Having a baby in your home means taking extra precautions for safety. This is especially true as a baby gets older and begins to crawl and toddle throughout your home. Whether you are having a baby come to visit or you are welcoming your own child home from the hospital, being prepared ahead of time can save you from common hazards around the home.
Here at the Online Drugstore, we carry an array of baby safety supplies in our baby care shop. From classics, such as outlet covers, to carbon monoxide detectors, you will find the items you need to keep your little one safe in the home. Check out the following quick tips to help baby-proof your home.
#1: Get Down To Floor Level
It might sound silly, but the first thing you should do before having a baby in your home is to get down on the ground. By lowering yourself to floor level, you can start to see the world from the perspective of a little one. There might be things that you would never notice from your normal height that will be within easy reach of a toddler or infant.
Go through each room in the house and take note. Do you have cords that are lying out that a baby could easily grasp and try to chew on? Are there outlets and other hazards at a toddler’s level of interest? Take note of anything laying under your furniture and clean these areas thoroughly. By getting down on your hands and knees, you can start to picture what things will look like great fun to your small one.
#2: Think About How You Store Things
One of the biggest things to keep in mind, especially as your infant becomes a toddler, is how you are storing items in your home. This includes everything from medicine to cleaning supplies to any weapons in the home. Be sure that you put everything that could be a hazard out of sight and out of reach.
Make sure that you not only store medicines, cleaners, and weapons far out of reach of little hands, but that you also put them behind a set of locks. You might be surprised at how good a small child is at climbing to new heights. By adding locks to your cabinets and drawers, you can keep a curious toddler at bay.
#3: Consider Pets In The Home
Do you have dogs or cats in your home? If you are just having a child over to visit for the day, you can simply lock them away in a room where they won’t bother your visitor. However, if you are going to be bringing home your own baby soon, it is time to start thinking about how your pets will interact with your new family member. If you can, try introducing your dog or cat to a friend’s child. How well do they do?
In many cases, investing in some training classes will be key to ensuring the transition is smooth. It will be important that your furry family member knows how to interact with your new child. You will need to have strict boundaries set into place to make certain that everyone is safe and comfortable. Most dogs, if properly trained, make excellent companions for little ones as they grow. Speak to a trainer who can help you determine the best way to prepare your pets for this new change. And no matter how well trained your dog is, make sure that you always supervise their time with your baby. Dogs can easily become too excited and, even when they mean well, can accidentally hurt a small child.
#4: Realize That Everything Is Edible
As you go through your home and try to create a safe place, keep in mind that to a child, everything in sight is edible. This includes dirt on the floor, cords from the wall, plants on the table, and absolutely anything within reach. A baby has no way of knowing whether or not something is toxic or poses a choking hazard, and they are well known for their love of testing out the world utilizing their mouth.
Go through the home and think about anything that might wind up in your baby’s mouth. Remove everything you can from reach and keep floors clean and free of debris. Since your young visitor or your own child is going to want to explore the world through taste, place appropriate toys and chew rings throughout the home instead. This gives your little one the chance to explore safely.
Shop Our Store Today
As you prepare your home, baby-proofing each room, take the time to shop our online baby care shop. We offer an excellent selection of products that will help you keep your small one safe. Check out the following top baby safety products and purchase through our online store today.
Outlet Covers: Keep little hands away from the dangers of electric shock by covering each outlet in your home with these simple plastic covers. Each pack comes with eight covers, so throw a few into your shopping cart today.
Carbon Monoxide Detector: Make sure that your child is sleeping safely each night with this carbon monoxide detector. Created by First Alert, this product is easy to install and utilizes batteries for power.
Automatic LED Night Light: Your home can be a hazardous area to navigate late at night. For a young child, the dark can also be frightening. Illuminate the night with these automatic LED lights.