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Once your baby starts crawling, he or she would be eager and ready to touch, grab or snatch everything on sight. Although it is amusing to watch your little bundle of mischief do that, you would want to keep your baby safe from any danger. So, set aside a few hours or even a day to rearrange equipments and furniture at your home. Remember, the key is to try and keep potential hazards out of your baby's inquisitive range of vision.
To get you started, here are some basic tips that might be useful:
1. Get the baby view What can be a better idea than to check for possible distractions through your baby's eyes? Crawl along and check the view from ground level. Ask yourself - what is within your baby's reach? Or, what could attract the baby? |
2. Keep a grip on those cords Computer wires or electrical cords hardly deserved much thought when it was only you and your spouse. But these could just become a play attraction for your child. Bind the cords together with a cord holder and keep it fastened against the wall to keep your baby safe against electrical shocks. |
3. Crib caution Make sure the crib rails are a little higher than the baby's height. Also, remember to test the width of the slats so that your baby can't fit his head through it. Keep soft toys, pillows or blankets out of the sleep space as it could lead to suffocation. |
4. Medicine or baby candies? Your medicines are like candy for his eyes, avoid keeping them in places that are easily accessible. Store them in high and locked cabinets or toss the unnecessary ones out in the trash. Avoid taking medicines in front of your child, lest he tries imitating you. |
5. Obstruct prying fingers Safety Precaution 101 - cover all exposed electrical sockets that are at the ground level. You can hide them behind large furniture or use 'childproof' covers available in the market. |
6. Learn to latch and lock Young mothers must keep in mind that if there are open cabinets and pin drop silence in the house, your child has definitely explored all four corners of it. Latch cabinets with a lock especially if you are storing chemicals and cleaners in them. Similarly, storage spaces for electrical appliances too need to be locked at all times. |
7. Bathroom vigilance Anti-slip strips on the bathroom floor and a doorknob that doesn't lock automatically or isn't child-friendly are a must. Also, do not leave your child unattended in the bath. Though it may seem harmless, you can never be too cautious. Finally, do close the toilet lid and fasten it with a lid lock for added safety. |
8. Toy story The long and short of the toy story is to choose toys that aren't sharp, aren't harmful and can't be swallowed by your toddler. Do check the suitable 'age group', usually printed on the package by the manufacturer, before buying. Besides, watch out for small and seemingly innocuous toy parts that could be removed, torn or broken easily, for e.g. a doll's shoes. |
9. Round the edges Your baby is bound to stumble and fall many times before he learns to walk. Cover the sharp furniture edges or replace them with rounder edges to avert painful accidents. |
10. No more of hell's kitchen Knives, forks, or delicate crockery… keep them stowed away in drawers beyond the reach of your toddler. Use safety latches for kitchen cabinet doors. Unplug appliances like, mixer-grinder, electrical kettle, hand blenders when not in use. |
Parents often swear that time seems to fly by when it comes to raising toddlers. As tiresome as childproofing might seem, securing your house much before your toddler starts exploring is a good idea to keep untoward incidents at bay. |
