Babyproofing

Your baby’s on the move and you can hardly keep up, let alone think about any area of the house you might not have babyproofed. While they may be small, you’d be surprised what they’re capable of climbing up on, reaching for, pulling down or opening. What some parents don’t realize is that babyproofing doesn’t have to be a painful experience and most can be done in a weekend.

Kitchen Basics:

• Use rear facing burners when cooking
• Use knob covers on your oven
• Remove all cleaning supplies from under the sink or in low drawers
• Secure/lock all cabinet doors and drawers, the dishwasher and your trash can

Living Room Basics:

• Cover sharp corners on entertainment centers, coffee tables and furniture
• Use outlet caps on all open outlets and secure all extension cords and power strips
• Secure area rugs with slip guards to prevent tripping
• If you have a fireplace, make sure you are using a fireplace screen as well as a baby gate to block the area around the fireplace

Bathroom Basics:

• Use non-slip mats in the tub
• Unplug all appliances and replace outlet caps when not in use
• Hide sharp objects such as razors and scissors
• Make sure all cosmetics, prescription drugs and cleaners are in locked or secured cabinets

Other areas:

• Use mounted baby gates and banister guards on stairs
• Use furniture anchors on all chested drawers
• Use window stops

Some babyproofing will depend on what kind of a home you have and how you restrict your baby’s access to certain areas of the house.