Your home is your safe haven. A place where you can relax and focus on you and not worry about life’s troubles. However, this all changes when a baby is introduced into your home. Once your baby starts crawling or your toddler starts exploring, your safe haven can become a danger zone. To make sure that your little one is safe and you aren’t constantly paranoid in your own home, you will want to invest in baby proofing gear that is designed to keep your child safe and out of harm’s way.
When baby proofing, the first thing that most parents get is a baby gate. And for good reason! Baby gates can help prevent your crawling child from entering certain parts of the house or taking a tumble down the stairs. Baby gates are can be easily found online or in store. Although, there is not one gate that will fit every door, there are many options available.
A pressure mounted gate is held up between two walls by tension and is the perfect solution for blocking access to a room. The gate should never be used to block off stairs, since the weight of a child may be enough to dislodge the gate from the wall. A gate at the top or bottom of the stairs should be mounted into the wall with screws, and the door of the gate should open away from the staircase. Extra-wide gates are also available in case your home has wide-set door frames or has more of an open floor plan.
Although protecting and blocking off big hazards are important, you can’t forget the little (but as equally dangerous) hazards. To prevent unnecessary bumps and bruises, make sure to cover any sharp corners, from your coffee table to the edge of your fireplace. Electrical outlets are often at the same height as your toddler and therefore will most likely not be missed. Using plastic covers or sliding switch plates, make sure all of the sockets are covered from wandering fingers.
Similar to electrical outlets, cabinet doors, and drawers often intrigue little ones. To avoid any pinch fingers, install finger pinch guards on cabinets hinges and safety locks on drawers and doors. You may also want to consider putting a safety lock on the toilet. Children can drown in only just two inches of water, so its best to take as much precaution as possible.
Taking advantage of what safety gear is available on the market will not only keep your child out of harm’s way but provide you with peace of mind.