4 Ways To Child-Proof Your Home

From the moment that you find out you’re expecting, time starts moving at warp speed. It takes so much time and effort to prepare for your baby’s arrival that it’s easy to overlook some small safety hazards in the home that could potentially cause harm.

That’s why we’re here to share four easy ways to child-proof your home before your new baby arrives. Keep these four tips in mind if you want to make your home as safe as possible!

1. Proof the Bathroom

A lot of people don’t think to babyproof their bathrooms, because they assume that they’ll never let their baby out of their sight. However, it’s easier for babies to wander into dangerous territory than you might think. Get distracted for one minute and your child could be in your bathroom playing with spilled bathroom cleaner bottles, laundry detergent, and bleach.

Nobody wants this situation, so we recommend getting in your bathroom well before your due date and implementing some changes.

Do you have a bulky, container under your sink that holds all of your cleaning products? A baby might be tempted to pull this out from under the sink and investigate what’s inside. Swap it out for an under sink mat, which is less eye-catching to babies. To prevent them from going in the area at all, place a child-proof lock over the under sink door handle. 

We also recommend placing a squishy bathmat on the floor. In case the baby falls, a material softer than wood will catch their fall.

2. Mind The Cupboards

When your baby is crawling around, it will be their first instinct to try to open the cupboards in your kitchen. However, this poses numerous hazards. For example, your baby may accidentally close the cupboards on their finger. Or they may access to some foods they shouldn’t eat yet. 

We recommend investing in cupboard locks. They are a simple and convenient way to keep your child and their fingers out of harm’s way.

3. Watch Your Edges

One of the most popular ways to babyproof your home is to put padding on the edges of your tables. However, a lot of people miss other edges that are around the house.

You should look at your cabinets and TV stands along with your coffee tables. In your bedrooms, it is essential to look at the edges of drawers. All of these items present sharp edges that no baby should touch.

4. Trash The Plastic

Plastic comes in just about everything these days. From Amazon boxes to diapers, plastic is everywhere. However, many people don’t realize just how dangerous plastic is to a baby. Babies have an automatic reflex to place things into their mouths. If they get their hands on plastic, it could become a serious choking hazard.

We recommend getting rid of plastic as soon as it enters the house. At the very least, keep all items that are wrapped in plastic on high shelves that your child cannot reach. For a very safe approach, it is smart to purchase containers made of eco-friendly materials like paper and shop with recyclable bags to lower the amount of plastic that enters your home.

Conclusion

Bringing home a child is one of the most exciting times in your life. However, you also have to be on your toes and spot potential hazards before they could harm your new baby.

If you want to make sure that your home is as safe as possible, we recommend babyproofing at least two months in advance. Check every room for sharp corners, get in the habit of switching from plastic to recyclable materials, and invest in spongy, comfortable mats for padded fall protection.