Congratulations! You are having your first baby. That means time to go to Target and start your baby registry. Of course you will include the normal: clothes, diapers, bottles, bibs, and burp rags. Then you will get to the safety end cap: door knob devices, stove covers, baby gates, toilet locks, foam corner covers, cupboard latches, outlet covers, and blind cord winders. At that exact moment, you realize that your house is a baby death trap and register for three of everything for fear of killing your child before their first birthday.
Your baby shower will come and go; in which you will receive almost all of the items listed above. However, you know that you still have months until the baby arrives and keep putting off installing everything. Then before you know it two years will come and go and you will have a toddler with a drawer full of baby safe devices that you never used; yet somehow your child survived the first few years.
The above is almost exactly what happened with my first child. I did install some of necessities such as a latch on my wine fridge that is at perfect toddler height, and cupboard latches on the “dangerous stuff” i.e.-cleaners under the sink. But other than that this photo stands proof of my anti-baby proofed home.
Every home is different in terms of dangers for a small child, but here is a short list of the must dos when baby proofing your home:
· Any heavy furniture in baby’s room or TVs in living room need to be secured.
According to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, falling furniture has injured tens of thousands and have killed multiple children in recent years.
· All dangerous chemicals, especially the fun looking detergent pods, need to be put above 3 feet or locked up.
· Cords are a huge hazard and should be wound up or install alternatives such as cordless blinds.
· Install gates to prevent access to stairs.
The good news is for the first six months your child is essentially immobile and you have time to complete your baby proofing. The best thing that you can do is to get on your hands and knees and roam your house. You can see everything a small child would love to grab or get into. You may feel silly but you may also see a risk to your child that you never saw before.
By Kelsie Beckfield, Pregnant working mom and wife of a two year old and three fur babies
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