Childproofing Your Baby’s World

It’s only natural to want to protect your baby from harm—to protect her from the inevitable bumps and bruises. The key to babyproofing your child’s world is to learn how to see your home through your child’s eyes. “It’s a matter of developing a safety sense—of constantly asking yourself, ‘What could happen in this situation, and what can I do to either prevent it from happening or minimize the injury?’” explains Valerie Lee, President of the Kitchener, Ontario, based Infant and Toddler Safety Association.

While it’s unrealistic to think that you can prevent every single accident from happening, there’s much you can do to make your baby’s world a safe and secure place. Here’s what you can do to eliminate the major hazards in a typical home:

Every room:

- Keep a set of emergency telephone numbers beside each telephone—not just your main telephone.

- Keep curtain and blind cords out of baby’s reach.

- Keep high chairs, cribs, and furniture away from windows, appliances, and other potential hazards.

- Keep children away from baseboards and portable heaters.

- Use plastic safety covers and cord locks on electrical outlets.

- Install babyproof latches on drawers and cupboard doors.

- Place window guards on all second-storey windows.

- Attach bookcases and tall dressers to the wall to prevent tipping and avoid placing heavy items on top.

- Keep a fire extinguisher near each exit to your home.

- Store lighters and matches out of your child’s reach and change the batteries in your smoke detector at least twice a year (whenever you move your clock forward or back).

- Store medications and cleaners in their original containers so that you’ll be able to identify which products your child has consumed in the event of a poisoning.

- Wipe up spills promptly and avoid area rugs, which can pose a tripping hazard.

- Avoid leaving your child and your pet alone in the same room.

- Keep your cat’s litter box in a part of the house that is off-limits to your child.

Halls and stairways:

- Hang a shelf near the front door so that Grandma can keep her purse (and her heart medication) out of your toddler’s reach while she’s visiting.

- Install wall-mounted baby gates at the top (and, if necessary, the bottom) of each set of stairs.

- Keep the stairs free of objects.

- Get rid of your drycleaning bags as soon as you bring your drycleaning into the house. Tie them in knots and toss them in the trash.

- Install door alarms on all exterior doors.

Nursery:

-Get rid of any crib that was manufactured before September 1986.

- Tighten the screws in your child’s crib and check to ensure that the sides of the crib are still firmly locked in place.

- Inspect your baby’s crib mattress to ensure that it’s still in good condition. Replace it immediately if it’s too soft, too worn, or it doesn’t fit the crib snugly.

- As soon as your child learns how to stand in her crib, drop the mattress to the lowest setting and remove any bumper pads and large toys.

- Put your child is fire-retardant sleepwear rather than regular clothing at bedtime.

- Check that the safety strap on your baby’s change table is still working properly, and get in the habit of using it whenever you’re changing her diaper.