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Babyproof: Seven Tips for a Safe Home!

Before your baby came along, your ornate wood stove was a cozy feature and your standing Tiffany lamp was a lovely accent piece. But now, they’re potential hazards. As a parent, one of the first tasks on your plate is making sure that your home is safe for your baby. Here are a few tips on how to do it.

Baby crib safety. As a newborn, your baby will spend a lot of time in its crib. This is the first place you must make safe. The safety standards for crib manufacturers have been in place since 1974, so it’s best not to buy a crib made before this date. Babies can suffocate easily, so make sure there’s no space between the mattress and bed frame that the baby could roll into. The mattress should be firm, and avoid putting pillows, stuffed animals, toys, thick blankets, or plastic sheets in the bed with your child.

Look out for small objects. To you, your grandmother’s antique engagement ring is a beloved keepsake. To your baby, it’s a shiny object to swallow. Babies love to put things in their mouths. Do a regular sweep of your house to make sure there are no small objects lying around that could present a choking hazard. These can include coins, tacks, hard candies, small knick-knacks, balloons, batteries, and jewelry.

Tie off cords. Cords from drapes and window blinds can be a hazard to babies and toddlers. Check your window treatments for dangling cords and pulls, and remove them or tie them off high enough so the baby can’t reach them. Be especially careful of cords around the baby’s crib. In general, it’s best to keep cribs away from windows.

Electrical appliances. Babies can chew or trip over electrical cords, so it’s best to keep these inaccessible. Be careful of heavy appliances near the edges of counters or tables, and cover your wall sockets with plastic safety plates.

Protect against scalding. Set your hot water heater to 120ºF or below to prevent scalding burns. Keep pot lids facing inward on the stove, and on the back burners. Keep your child out of the kitchen when you’re cooking. Never hold hot drinks or food near your baby, and keep the baby out of the bathroom while you’re using a hot appliance such as a curling iron or hair straightener. Put a baby-safe fence around hot wood stoves, fireplaces, and radiators.

Watch heavy objects. Look out for heavy or breakable objects on low shelves or in places where they could fall on a child. Keep fragile vases and other items out of reach in a secure place. Bookshelves should be bolted to walls, and the books should be set far back in the shelves so they’re more difficult to knock over. Make sure your television is secure and won’t tip off its cart or table. In general, avoid wheeled carts for your TV.

Protect against drowning. Keep the bathroom doors closed at all times. Never leave your child alone near a full bath tub, a toilet, a full sink, or any other standing water.

Pad hard edges. Some furniture can have hard edges that a child could trip and fall on. These should be removed or padded with soft edge guards.

Keep toxic substances behind locked doors. Keep household cleaners, detergents, bug sprays, and other items you wouldn’t want your child to ingest in a locked cabinet. Keep medications and other products in containers with child-proof safety lids.

Keep house plants out of reach. The leaves of some plants can be toxic to children. In addition, house plants can be a tipping hazard. Heavy pots can fall off tables and break, possibly injuring a child. Keep your house plants in a safe place.

Use baby gates. Baby gates can be helpful for keeping your child within a certain area of your house. At the very least, install safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs to keep your child from climbing and falling. They can also let you keep a child in her room without having to close the door, so you can still keep an eye on her.

Check hand-me-down baby items. Many new mothers get child car seats, cribs, and other baby items from well-meaning friends and family. But using older baby products can be hit-or-miss. Safety standards change, and some companies have to issue recalls on their products. To be safe, call the manufacturer of any hand-me-downs you get to ensure that they still meet safety standards.

Be sure to talk to your pediatrician about other potential hazards in your house before bringing your baby home. With a little time and effort, you’ll be able to make your home a safe place for your baby.

Author Credit -This article is made available to you by courtesy of the webmaster of www.exquisite-engagement-rings.com where you can get your Custom Diamond, Platinum, Antique Engagement Rings. Great Baby Products has published this article to provide its website visitors with valuable child safety information. Great Baby Products carries Combi baby products and Disney baby crib bedding as well as a wide variety of other quality baby merchandise.