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It is an exciting time for every parent to bring a baby home, but at the same time it gives them a lot to worry about. You may need to change some stuff in your house to make sure your baby does not get hurt. You must also be prepared to tackle emergencies. So, a basic first aid kit and CPR exercises are important in order to take care of your child until there is medical assistance in case of some unfortunate event. But, if you make some early efforts to make your home safe for your baby, you can avoid almost all accidents. In this article, we will proceed to answer the most basic question here, that is, “How to Make Your Home Safe for Your Baby?” This is also one of the main parenting aspects at present.

Why and How to make your home safe?

When your child is on his or her own two feet, he/she might feel like he/she will be able to conquer the world and each day with them is a new adventure. It is an exciting and enjoyable period of life, but there are definitely certain threats and hazards to it. The stuff you need to know to safeguard your budding explorer are as follows:

1. Look from your child’s point of view into your house for health hazards. Get down on your hands and knees and take a look around to understand their perspective better.
2. Apply plug-protectors to all the sockets in the house. Keep electrical devices unplugged when not in use.
3. Keep all matches and lighters out of reach of your kids.
4. Use the shutter ends, because they do not reach more than 4 inches.
5. Do not bring sharp instruments inside your home as much as possible.
6. Install smile detectors on every floor of your house, including in the basement and all the bedrooms.

What to take care of before the baby comes home?

Birth of a baby means you need to look at your home in a whole new way. Babies are extremely curious by nature. So you’ll essentially have to decide, “How to make your home safe for your baby?”

Given below are few things to care about:

1. Check your kid’s crib and other child-care items: The first few weeks is often the most tough for parents. All the toys and gifts your friends and relatives give the baby can help you in calming the baby but certain items can be really risky if some pieces go missing or it loosens. You should also make it a point to check your kid’s crib regularly.

2. Check to see if your home has fire alarms and functioning carbon monoxide detectors: There should be at least one smoke detector at each level of your home and in the outdoor halls. You should be prepared for emergencies like if an explosion happens, then you must have an evacuation plan.

3. Set emergency numbers next to each phone, such as poison control: Have at least one landline phone linked to your house. Cordless phones often do not work when the electricity is down especially if the cell batteries are running low.
4. Make sure the handrails are positioned correctly in stairs: You might need to hold the handrail frequently, particularly when carrying your baby up and down the So, you must make sure they are positioned correctly on the stairs.

When a baby crawls, what things do you need to look out for?

As your baby begins to crawl, it brings in a new set of things to worry about. Crawling on hands and knees will pose a lot of hazards for your baby. At such times, thinking ahead of your child’s age will help you deal with the potential dangers. Look out for the following things to go the extra mile in ensuring your baby’s safety:

• Keep the wires away from your baby’s reach. Your baby might entangle himself/herself with the wires and it might be life threatening.
• Use protective padding to the cover sharp edges and corners like in a fireplace, coffee tables, etc.
• Install security gates at the entrance of potentially dangerous places to prevent your baby’s entry into those areas.
• Uses stable door- and cabinet latches.
• Store all of the baby’s drugs, cleaning products, and other poisonous substances away from the reach of your baby.
• Look out for all the scattered small things that your baby is most likely to put in his/her mouth and get rid of them. This will eliminate chances of choking.
• Keep your house plants out of the sight of your baby. Some plants can poison your child, or make him/her sick and we definitely do not want that.
• Set the water heaters to a maximum temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Hotter water can cause catastrophic burns.
• Supervise your child closely when they are with a family member. It takes some time for the pets as well to adapt to a new infant.

How to make each room safe for your baby?

Go to any room in your house, then try to guess the risks that each and every object or structure poses to your baby. Here’s how you can make each room in your house safe for your baby.

Bedroom

• Cut any thread which can wrap around your child’s neck. Mobile handsets and mobile wrap-hanging toys should be kept out of your baby’s reach.
• The bedside desk is often the most extensive piece of furnishing in the house. If the distance between your bed and the desk is too large, your baby might slip and fall in the gap, thereby hurting himself/herself. So, if the gap is too big, you should pass a patch in between to prevent your baby slipping in it.

