About Baby Safety Guards

The best thing you can do as a parent is create a safe environment for your baby to live in. Look around your home and be aware of things that could be dangerous for your baby. Baby safety guards are special products designed to "baby proof" your home. These products prevent babies and small children from hurting themselves--burning their hands, playing with outlets and falling down stairs. By using baby safety guards, you can ensure that your baby will be safe. Remember, a baby is always safest under adult supervision.

Gates

As soon as your baby begins to crawl, you will need to purchase baby gates. Use gates to block stairways and doors. If you cannot close your bathroom door for any reason, such as pets that need to get in, leave it open and place a baby gate across the entrance. Do the same thing for any room that you do not want the baby to venture into. When installing, face the side with the lock away from the baby. Test the gate with a few pushes to make sure it is secure.

Banisters

If you have stairs in your home, you may consider purchasing safety banisters. These pieces are clear and they slide in between each stairway banister. Sometimes small children and babies will put their heads and other body parts in between stair banisters and get stuck, or fall through. These prevent that from happening. They also prevent toys from falling through the stairs--causing the child to try to get down the stairs to retrieve them.

Outlet Plugs

Outlet plugs are one of the most popular baby guards. These plugs slide into unused outlets. When installing these plugs, check to make sure they are firmly and tightly secured. Tug on them slightly to make sure the baby cannot pull them out. Clear or white colored plugs are better, because they will not draw attention. Do not use colored plugs, or put stickers or anything on them that will draw attention to them. Cover all unused plug-ins throughout the home. These baby guards prevent babies and children from putting small objects into the outlets, which could cause electrocution.

Door Latches

Door latches are used to keep doors, windows, toilets, drawers and other things in the home closed. A small child or baby could fall into a toilet and drown. Also, cabinets containing harmful chemicals could hurt a baby. It is best to keep these items stored high--if you cannot, always use a door latch. The latches work by holding two surfaces together.

Tips

The surest way to keep your baby safe is by supervising him. Always read instructions and warnings on the labels of all baby safety guard products. Test the products weekly to make sure they are still working properly. Do not use second-hand products, which may be old and may not work properly. The newest products on the market are the best--they meet current safety standards. Old products may not.

References

• Safe and Sound for Baby
• Baby Safety Banisters