Baby Proofing

Before your child starts to crawl is the time to make
decisions about baby proofing!

The process of baby proofing and toddler proofing a home can be quite confusing. As a professional babyproofer I will help guide you through this process by giving you some helpful information and useful tips regarding baby safety products and their uses. Baby safety products alone are not the answer. Baby safety products along with the knowledge of their proper uses as well as the knowledge of how to make your home a safer environment for the baby will be our focus.

A room by room baby proofing checklist along with information on baby gates and how to go about baby proofing doors and cabinets along with ideas on baby proofing your home in general will be discussed. Some tips on using common items such as zip ties and duct tape are covered in an effort to keep down the cost of your baby proofing supplies.

Baby Proofing

Baby Proofing

Some Eye Opening Information
• Approximately 45 percent of unintentional injury deaths occurred in and around the home. These deaths in children are caused primarily by fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, firearms, falls, choking and poisoning.

• In the most recent statistics, 88 percent of children who died from airway obstruction injuries were children ages 4 and under.

• In 2003, 18,000 children were treated in emergency rooms for airway obstruction. Most airway obstructions in children occur at home. Children most often choke on food items. Balloons are the most common cause of toy-related choking death among children of all ages.

• Strangulation by window blind or drapery cords most often occur when the cord hangs near the floor or crib. The majority of children who strangle by window covering cords are ages 3 and under.

The above is just a sample of the information readily available by just searching the internet. This information is not given to frighten or anger you, it is there just as a reminder of how simple (and often overlooked) items such as window blind cords can be a danger to children.

Baby proofing and baby safety products provide an additional element of safety,

there is no substitution for adult supervision!

Baby Proofing Overview

Basic Hazards:
View the world as a baby does, crawl around your house and look at everything you can reach. Items that are breakable, valuable or a choking, cutting or poisoning hazard need to be moved out of reach of babies and toddlers. Some often overlooked choking hazards include rocks or wood chips around plants, bark from firewood, dried flowers, potpourri, coins, dry cleaning plastic bags and toys with small pieces. Babies love to play with the spring type door stops and will remove the rubber tips (a serious choking hazard). Replace all “rubber tip” door stops with Solid Door Stops!

Off Limit Areas:
Use child safety gates to separate areas you don’t want the baby to have access to. Since babies quickly learn to work door lever handles you should use additional latches up high on those doors you want to keep closed. Baby Proofing the pool area is critical. Pools must be surrounded by a fence with a self-latching gate.

Electric Hazards:
There are several baby proofing products available for use on electrical hazards.Use only UL approved slide covers on electrical outlets. The small plug-in plastic caps are choking hazards! Transformer and power strip covers should be used as well. Beware of and unplug any appliances near water. Watch that children don’t chew on electric appliance cords.

Cord Management:
One of my favorite baby proofing products is the window blind cord cleat. Cleat up all hanging blind cords out of reach of children . Any cords long enough to make a noose can be gathered and shortened with cable ties as well. To keep lamps and appliances from being pulled off tables, secure the electric cord to a table leg.

Baby Proofing Cabinets:
Latch all lower cabinets and drawers. In earthquake prone areas latch the upper cabinets as well.

Baby Proofing Multi Level Homes:
Use child safety gates (not pressure gates) at the top and bottom of staircases. Plexiglass can be used on railings and balconies that have gaps greater than 4 inches between rails. Escape ladders should be available in each upstairs bedroom.

Baby Proofing Windows:
Most windows can be locked open at 4 inches to allow for ventilation. Safety barriers can be installed if necessary. In certain situations child safety gates can be used for baby proofing windows. For large low picture windows, a plexiglass cover can prevent a broken window and injury to a child. Cord cleats can be used to tie window blind cords up high out of reach. Furniture should be placed so children cannot climb and access windows.

Baby Proofing Doors:
Children quickly learn to work door knobs and levers. Babyproof interior doors with lever and knob covers or latch the doors out of the child’s reach. Exterior doors should have flip latches out of reach to prevent the child from exiting the home. Locks that use an interior key to operate present a safety hazard in case of a fire, use these types of locks only in rare circumstances. Solid door stops should be used in place of the spring type with the rubber caps as the rubber caps are a choking hazard.

Furniture:
Televisions should be secured to the wall to prevent the toddler from tipping the unit over on to themselves. Furniture in the toddler’s room should be secured to the wall to prevent tipping over. All furniture with sharp edges should be removed or padded. Perform frequent inspections of baby’s furniture, swings, etc. for loose or missing hardware as well as wear and tear.

Fireplace Safety:
A fireplace can raise a host of baby proofing issues, from the possibilities of severe burns to the dangerous sharp edges of the fireplace hearth. Gas fireplaces with bi-fold and sliding type glass doors can be secured by using a Child Proof Fireplace Door Guard. Always keeping these type doors secured will prevent “finger Pinching” even when the fireplace is not in use. Padded hearth guards protect your child against the sharp edges and corners of the fireplace hearth. Hearth Gates will keep the entire fireplace area off limits to your child including preventing access to fireplace pokers and tools.

Plants:
Some plants are toxic. Keep only non-toxic plants in your home and yard. Small and dried leaves are a choking hazard. Plants with sharp leaves such as Cactus and Yucca type plants should be avoided.

Future posts will include a room by room baby safety checklist focusing on what baby proofing supplies to look for as well as some information on baby gates.