Let me preface this post by saying that I’m not an expert in baby-proofing by any means, but I do have a toddler, so I’ve seen my fair share. That said, for the moms/dads of our tiniest homeowners, I’ve pulled together my most useful baby-proofing items with sources and compiled more ideas from other blogs. Let’s get started.
The number one thing that I’ve read is to literally crawl around and act like a baby. What could they put in their mouths (because they will, literally everything a teething baby can get it’s hands will be covered with baby drool)? Where will they crawl/walk to? Are there stairs? Is there a sharp corner at eye level? How about large tippy dresser to pull up on? Imagine the possibilities and then do your best to prevent them from occurring.
1. Baby Gate
Do you have stairs? Or, a room that a baby shouldn’t go into? Then, you need a baby gate. At least one baby gate at that. If you have two finished levels with stairs, you should have two gates. One for the top of the stairs and one for the bottom of the stairs. Make sure that the gate you buy is specifically labeled for the stair location where it will be at.
2. Anti-Tip Kit
Your little one is bound to use a piece of furniture at one point or another to pull itself up with. You might think that heavy-duty dresser you bought is sturdy enough and it won’t fall down, I wouldn’t trust it. Try pulling out a draw and sitting in it – I bet it gets a bit tippy. That said, any piece of furniture that can tip should be anchored to the wall on stud. So, get yourself a stud-finder and get your self an anti-tip kit.
3. Magnetic Locking System
Once you have a crawler, or maybe even a roller, you had better make sure your cabinets are securely locked if you don’t want a baby getting into them. Think about what you have. Are you okay with your baby playing with Tupperware, then fine, keep it open. But, if you have heavy pots and pans or even toxic chemicals, you had better get that locked up. I found that this magnetic system was a great option for us. It was easy to use and didn’t look “baby-proof” on the exterior.
4. Corner Guards
Toddlers start to toddle at one point or another, and with that comes lots of bonks. If you have any sharp corners at head level, make sure to soften the blow a bit with some corner guards. Just make sure to research what ones you want to use, as some of these can cause damage to furniture finishes.
5. Bath Spout Cover
Baths can be so much fun, there are toys, bubbles, maybe even crayons, but there is also a spout. That spout can mean more bonks. Even if you watch your little one like a hawk, they can still be pretty fast and easily conk their head on the bath spout. For a little reassurance, I like this one.
There are several other ways to baby-proof your home, here are a couple more helpful resources:
ConsumerSafety.org: This one is thorough and gets its facts straight from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Lifehacker.com: This one is great, because it talks about child-proofing at all ages and it’s a visually appealing infographic, that always helps!
I hope you found some useful information for yourself or for a friend. Let me know if you think I missed anything that you’ve found essential in baby-proofing. Happy Tuesday!