When you already have a million things on your to-do list, babyproofing your house can feel incredibly inconvenient. But you know what else is incredibly inconvenient? Chasing a newly mobile baby around the house all day yelling, “No, no, no!”
When you already have a million things on your to-do list, babyproofing your house can feel incredibly inconvenient. But you know what else is incredibly inconvenient? Chasing a newly mobile baby around the house all day yelling, “No, no, no!”
Babyproofing not only keeps your baby safe; it gives them the freedom to explore, learn, and make memories in your home. And no one understands that better than the babyproofing experts at Safety 1st.
In honor of Baby Safety Month, we asked Safety 1st for the babyproofing tips most parents wished they’d known earlier. Here were their top 5 tips.
Here are 5 things we wished we’d known about babyproofing:
Babyproofing doesn’t mean you will prevent every bump and bruise.
Little tumbles and stumbles are how babies learn, which is why we can’t (and shouldn’t!) try to prevent them all. Instead, when babyproofing, focus on preventing the most serious injuries, like burns, falls down stairs, etc., so your home is a place your baby is welcome to explore.
Babyproofing does mean making certain lifestyle changes.
Good babyproofing requires more than gates and outlet covers. You also need to consider your daily habits. For example, you need to be mindful to not leave hot liquids on the edge of a counter, where your baby might be able to pull them down. And when cooking on the stove, make sure pot & pan handles are turned in, instead of sticking out over the edge of the stove.
When buying gear, consider what YOU would like to use everyday.
Especially when buying cabinet locks and door knob covers, it needs to be something that is easy for you to use on a daily basis. Because while you might want to keep your baby out of the kitchen cabinets, you don’t want to lock yourself out, too!
When possible, opt for non-permanent solutions.
If your home has stairs, you need a hardware-mounted gate at the top. And furniture straps need to be drilled into a stud to work properly. But when it comes to things like cabinet latches and pressure-mounted gates between doorways, there are lots of safe, non permanent options you can put up and then easily take down when you no longer need them without having to fill a bunch of holes. Because though it feels like your baby will always be a human tornado, we promise this is just another phase of childhood.
Cover the basics, then wait and see.
While your parental instinct might be to lock every cabinet and put a knob on every door, this often isn’t necessary. Go through your home and use babyproofing essentials to secure the major hazards (poisons, outlets, stairs, etc), then watch your baby as they explore your home. That spice cabinet you feel CERTAIN they will get into? They may not have any interest in it! Or maybe they will, in which case you’ll have an extra cabinet lock ready to go.
Remember, it’s never too early to babyproof, but it can be too late! Use these 5 tips to babyproof your home like a pro and get it ready for years of new family moments.
This post is sponsored in partnership with Safety 1st. We only recommend products and brands we genuinely love.
