DIY Baby Proofing
When you bring a new baby home, everything changes. Suddenly you need to look at your home through new eyes. Things that were not hazards before can be life-threatening to a baby. Sure, you would never stick a fork in an electrical outlet or touch a hot stove but your baby does not know better and once he becomes mobile, watch out. As a parent, it's your job to remove and and all hazards from the path of your little one. By doing this, you ensure his safety and your peace of mind.
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Things You'll Need
- Smoke detectors
- Carbon monoxide detectors
- Fire extinguishers
- Batteries
- Cabinet safety latches
- Door safety latches
- Drawer safety latches
- Electrical outlet safety covers
- Cord shorteners
- Baby gates
- Stove knob covers
- Faucet and knob covers
- Toilet lid latch
- Cord protectors
Instructions
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A baby in the house increases the need to be prepared for emergencies. Prepare for general emergencies. Equip your home with general safety items such as smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors. If you already have these items, make sure they are in proper working order and that they have new batteries. Post emergency numbers next to the telephone, take an infant CPR/first-aid class and keep a first aid kit on hand.
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Children often mistake colorful pills for candy. Remove toxic items from your baby's reach. That includes houseplants, medications, vitamins, detergents, soaps, cleaning products and alcohol. Medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, are best kept in a safety-latched cabinet well out of his reach. Anything toxic should be in a locked closet or in cupboards with child-safety latches.
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Thousands of children per year are injured by unsecured electrical outlets. Prevent your baby from coming in contact with electricity. Install safety covers for all electrical outlets. Use cord-shorteners to store excess lengths of cord.
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An unsecured staircase is an accident waiting to happen. Secure all staircases. Before your baby is mobile, you need to install baby gates at the tops and bottoms of all staircases. It only takes a split-second for him to lose his footing and take a tumble.
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Stoves are a potential hazard when you have a toddler in the house. Place stove-knob covers on your stove. Toddlers are fascinated with knobs that twist and turn so you need to make sure your stove is secure from exploring little hands.
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Toddlers love to explore unsecured toilets. Secure your bathroom. Install a toilet lock to keep curious toddlers from playing in the toilet. Turn your hot water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns from hot water. Install faucet and knob covers to prevent baby from running his own bath.
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Cords that hang loose from blinds are a big no-no. Secure cords from blinds with cord protectors. Hanging cords of any kind pose a risk of strangulation, so secure these for the safety of your baby.
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Secure doors and drawers with childproof latches. It only takes a split-second for your child to pull a drawer out and right onto his toes or for him to quietly open a closet door and access items you thought were safely out of his reach. Childproof latches keep him out of nooks and crannies where he doesn't need to be.
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Tips & Warnings
Every house is different so you may have unique situations not addressed here. Look at your home through new eyes by crawling around on hands and knees and see what attracts your attention.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Full House Images/Photodisc/Getty Images fire extinguisher image by Chris Roselli from Fotolia.com medication, yellow tablet image by Astroid from Fotolia.com electricity image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com wooden staircase image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com detail of classical cooking stove image by Tomo Jesenicnik from Fotolia.com disables bathroom image by Wolszczak from Fotolia.com venetian blind. image by guiney from Fotolia.com
