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Baby Proofing Your House

A baby in the household is a huge responsibility and requires a lot of adjustment from everyone living under the same roof. Baby proofing is an essential part of guaranteeing a safe home for the newborn and the process should start a few weeks before the actual birth. Any household hazards should be dealt with before the baby comes into the home. Most of the modern cribs need to meet certain safety standards and will generally not use too many bolts and screws that can be easily removed. They will also usually not have any sharp edges or anything that can cause an abrasion on the child’s skin or even be the source of a choking hazard. The mattress in the crib should fit snuglly and the parent should be able to slide only one finger in between the mattress, side rails and headboard to ensure that the child is not able to slip between the mattress and the crib. What you put into a baby crib should also be considered very carefully.

Avoid putting any pillows, heating pads, electric blankets or stuffed animals into the crib. Most people are unaware that the paint on the walls could be a potential hazard as well. Make sure that you get the paint tested for lead, which is likely to be present in any home built before 1978. The hot water heater temperatures should be reduced to 120 degrees in order to prevent burns or scalding.

The parent must also ensure that the crib is kept far away from any windows as well as power cords or wall power points. Any unused electrical outlets in the house should be covered while locks should be put on all cabinets, especially if they hold any potentially dangerous items. Any small objects should kept out of reach of children since children have the tendency to put any object in their mouths, increasing the likelihood of choking. If you have a pool, you should have a fence installed around it to prevent the little one from wandering off into the area and subsequently drowning. Window guards and safety netting are easily available and should be purchased to increase protection. However, if you buy window guards, make sure that there is at least one window that can be accessed in the event of a fire. In spite of any baby-proofing you do for your house, nothing is as important as keeping a watchful eye on your child and monitoring its every move.

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