New Arrival? Tips for Babyproofing Your Home

03 Mar New Arrival? Tips for Babyproofing Your Home

If you’re expecting a new bundle of joy to be welcomed into your home and family, it’s essential that you take the proper precautions to babyproofing your home. Of course, keeping your baby safe is your top priority, and here we’ll detail ways you can do so in your own home. We’ll also give a few tips on how you can keep your baby safe when you bring them to someone else’s house that might not be babyproofed!

Areas You Should Focus on In Your Home:

Babies are fragile, of course. Potentially everything could pose a threat to a bumped head or a scratched knee, but there are also other places that pose a bigger threat to slightly more painful injuries. These areas you should focus on include:

• The fireplace
• Bathrooms
• Corners on tables
• The kitchen: kitchen drawers, cabinets, etc.
• The nursery
• All stairways

Let’s take a look at specific places to babyproof.

The Nursery

When you’re babyproofing your nursery, the crib should be a focal point of protection. The old adage of “bare is best” still holds true even today. A fitted sheet should be the only thing in the crib with the baby, nixing big comfy blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows. These pose as suffocation hazards to the baby and should be avoided. Hanging the baby monitor away from the crib, perhaps mounted to the wall next to the crib, is also advisable as the cord from the monitor could fall into the crib and pose a hazard to the baby.

The Bathroom

The bathroom poses many drowning risks for children, and for infants, this mostly happens in the bathtub. To keep your baby extra safe during bath time, make sure to always keep a hand on the baby. Always make sure your baby is positioned far enough away from the faucet to avoid any head bumps. Another important tip is to make sure your water heater is set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit maximum, as this avoids the risk of accidental burning for any babies or children in the home.

 Around the House

Our homes, especially new ones that are wired to support our growing reliance on technology, have exposed electrical outlets. Many of these are within baby’s reach. Be prudent and plug every outlet you find to ensure your little one stays safe.

Make sure you have a stair gate at the top and bottom of each staircase to make sure the little one doesn’t accidentally go exploring without your supervision.

Attach corner guards to tables, chairs, counters, and even drawers and cabinets.

Away from the House 

It’s inevitable that you’ll bring the baby over to grandma’s house or to a friend’s house. Before doing so, make sure everything you’ll need is packed. Once there, make sure the rooms in the host’s house are babyproofed to the best of their abilities, if they’re not, ask to set up a playpen in their living room for the baby so they don’t accidentally hurt themselves. Always keep an eye on your little one, no matter where you go; and never leave the baby unattended.

Our homes are a place for relaxation, family time, and joy. Welcoming a new baby into your home is an exciting time in every homeowners’ life as if that’s the reason they bought a home in the first place. For more information about designing a home for your ever-growing family, contact us at Sunrise Homebuilders for more information!