Bathroom

• Since children can drown in even very less water, always stay in the bathroom with your baby. Never leave your child in the shower or tub alone or with an older child- not even for a minute.
• Always check the water temperature before putting your child in the pool. Babies have really tender skin and they are easily burnt if the water in the sink or bath is even a little hot.
• Unless the non-skid rubber mats or decals are attached to the water surface in the pool, your child might slip and fall thereby injuring himself/herself.
• To avoid drowning add a lock to the toilet lid.
• Keep electronic devices away from the water, such as hair-dryers. They might give your kid an electric shock if  they fall into the sink or bath while being plugged in.
• Encourage and teach your child to never go into the bathroom by himself/herself. If they have just learnt walking, they might even slip and fall on the wet bathroom floor and get hurt.

Kitchen

• Do not let your baby wander into the kitchen alone. A kitchen has sharp instruments and fire as well which can be life threatening if your baby is left unsupervised there.
• Keep hot foods and drinks out of the reach of your baby.
• Place knives and other sharp items out of sight, or in or locked cabinets.
• Use cabinet drawers that have protective latches so that your child can not open them. It will help to prevent your child from crushing his/ her fingers between the cabinet and the drawer.

In the Entire house

• Houseplants should be put away from your child’s reach. Most houseplants are poisonous.
• Install baby gates above and below the stairs.
• Place doorknob covers on doors that lead to the garage, basement, the attic or outside. This will help discourage your child from going to places he/she shouldn’t go.
• Keep your baby away from the windows to prevent them from falling. Install window bars to keep children from falling. Also keep chairs and other furniture away from the windows so that your child can’t climb up them and get to the window.

Answers to some FAQs

1. How do I help avoid falls?

Home and on-the-go measures will help reduce the risk of your child falling and sustaining injuries.

• Dropping out of windows in a moving car is the most common cause of accidents. You need to take extra precaution when your baby starts walking to keep your baby safe in the car.
• To keep your baby out of dangerous places, use the safety gates. Place a gate at the top of the stairs, and another at the bottom.
• Placed non-slip pads under rugs and mats not already fitted with non-slip backrests.
• Always use the coffee tables and desks with a safe cushioned corner and bottom. They will not avoid falling but can help minimise an injury.

2. Why do I take care of my baby’s tiny fingers?

• Be aware of stuff such as hooks on ironing boards and deckchairs which pinch your fingers.
• Store pens, scissors, letter openers, staplers, paper clips, and other sharp tools in closed drawers.
• Consider using sockets that are safe. Modern plug sockets have safety mechanisms built-in to secure your infant’s fingers.

3. What can I do to stop the scalds?

Young children burn more frequently than older children and adults do. Spillage of hot liquids causes a lot of scalds. You can take the following precautions to stop scalds to some extent:

• Keep hot beverage mugs away from the edge of surfaces to prevent spillage scalds. Never pass a hot drink on to a mom who is breastfeeding, because even a slight drop could scald her and her baby.
• Make sure you turn the edge of the casserole and saucepan handles towards the back while cooking.
• When preparing a bath, run cold water before adding in the hot water. Always check the temperature of the bath before putting your baby in it.

4. How will I protect my child from being suffocated?

• A safe place to sleep is the best method to help avoid suffocation because your baby spends most of his/her time sleeping. Cots are your baby’s safest place to sleep. Place your baby gently in the cot by touching the bottom of the cot with his/her feet first and then lay the rest of the body carefully. Always use light blankets or sheets to cover your baby.
• Do not put your kid on a sofa to sleep on. Many sofas have big gaps in between the cushions which may disrupt your baby’s sleep and also accidentally suffocate them.
• It’s also important to ensure that any plastic bags inside your home are kept well out of the reach of your child. Another good idea is to tie a knot on the top of plastic bags to prevent your child from opening them.

5. How do I lower the risk of drowning?

• Babies are prone to drown even in the littlest waters possible, so it is important to be alert when your child plays near water or takes a bath.
• While your little one is in the water, always stay with him/her. Babies and young children are less likely to struggle or make a noise if they fall under the water, so you may not be even aware that your baby is in trouble.
• Always empty the bath once you’re done with it. Do not leave the chamber until all the water has drained away.

Final Words

 Your child’s protection needs will change as he/she grows up. Infants typically the maximum protection and it is advisable to always keep them under supervision no matter what. It might sound scary, but with all the tips and precautions mentioned above, you can eliminate all risks effectively. So, make sure you follow all the protective measures mentioned above carefully to make your home safe for your baby.