances such as the oven or refrigerator.
8. Toilet Locks – this device allows you to keep the toilet lid down until you choose to open it. This not only prevents baby from throwing anything and everything (socks, watches, the cat) into the toilet, but guards against baby accidentally climbing up and somehow falling in. Babies’ heads are very heavy in proportion to their bodies and they cannot easily lift them, so they should never be left alone around even a small amount of water. Also, a toilet lid could fall and hit baby’s head or hands, so it is better to keep the lid clamped down when not in use.
9. Scalding Prevention Devices – there are a number of thermometers or other devices to tell you when bath water is too hot, and you will definitely need to invest in one of those. (This is actually the first safety device you should purchase, as you will need it as soon as you bring baby home from the hospital.) Babies’ skin is far more sensitive than adults’. So what feels like a comfortably warm shower to us could actually burn a baby and will certainly cause him to scream in pain.
10. Blind Safety Devices – the looped cords on blinds can strangle a child. You should always cut these and tie each piece separately, then roll up the cords out of the way. There are various devices you can purchase to help you make a neater job of this if you like, or, if you really want a safe option, you can replace all blinds with vinyl roller shades.
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