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When parents are preparing for their arrival, they tend to put off baby-proofing their home because they think they will have plenty of time to prepare while their baby is still a newborn. While we understand not wanting to take on more tasks than necessary in the prep stage, you’ll soon learn that after your baby arrives, there never seems like there are enough hours in the day. Before you know it, that baby that was just able to fit nestled into your arms is now rolling over across your living room.
To best prepare for those unexpected milestones, we suggest proofing your home before your baby’s arrival! Take advantage of all the quiet time you have and put yourself in the mind of a baby. Get down on your knees and start crawling around. Look around your home as if you are a curious baby and think about all the tiny and dangerous places your baby can and will be tempted to go towards.
Kids LOVE to stick their fingers and objects into holes. Electrical outlets are the first thing that you should proof. Personally, I’m not a fan of the plastic plugs that you can put in sockets, as those can easily get tossed or even worse become a choking hazard. We love these Safe Plates from Mommy’s Helper. You can easily slide the covers over and plug in safely your device worry free!
Furniture with pointed edges can also be a disaster zone. Cushioned corner covers can easily fix that. While they might not be the prettiest looking, it sure beats a big bruise on a baby’s forehead! These soft cushion covers from Mommy’s Helper are easy to install and can be discarded when your child is out of the baby stage.
The kitchen is an area that needs a lot of baby proofing. Start with the oven and stove. Kids of all ages love to push buttons and turn knobs. I love the Kidco Knob covers. I still have these on my stove and my kids are 4 and 8. It just keeps my mind at ease knowing that these covers are on and that a young child can’t figure out how to pop them off. They come in different colors too, so they don’t stick out and ruin the sleek look of your appliance. If you’re looking to keep your oven door from getting opened and closed, Safety 1st makes an oven lock that is easy to install.
Want to keep your baby in one spot? Need to keep them from climbing up or down the steps? This is where safety gates come in handy. Gates can be so difficult and frustrating to maneuver, not to mention they can be an eyesore! Dreambaby makes a retractable gate that is easy to install and comes in a variety of colors. The gate doesn’t take up that much space – so when it’s not in use, it’s not in your way.
The bathtub is another danger zone that easily gets overlooked. Bath time can be slippery and faucets can get really hot if you have old plumbing. I use spout covers by Puj on all the kids baths to protect them from bumping their heads on the faucet. The subtle colors are easy on the eye too! If you want to keep them from slipping during bath time, we love this bathmat from Prince Lionheart. Let them use their imagination and put this puzzle-like mat on the bathtub floor. It’s easy to clean and store when you don’t need it.
As soon as your child learns what a door can do, they will love to do what they can to open and close them. To keep their little fingers safe from getting slammed in the door, we love the Mommy’s Helper Door Pinch Guard. It easily fits in the door so that when your child goes to slam the door, the stopper doesn’t allow it from shutting all the way. Keep those little fingers out of harm for good!