As new parents, you are most likely preparing for the new addition that will be bouncing around your home soon enough. While your baby will not start crawling or walking right away, it only takes a second for them to get into something. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when you start that process.
Main Rooms First
The answer to the question "What rooms should I baby proof in my house?" is all of them. You will want to start with the main rooms first — the kitchen and living area.
Kitchen Proofing
The cabinets, drawers, and pantry in your kitchen are baby magnets. When they start crawling, they will use these doors to help pull themselves up, discovering that they open up to new treasures. You will need to include childproof locks on all of your cabinet drawers and doors. This is the first layer of protection to keeping your babies out of harm’s way. Even with safety locks, you need to make sure that cleaning supplies usually kept below the kitchen sink are put up high, as well as anything sharp.
Living Room Proofing
The tables in your living room can be the cause for concern. Even if you pick up everything from the floor, tables with sharp angles or 90-degree edges can cause significant physical harm if your baby falls on them. You can purchase rubber edges to smooth them out for your baby when accidents do happen. The outlets in your living room are something else to watch out for. Add outlet coverings so that your baby cannot get into them and get shocked.
Baby Room or Nursery
As your baby grows, your nursery needs will change. You do not want to put anything over the crib that your baby could grab and pull down. There is a concern with strangulation since these items are usually on a long string. Have a heavy or thick rug beneath the crib in case your baby takes a tumble out of the crib. They will start climbing and attempt to work their way out. Think about your baby’s fingers as they start to play with toys. They need a space or box for their toys that they can pull out easily instead of slamming something hard down on their hands.
Bathrooms
There is a lot of danger that can happen in the bathroom, so you want to make sure all water is off and the toilet lid is closed at all times. If you have medications in the bathroom, move them to a higher space or put a lock on the medicine cabinet. Keep your shampoo and body wash bottles out of reach and inside the shower area on a rack. Keep in mind that there are outlets that need to be covered in the bathroom also, especially with water around.