Having a baby in your home presents a special kind of challenge. Whether there’s a new baby in your family or one is just coming for a visit, your living spaces need to be modified to accommodate a baby. Taking steps to babyproof your home is essential to an infant’s safety.
Secure Dangerous Chemicals to Babyproof Your Home
Babies have a lot to learn about the world around them, so they explore it any chance they get. Once they’re crawling or walking, they’ll get into every cabinet and drawer that isn’t locked.
Some of those storage areas may contain household chemicals that are dangerous or deadly, so it’s important to store those items elsewhere or secure the storage spaces.
Keep any hazardous products, including cleaning supplies, paint, medications, and even spices on high shelves. If that’s not possible, get baby-proof locks to make sure that even the most persistent toddler can’t get into these spaces.
Stabilize the Furniture
Babies transition from crawling to walking by pulling themselves up using nearby objects. They need help and don’t understand the danger of grabbing bookshelves, dressers, or chairs in their efforts to stand up.
Furniture that can easily fall over should be securely anchored to the wall. Purchase an anti-tip kit at your local hardware store. Remove floor lamps and other items that cannot easily be secured to the floor or a wall. Also, make sure smaller items like picture frames and candles are out of the baby’s reach.
Block Doorways and Steps to Babyproof Your Home
Falls are a leading cause of injury for children. Babies and toddlers don’t understand the risk associated with heights, so they may crawl, walk, or even roll to a step and fall over it. Even a fall from a short distance can cause injury.
Keep doors leading to stairs closed at all times. For open staircases, install child safety gates. Check them often to make sure they are still sturdy and secure. Doors leading into rooms like bathrooms and laundry rooms should also be kept closed.
Keep Dangerous Items Out of Reach
Infants are curious and want to explore. They don’t see a knife on the kitchen table; they see something shiny. Their natural curiosity leads them to grab items that catch their eye.
As you work through the process of babyproofing your home, look for items that could be dangerous. Kitchen utensils, tools, and even pens and pencils can cause injuries.
Create baby-proof storage areas in higher locations and in secured drawers where those items can be kept. Fragile items like glass or ceramics should be stored on higher shelves or packed away until the baby is older.
Babyproofing your home is essential, and with these few simple steps, you’ll be off to a good start at keeping little ones safe.
Precision Home Inspectors provides inspection services to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Contact us to schedule an appointment.