Babyproofing your house before the big day is an essential preparation

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Babyproof your home

Baby proofing your home is an essential part of preparation as things that don’t seem hazardous to you and I will be a risk to your little one. The curious and inquisitive nature of a baby means that everything is interesting to them so it’s time to take a look at your house through the eyes of a baby.

It’s best to go through your house room by room, so use our list of possible hazards to check as you go.

General things to do across the house...

Leave one easy-to-reach cupboard open and fill it with plastic containers or pots and pans that are safe for a baby to play with.
Cover all electrical sockets with plastic plugs or, better yet, replace the cover plates with childproof ones.
Make sure you have a smoke alarm in every area of your house or flat.
Get window locks for all the windows in your house.
If you have glass doors anywhere, put stickers on or something that will show that it is glass.

Bathroom

Put a lock on your toilet seat so that it is permanently down.
Make sure that all medicines and pills are in child proof bottles and tubs and are stored in a high bathroom cupboard which locks.
Get in to the habit of unplugging any electrical appliance after use – shavers, hair dryers, straightners.
Change the temperature of your hot water to below 50°C to avoid scalding.
Never leave your baby unattended in the tub or bath seat.

Babyproofing your house is an essential part of preparing for your newborn

Babyproofing your Kitchen

Start at the bottom on your hands and knees and work your way up looking for hazards - sharp corners, things stored on low shelves.
Drawers – make sure that you put stops on so that they can’t be pulled open and out and fall on your child. Make sure there are no sharp corners on any of the drawers.
Utensils – Make sure these are stored in the top draws and are not left out.
Cleaning Products – if you keep these under the sink, then be sure to get a child proof lock on the door. Otherwise keep them in a cupboard which is out of reach.
Make sure that your kitchen has a fire extinguisher, and that you know how to work it properly.
If you have any magnets on your fridge, it’s time to take them off just in case they fall off or slip down so they are in your baby’s reach.

Top Tip

Crawl through your house to get a baby's-eye view, and remove anything that is either dangerous to your baby or precious to you.

Babyproofing your Living Room

Make sure that any wires and cords from lamps, tv’s, games consoles etc are taped down so they can’t be pulled out or get tangled up.
Buy plug covers to put in any unused sockets to stop little fingers finding their way in.
Fasten anything unsteady that is freestanding to the wall.
Corners of tables are always a hazard to babies, especially when they start to walk and crawl. You can buy cushions which attach on to the corners and are soft on young heads.
Make sure you get in to the habit of not leaving coins, buttons, safety pins, and other small common pocket items out as they are all a choking risk to babies.

Babyproofing your nursery and bedroom

Test your baby monitor before your baby comes home so that you can check it works properly. Use something relatively quiet to test it to test the sensitivity of it.
Baby mobiles and hangings should be taken away as soon as your child can get onto their hands and knees.
Make sure that you have a chest or something to store your childs toys in so they are not left on the floor around your babies cot.
Don’t put the cot too near to the window, and make sure any cords from blinds and curtains are break away cords which snap easily.