Baby proofing checklist - How to do it right

Have you at last got a walker on your hands? Congrats! It will be challenging to encourage them to slow down once the baby starts moving. Take those initial steps as a clue that you need to improve the safety of home in order to keep everyone safe. Are you unsure about where to start? Look at the area through your child's eyes and explore your house from your child's fresh point of view. To acquire a bird's eye perspective of all the potential issues, you might have to go on your hands and knees.

General advice

• Put window protection in place. The window shouldn't be able to open more than 10cm with a window guard in place.
• Fasten heavy objects like furniture, paintings and even televisions to the walls to stop them from collapsing.
• Baby gates should be installed at the top and bottom of all stairs.
• Eliminate any choking dangers. Generally, a thing is not safe if it can fit inside of an empty toilet roll.
• Use bumpers to soften sharp furniture edges.
• Block electrical outlets.
• Place plants higher or further out of reach of your baby.
• Place shaky objects like lamps behind furniture and out of the baby's reach.
• Radiators, floor heaters, and fireplaces should all be out of the baby's reach at all times.

Kitchen

• Add a safety latch to all drawers and low cabinets.
• Install safety locks on the oven, freezer, and refrigerator doors.
• Install safety shields on oven and stove knobs, and turn pot handles always backwards.
• All cleaning supplies should be kept out of sight and reach.
• To prevent strangulation and suffocation risks, store plastic wrap in a locked container and tie bags in knots.
• Safety locks help to keep knives secure in drawers.
• Remove the magnets from your refrigerator; they could be a choking risk.
• Pets' food and drink should be kept out of the reach of young children.

Bathroom

• Store any corded equipment, such as hair dryers, out of reach.
• Put a safety lock on the toilet to secure it.
• The medicine cabinet should be locked, and all medications should have childproof caps that babies cannot open.
• Shampoos and other bathroom supplies should be kept high up and out of reach.

Nursery

• To prevent your toddler from climbing out of the crib, lower the mattress to the lowest setting.
• Once your child can stand up and perhaps reach the mobile from above the crib, remove it.
• Do not place the crib near any windows.
• To avoid tip-overs, fasten dressers, bookcases, and other large pieces of furniture to the walls.

In addition to childproofing your house, spend some time teaching your kids what is off-limits. Even if your kid isn't yet talking, kids understand much more than they can say. And as always, don't be afraid to contact your physician if you have any queries or concerns.