How To Babyproof Your Home

If you're a new parent, one of the most important home improvement projects you can take on is babyproofing your home. It takes a bit of time, but there are simple ways to protect your kids and make sure your home is a safe place for them. These tips can make babyproofing a breeze and give you peace of mind.

• Start Early
  It's pretty amazing how fast babies move when they start crawling. Begin babyproofing while you're pregnant or shortly after your child is born to ensure you don't miss any potential hazards that could cause injury.
  
  
• Go Through Each Room
  Start with the living room and nursery first, as these are usually the rooms your baby will occupy most often. As you check each room of the house, put covers in all electrical outlets, secure doors so they don't pinch little fingers, and make sure all cabinets and drawers are secured with childproof locks, especially those that contain hazardous chemicals, toiletries, and cleaning products.
  
  
• Don't Put Anything in A Newborn's Bassinet or Crib
  Make sure your baby's sheets fit tightly, and avoid using soft objects like pillows, bumper pads, heavy blankets, and stuffed animals to help prevent suffocation and SIDS. It's also important to put the bassinet, crib, and pack 'n play in areas away from dangling cords, wires, curtains, or blinds to reduce the risk of strangulation.
  
  
• Secure Cords on Window Treatments
  Window blinds that have long cords or cords that end in a loop pose a strangulation hazard for children. Tucking cords up high isn't a permanent solution—install cordless blinds or safety devices like cleats to wrap the cords where a child can't reach them. An extra benefit of getting mechanical blinds is that you can control them with a remote or app, which means less work and worry for you.
  
  
• Reinforce Railings
  Check the railings in your home and reinforce them if they're unstable. It's also a good idea to make sure your baby or toddler can't fit through slats in a railing and fall through. If your second-floor railings are less than three feet high or there's an open landing from which a toddler could fall, it may be time to start a new home improvement project to make these areas safe for your child.
  
  
• Put up Baby Gates
  Crawling and toddling babies are going to check out the stairs. Put gates at the top and bottom of the staircases in your home. There's no need for plastic, collapsible gates when stylish wooden ones are on the market, allowing you to attach gates to the wall so they blend in.
  
  
• Anchor Top-Heavy Furniture
  Dressers, televisions, and floor lamps can easily be pulled over and risk injuring your child. Anchor heavy furniture and TVs to your walls. You may want to remove floor lamps from rooms you and your baby use frequently.
  
  
• Childproof Your Stove
  If the knobs on your stove are in the front, either remove them or buy childproof stove knob covers. Always use the back burners when cooking, and let your toddler know they are not to touch or go near the stove at any time. Putting weight on an open oven door can make a stove tip over, so it's best to just keep kids away.

Being diligent about protecting your child from harm with a few easy home improvement projects can reduce stress and give you more time to revel in the joy of being a parent.

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