Tips for Baby Proofing Your Home

It’s the parent’s job in life to keep your baby as safe as possible but to allow him or her to grow and develop normally.  Baby proofing your home allows you some peace of mind and keeps the most dangerous hazards away from baby and protects objects you care about from being damaged by the baby.  You begin the process by getting down to floor level and thinking from a baby’s point of view. 

Pay attention to sharp or small items. If an item is less than one and a half inches around, a baby can swallow it and possibly choke.  This includes things like cigarette butts, coins, paper clips, staples, dust balls or other small items.  Make sure the knobs on your VCR/DVD player or television don’t come off as baby will pull them off and swallow them.  Keep scissors, razor blades or knives far from the baby and throw away any sharp or broken objects—not just in the waste basket but outside in the garbage bin.

Watch out for Electrical Sockets. These can be covered with plastic outlet plugs that protect baby from electrocution.  You should tape down any electrical cords and put things like fans up and out of the way.

Keep away Poisons. Cleaning items and chemicals belong up high and are not safe behind a cupboard latch.  Nevertheless, put cupboard latches on everything else to keep baby out of things in the kitchen. Children can easily drink poisons because, to them, everything has the potential to taste good. When baby proofing your home don’t forget that some house plants are dangerous if eaten so call your local extension office to find out if any plants you have are poisonous and keep away any plants you’re not sure about.  Pour left over alcoholic beverages out as soon as possible as baby can become alcohol-poisoned very quickly.  Cigarettes are also poisonous if left out for baby to get into. 

Lock your Medicine Cabinets. Never take medications yourself in front of a child and don’t tell your toddler that medications are just like “candy”. Simple medications like ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen are very dangerous if taken in moderate to large amounts.  Keep the number of your local poison control center handy and have a bottle of syrup of ipecac in the medicine cabinet but don’t use it unless poison control tells you to.

Hot Foods can be Dangerous. Microwaved food can be dangerously hot so always test it before giving it to your child.  Place pot handles toward the inside or back of the stovetop so that the baby doesn’t reach up and pull a hot item down.

Beware of Plastic bags. Dry-cleaning bags can be particularly dangerous as can bags from the grocery store.  Rubber balloons, when deflated, can easily choke a child.  Throw away any broken or deflated balloons as soon as you find them.

Be wary of Stairs. Put child safety gates on the top and on the bottom of stairwells to keep baby from falling down the stairs.

Take care of Valuables. Put valuable items away in a closet or secure drawer so baby can’t damage or break them.