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Baby Home Safety

Welcome to Baby Home Safety!  We know how important safety is when you are welcoming a new addition to the family or have a little one that is beginning to explore around the home.  As babies approach the one year mark they will begin to crawl or walk and their curiosity will take them to every inch of your home, or at least it seems that way.  

Every year there are millions of babies and small children injured at home as a result of falling and other accidents.  In extreme circumstances these accidents can result in serious injuries or fatalities from things like; drowning, suffocation and fires.  The good news is that there are steps you can take and baby proofing products you can use that are designed specifically to help keep your baby safe while at home. 

We'll start out by explaining the steps for completing a home safety assessment and follow up by explaining things you can do with and without the addition of safety devices.  Things like ensuring that pot handles are turned towards the back of the stove or ensuring that blind cords don't hang low enough that your child can reach them can be done in addition to products designed to baby proof your home. 

How to Baby Proof Your Home

It can seem a bit overwhelming when you first get started baby proofing your entire home but it truly is quit simple.  If you are a handy parent or have a handy spouse we are confident you will be able to install most safety devices with ease.  If you feel uncomfortable with the do-it-yourself approach there are professional baby proofing services and handyman that specialize in this line of work which we will discuss in further detail below. 

We recommend before starting your assessment that you print off our free baby proofing checklist for a full list of products that can be used to baby proof your your home.  They are organized by areas in your home and include the most common products available to make your home baby safe.  If you have further questions you will most likely be able to find it on our website or on our frequently asked questions page. 

Baby Home Safety Assessment

The first thing you will need to do is complete a home assessment which includes going through each room in your home and identifying potential dangers.  As you go through each room make a note of every area that poses a risk to your child and getting down on your hands and knees to get a different perspective is a great way to do this.  

It's important to consider everything because if you miss one hazard you can be almost certain that your child will discover it.  We've broken it down in to common areas in your home to make it easier to manage and it shouldn't take longer than five minutes per room.  We've also put together a complete guide to baby car safety that goes over important steps to ensuring you're using the correct car seat as well as installing it properly.  

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen poses a unique set of hazards for your baby and since parents spend a lot of time in the kitchen that means your little one will want to be there with you.  Adult supervision is the absolute best way to ensure safety but it's not possible to be there at all times and that's where baby home safety products can be a literal life saver. 

Items that could potentially be dangerous for babies in the kitchen include:

• Knives, scissors, appliance blades and other sharp devices
• Boiling water, hot grease and hot surfaces around the stove and oven
• Garbage and garbage bags 
• Alcohol, medications and other toxic supplements for babies
• Matches and lighters
• Cleaning supplies, bug sprays, detergents and other toxic chemicals
• Choking hazards including refrigerator magnets 

In some cases it will be possible to remove dangerous items or keep them up high and out of reach.  If this isn't possible there are great baby home safety devices available including cupboard locks, drawer locks and stove knob covers. 

Living Area Safety

The living area of any home presents a number of hazards for babies and small children.  Since every home is different its important to take a look at what unique challenges are present as it will vary significantly with different homes.  All common areas are used frequently and special attention should be paid to electrical devices. 

Items that could potentially be dangerous and cause injury in living areas:

• Stairways and balconies found on any split level home
• Furniture that can tip over including TVs and tall dressers
• Sharp corners on tables, counters and other furniture
• Windows and doors that allow your baby to escape while unsupervised
• Blind cords that hang low enough that baby can reach
• Doors that self close could present a pinching hazard
• Unused electrical outlets 
• Fireplaces with hot surfaces or embers

Bathroom Safety

The bathroom can be dangerous to babies that enter while unsupervised and can also be dangerous if proper bathing techniques aren't used.  We've put together information about baby bath safety that is worth taking the time to learn about including proper bathing seats and ideal bath temperature. 

The bathroom presents a few different safety challenges that should be considered for when your adventurous little one enters the bathroom while unsupervised.  It's a good idea to use a baby door lock on the bathroom to be sure that your baby won't get into the toilet, cupboards or bathtub. 

Bedroom Safety

Your baby will spend a lot of time in the bedroom and makes it an important place to identify baby home safety issues.  As babies progress from a bassinet and sleep on their own in the crib they will spend hours unsupervised and it can be very stressful for parents.  

A baby monitor is an excellent way to add peace of mind and keep a watchful eye or listening ear for when baby wakes up or needs attention.  They have grown in popularity in recent years because of their practicality, convenience and the technology available today make them incredibly useful. 

An approved crib is essential as well as other precautions like ensuring there are no suffocation hazards like blankets, bumper pads or stuffed animals.  The baby crib safety section of our website has a lot of great information for parents including safety recommendations, product reviews and advice. 

 General Home Safety

In addition to baby proofing products there are devices designed to detect fires, smoke and carbon monoxide as well as aid in the event of an emergency.  It's a good idea to educate yourself as well as identify the legal requirements for your geographical area. 

It's recommended or required that you have adequate devices on each floor of your home including second story bedrooms.  If you want more detailed information be sure to read our section on home fire safety for information about smoke detectors and fire escape ladders. 

Baby Home Safety Mission

The goal of every parent and our mission is to make the home as safe as possible to reduce the occurrence of accidental injury with education and strategic product placement.  It is important to remember that there is no substitute for diligent parental supervision and even though you may take every precaution necessary to ensure the best in baby home safety, accident and injury can still occur.

A lot of the products available today are the result of years or research and feedback from parents just like you so be sure to check out our baby product review page.  Safety products have have been improved in both design and function over the years with the goal to provide the most effective injury prevention possible.  We update our blog periodically so be sure to check often for updated baby home safety information and advice.