New Baby Smarts

"How To BabyProof Your Home Part Two"

 In Part One of BabyProofing your home we suggested that you get down on the floow. That way you can get a good look at things from baby's perspective and see what they see. Oh my,  the hazards you'll come across just by doing this. Childproofing a house can be daunting because it means looking out for dangers that otherwise might never occur to you. With a little patience and some common sense, however, it can be done.

FIREPLACES: The fireplace is always an area to watch. Move accessory sets with pokers and brushes out of the way. Remove matches or other fire starters. Use non-flammable bumpers along the sharp edges and corners of a raised stone hearth. Glass fireplace doors or a secure fire screen can help keep children away from the flames.

SMOKE DETECTORS: These are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries.   Check smoke detectors once a month to make sure they're working. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries.

 
WINDOW GUARDS & SAFETY NETTING:  Good for balconies and decks where they can help prevent serious falls. Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are secure and properly installed and maintained. There should be no more than four inches between the bars of the window guard. If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows.

CORNER & EDGE BUMPERS: These can be used with furniture and fireplace hearths to help prevent injuries from falls or to soften falls against sharp or rough edges. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges.

OUTLET COVERS & OUTLET PLATES:  Use to help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution. Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them.

 These won't guard against all threats. You'll often see one of the plugs covered; then the other has a lamp cord plugged into it. The child just has to pull the cord out to get to the outlet. Use outlet covers that close automatically once something is unplugged.  When a bulb burns out leave the old bulb in place until you replace it. You don't want a child to reach into the empty socket and turn the switch on.

WINDOW BLIND CORD SAFETY TASSELS:  These on miniblinds and tension devices on vertical blinds and drapery cords can help prevent deaths and injuries from strangulation in the loops of cords.

For older miniblinds, cut the card loop, remove the buckle, and put safety tassels on each cord. Be sure that older vertical blinds and drapery cords have tension or tie-down devices to hold the cords tight. When buying new miniblinds, verticals, and draperies, ask for safety features to prevent child strangulation.

DOOR STOPS & DOOR HOLDERS:  Put them on doors and door hinges where they can help prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed in doors and door hinges.

Be sure any safety device for doors is easy to use and is not likely to break into small parts, which could be a choking hazard for young children.

DOOR LOCKS: Bedroom and bathroom doors that can be locked from the inside could be a hazard. A child may go inside, close the door and lock it. Some locks are relatively simple to open by inserting a small screwdriver. It is a good idea to practice unspringing one from the outside - so you'll know how to do it in the event of an emergency. Bolt type locks pose more of a problem. They are simple for a child to operate but surprisingly hard to undo if you're on the wrong side! Consider using very small bolts, fastened on with small screws so that they will pull out when the door is given a hefty shove!

RAILINGS: Railings for an open landing that looks down onto a ground floor or for a staircase, the space between the posts should be no more than 4 inches. For railings with wider spaces, sheets of clear plastic can be used to close them off. For occasional use, you could try netting.

PET FOOD DISHES: It may confuse your cat or dog, but it's best to keep bowls of food and water and litter boxes out of reach, preferably in a garage or utility room that's inaccessible to the toddler.
 
CORDLESS PHONES: These phones and cell phones help you watch your child continuously, without leaving the vicinity to answer a phone call. They are especially helpful when children are in or near water, whether it's the bathtub, the swimming pool, or the beach.

WORKTOPS: Don't leave handbags on a table or worktop, find a new place out of reach for young hands. Handbags can contain medication, sharp objects like tweezers or a nail file, and other things small enough to be swallowed. Clear worktops of electrical cords from items like toasters and blenders that could fall on the child if pulled.

NIGHT LIGHTS: Use night lights with child-safe features. Look for night lights with completely enclosed light bulbs and safety tabs that help prevent children from removing the night light from the outlets. Cots:

DISHWASER: Keep the door closed. Make sure forks and knives are pointed downwards.

Keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone.

Watch For More by Email Soon!

   Baby Proof Home 2