Tips on how to Baby-Proof Your Home

Your baby is now crawling, climbing and walking along the furniture. It is time now to get down on your hands and knees and take a look around at what baby is looking at and curious about. Crawl from room to room and pick up anything you see small or fragile that may fit into your baby’s hand and mouth. Examples of objects that pose a choking hazard include:

• Nutsn • Pen capsn • Buttonsn • Thumb tacksn • Marblesn • Coins

Babies just love to pull and grab at any cord or string they can reach and get hold of. You will need to keep electrical, telephone and window-blind cords tied up and inaccessible. Keep these things out of reach near your baby’s crib as well.

Clothing sometimes poses a hazard to babies. Be sure your baby’s clothes fit properly. A shirt too big may pose a problem if your baby wriggles out of it and twist it around his or her neck. Check clothing for loose strings, ribbons or strips of fabrics. Avoid jewelry such as necklaces, headbands and pierced earrings without child-safety backs.

Tips about crib safety:

• Be sure the sheets fit snugly. You want to avoid any kind of loose bedding.
• Remove the bumper pads when your baby is able to pull up to a standing positionn • Crib railings should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Crib sides should be flush with the headboard and footboard.
• Old baby furniture may be painted with lead pain. Avoid antique or vintage cribsn • Mattress should fit snugly in the cribn • Always remove the plastic wrap off baby’s mattressn • If you use a mattress cover, use one with a zipper that fits snuglyn • Do not place the crib next to a windown • Do not hang anything from the crib railings

Purchase baby safe, age-appropriate toys and do not let your baby play with balloons, marbles, coins or other small objects. Discard toys that may fit into your baby’s mouth when compressed. Avoid toys with cords or long strings; babies can wrap these around their neck and create a choking hazard. Check eyes, buttons or anything tightly fastened to a toy to be sure it is snugly in place. Always remove plastic wrapping and stickers from new toys and discard immediately.

When your baby starts to walk around the furniture remove wobbly tables or pieces of furniture that might turn over if your baby uses them as a crutch to stand up. Be careful about bookcases that might tip over.

Install safety locks and latches on kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers to keep baby out of possible poisonings and other items that are not for baby play. To further prevent accidental poisonings keep the following items out of reach:

• Alcoholn • Medicationsn • Vitaminsn • Paint thinne
• Toilet bowl cleanersn • Oven cleanersn • Bleachn • Ammonian • Dishwasher soapn • Drain openers

Many of these items can be stored behind safety locks and latches on kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Go through your home often looking for new hazards. Always remember, a very important safeguard for your baby is continuous adult supervision.

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