Baby, Toddler and Child Proofing Your Home - The How-To Guide

By Jennifer Sprague, High Top Baby Designs

From the time your baby first rolls over, one of your first thoughts for them turns to there safety. Because if your like me, I did not even think about baby, child or toddler proofing my house till then. When starting to think about baby/child proofing, there is just so much to think about, and consider. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed and possibly overlook something.

From baby gates, to the gadgets out there, to locking cabinets and turning away pot handles, there's just so much to know and remember. I am going to try to touch on many of them below, but all in all it comes down to alot of common sense.

One of the first things you will want to do initially is an inventory of your home. This is best done on all fours; I have also found it beneficial to bring a pen and peice of paper down with me, I then can write down items that you would like to get or things I would like to move. Crawling around, might seem weird, but you need to get a "kids" view of your home. When on your knees there's alot more "interesting" stuff in your home than you might think. You will want to pay particular attention to the rooms and area's that your baby/toddler will be in the most; such as the nursery, or play room.

Some questions to ask yourself during this "knee's eye view" are:

  • Are there important books, breakables, or other items that I treasure with in hands reach? (Yes, I do mean your arms reach, while your arm span will be longer than your child's you will be amazed at how your child will find ways to get to things that you think are back on shelves far enough, so these items should be moved to high places or into another room.)
  • Are there cords from blinds hanging down? (Blind cords can be a major choking hazard.)
  • Does your furniture have sharp corners? (Your baby why learning to walk, could fall and hurt himself on corners.)
  • Are there any electrical outlets down with in babies view? (Electrical outlets could cause electrocution, when little fingers can get to them.)
  • Are there any small items that are laying on or near the floor? (Babies can choke very easily, on things that you would not think a problem. The rule of thumb is if it can fit in a toilet paper tube, it is to small for little hands.)
  • Is your "baby area" in or near a kitchen? (If so think about putting up items that maybe under your sink, or putting a baby lock on those cabinets.)

The next area to think about is, products.

There are so many on the market today, it's hard to know what your going to need and what you can leave behind. The inventory of your house will be vital.

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