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Did you know that there are at least 130 million babies born each year?
First-time parents have a hard time deciphering through the relevant information that is given to them on how to be a good parent.
Luckily for you, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 ways you can make your home safe for your first-born baby.
Safeguard Your Home
“It is imperative that you babyproof your home ready for your little one coming,” says Stephen Sullivan of parentscorner.ca, “because you need to ensure that your little one has a safe environment to live in.”
But how do you make sure your baby is safe in his or her new home?
Before You Bring Your Baby Home
There are a number of safety checks that you need to do before you bring your baby home, such as:
Check the safety of your baby equipment, such as the baby’s crib, especially if you have put it together yourself, or if it is a hand-me-down.
- Remove anything from the crib that could suffocate your baby, such as pillows, blankets, or stuffed toys.
- Make sure you check your smoke detectors, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms are all working. Also, think about your fire escape plan, just in case.
- Ensure your handrail is securely attached to the wall. And always make sure you hold onto the handrail, especially when you are carrying your baby down the stairs.
- Sterilize any baby equipment that you’ll be using, such as baby bottles or breast pumps.
Once Your Baby is Crawling
There are many checks and safety precautions you need to take once your baby is moving around, such as:
Cover all plug sockets and keep all wires or cords out of sight. Electricity can be very dangerous so make sure you never leave anything lying around.
- Ensure that all of your furniture and electronics are secure and can’t fall on top of your baby. For example, make sure your child can’t reach the TV and secure bookcases onto walls.
- Protect your baby from sharp edges and corners, such as coffee table corners, by introducing padding to your furniture.
- Block out-of-access areas by installing safety gates. For example, make sure you have a safety gate at the top and the bottom of the stairs.
- Keep any small objects away from your baby. Small objects can be a choking hazard, so if you have any objects which can pass through the tube of a toilet roll make sure they are out of reach from your baby.
Other safety precautions you need to take include using safety latches for your cabinets and doors, so your baby doesn’t trap his or her fingers, and storing any harmful products such as medicines and cleaning products out of your baby’s reach.
Bonus: Protect Your Baby with DIY repairs
Protecting your baby doesn’t have to be difficult, just follow the above steps and always be on your toes.
You can either recruit a professional to help you babyproof your home, or you can do it yourself. DIY repairs can be relatively easy to do and there are a number of resources that can help you.
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