When your baby is still in your tummy, he is in the safest haven possible. Once the baby is born, it is up to us the parents to create the safe haven for him. Now that my baby toddler is walking steadily, he’s curiously exploring every corner of the house. My mission is to create the safest haven for my baby to explore so that means it’s time to kick start baby proofing the house. Let’s go!
Step 1: Get on all four
Stoop down to your baby’s level. Look at the world through his eyes. Take a look and list down what can potentially harm / injure him. Scan the room from up to down, then clockwise in all directions. Make sure you don’t miss out any corner.
Step 2: Identify the danger
Have a look on your list and identify potential dangers. We are going to rank them in priorities from high to low according to the level of danger they might impose. My big eight dangers you need to tackle are any risk related to suffocation, choking, burns, cuts, height, electricity, water (slip injury and drowning) and poison.
Step 3: Get the baby proofing tools ready and installed
Do your research and purchase the baby proofing items. Most of the furniture we had in our apartment are built-ins. As for the other movable furniture, check whether it is stable and if it is easy to topple over. We avoid furniture or cabinets that are easy to climb. Our televisions are mounted into the wall.
Step 4: Seal or lock any openings possible at your home
This applies to all windows, cabinet doors and all sorts of doors. You need to ensure they are inaccessible to your child. All electrical plug openings should be covered with an electric outlet cover.
Step 5: Constantly review your baby proofing plan
You should always be on guard. Toddlers have an amazing power to find troubles. Your job is not done once you have done the first round of baby proofing. Constantly review and up your baby proofing plan if necessary. Don’t ever let your guard down. Unfortunate events can happen anytime, anywhere.
These are my five easy to follow steps to create a safe haven for your baby and truly baby proofing the house. Now, let’s move on to see how I handled the eight big dangers at home and how I baby proofed my home.
Disclosure: All the product reviews are based on my own opinion and I’m not paid for it. This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links with no additional costs to you. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How do I baby proof my home against suffocation risk?
In the baby cot, check that the mattress is firm enough and try not anything soft for example blanket or soft toys. Any soft items even cot bumpers can impose suffocation risk to your baby. In order to minimize the suffocation risk, I am using BabySense movement monitor and Airwrap mesh cot bumpers.
Baby Sense monitors are placed under the baby mattress to detect movements. If there’s no movement or extremely slow movement, the alarm will go off.
As my baby is constantly getting his leg trapped between the cot bumpers, I have no choice but to put cot bumpers in. Thankfully, Airwrap mesh cot bumpers are breathable, so it does not impose a suffocation risk compared to a normal cot bumper.
How do I baby proof my home against choking risk?
Every baby loves putting everything they can get their hands on into their mouth. It is a part of their learning journey and we can’t stop that. Hence, everything that can come loose and smaller than my baby’s fist is a risk for me. There is no other way but to constantly clean the house and look for any potential loose items that may impose a risk.
I make sure that my son’s toys are all screwed tightly. Batteries are one of the biggest choking hazards to babies. I constantly check my baby’s toy to ensure no parts are loose. I usually buy branded toys to avoid poor workmanship. Follow the age instruction on the toy’s manual carefully.
How do I baby proof my home against the risk of injuries, getting burnt and cuts?
Remove the table clothes. Make sure the baby does not have any chance to come close to the hot water kettle, iron, gas stove etc. In order to cordon off the kitchen, we installed a baby safety gate at our kitchen. We are currently using the Munchkin Auto Close Baby Gate. I personally find them pretty sturdy.
It includes an extension so it can fit the door up till 37.8 inches width. You will need to pull and lift the door in order to open it, so your toddler probably won’t be able to figure that out for quite a while.
We store all sharp objects including knives in the kitchen. Hence, the fence of the kitchen needs to be sturdily built and difficult to access for the toddler.
However, there’s also some furniture edge that can be sharp and can impose a cut hazard for your baby. For all these sharp corners, I am using the table corner protectors that are made of foams. I preferred these soft ones as they will prevent bruises shall my baby accidentally bump into the furniture.
Remove all glass / mirror furniture at your home. Make sure all the flower vases and pots are out of your baby’s reach. If these decorative vases are not necessary, I’ll suggest you put them away.
This Clippasafe finger protecting door hinge guard is an absolute life safer! My toddler really likes hanging around the main door especially when he hears his daddy coming home from work. With this hinge guard, it eliminated one of my biggest worry. The fear of my toddler getting his fingertip caught between the doors.
How do I baby proof against height?
Depending on your window type, there’s different window guards or window safety latch that you can install. However, as we are not able to install the window guard at our apartment all windows are sealed temporarily with zip ties. Then whenever we need to open the window, we just have to cut and then reseal them with zip ties. If your house has stairs, ensure to install baby gates on the staircase as well to avoid any risk of falling from a height. I also ensure my furniture and cabinets are impossible to climb on to avoid any risk.
How do I baby proof my home against electric shock risk?
We put electric covers on the electric plugs whether they are used or not. Whenever possible, the cables are all tied up and arranged to be out of reach. If possible, use outlet cover with built in cord shortener. Ensure all electrical appliances are out of reach from your child as well, as much as you can.
How do I baby proof my home against water- related (drowning, slip and fall) risk?
Toilet is one of the most dangerous places at home for your baby apart from the kitchen. To ensure there is no drowning risk at all, never leave your child unattended when your child has some business to do in the toilet. When there is no need for your child to be in the toilet, you should lock the toilet door to cut off the access. Depending on your door’s design, different types of lock can be installed to block off access for your child.
How do I baby proof my home against poisoning risk?
So many different items at your home can impose a poisoning risk to your child. It includes any kind of medicine, toiletries, cleaning detergents or household products. Make sure all these products are kept out of reach preferably in a locked drawer. Buy products that have child resistant packaging on it whenever possible. You can use cabinet locks to lock the drawers. Do not reuse any food packaging to store chemicals or poisons. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
At the end of the day, the most effective way of protecting your baby is constant supervision
It all boils down to supervision. Do not leave your child unattended. If you need to do your own business, put your child somewhere near where you can still keep an eye on them if possible. There’s just too many risks and hazards. When your child can understand words, educating them on what is safe and what is not is important. While they are still young, then it is very important for you to baby proof and create a safe haven in your home. I hope this article has been helpful in providing some tips on baby proofing your home.
You can find other parenting articles here. Leave me a comment below if you have something else to add to my list, I’d love that!
Parenting Pain: Be prepared to buy some spares. Your child is going to be curious about the locks / latch and keep pulling on them.
Featured image photo credit by Tatiana Syrikova on Pexels ( 2020)