Quality matters when hiring for a big project. Call a Best Pick now!
Making a home safe for a newborn can be a daunting task for new parents who aren’t sure where to start. Fortunately, taking a few steps to prepare before baby comes home can help put parents’ minds at rest. Read on for a few ideas on what to do around the home to keep your newborn out of harm’s way.
Home Safety for Babies
- Make sure that all dangerously heavy objects, sharp objects, and potentially toxic substances are put away or out of reach.
Install safety gates at the tops of stairs and at basement doors.
- Keep a working fire extinguisher in an accessible place, preferably close to the baby’s room. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home, and replace their batteries regularly. Make sure you have everything you need in case of a fire.
- Keep the refrigerator, oven, toilets, and any easily accessible cabinets secured with attachable latches.
- Sleeping in the same bed as infants could cause them to suffocate. If you want to keep your child close while you’re sleeping, use a crib that attaches to the side of your bed.
- Place soft covers over bath spouts and handles, and place nonslip mats in and beside the tub.
- Check that all stairs and railings are in good condition. If there are gaps wider than four inches between railings, block them with Plexiglas or plastic garden fencing.
- Cover the fireplace with a grill while it is burning, and block access to heaters and radiators.
- Be careful not to use tablecloths that can be pulled down—by tugging on the tablecloth, your baby could be hurt by items falling from the table.
- To prevent children from falling from landings or windows, install window guards, window stops, and safety netting where necessary.
Attach any furniture that could topple over to the wall. Secure any tall, heavy, or unstable items such as lamps or televisions behind furniture, or keep them pushed back toward the wall as far as possible.
- Consider adding corner and edge guards to the sharp corners of your furniture.
- Keep your baby out of the sun as often as possible. It may also be a good idea to have the windows tinted in your baby’s room.
Check back later this week for some suggestions on how to keep your home safe for toddlers and young children.