Baby Proofing for your Mischievous Little Ones

We seem to be more aware of the dangers around our homes when it comes to babies. There are all kinds of gadgets out there to secure cabinets, cover outlets, barrier gates, the list goes on forever. Over the years, these gadgets have evolved to keep your babies safer. There is so much more to baby proofing than just covering up outlets, putting locks on cabinet’s, and corners bumpers these days:

1.      New and improved outlet covers: Now this is pretty cool! The first ones I remember were the hard plastic flat ones that were nearly impossible to take off. So for protecting babies from sticking anything in the outlet, they worked like a charm. Once you finally did get them out, they then turned from a safety gadget to a choking hazard if you left it laying around. Now you can buy outlet covers with sliding doors. The door just slides back when you take the plug out. Genius! No more tugging and takes the choking hazard right out of the picture!

2.      Keep technology cords out of reach: Phone chargers, laptop cords, tablet chargers and not just those but all cords.  Plug them in high or behind things that babies can’t get to.  If your is a little Houdini and can get into the tightest spots, plugging your cords high is a better idea. Another thing to think about is, if you use an audio or a video monitor, make sure it is far enough away from your baby’s crib and their reach. Cords in general… not baby safe.

3.      Make sure your TV won’t tip over: It seems flat screen TV’s are what most  have these days which are lighter than the older box type TV’s. Although I’m sure the box TV’s could be tipped over, the flat screen TV’s are much easier to fall or tip over. Make sure your TV is secure either by mounting it on a wall or strapping it down.

4.      Make sure your furniture is secure: Like your TV, furniture can tip over as well, especially when your baby starts to pull up on everything as they get more mobile. There are also straps that you can buy to anchor furniture to the wall so they don’t tip over.

5.      Never let them out of your sight: We do need to blink every once in a while so it’s not always possible to never take your eyes off them. We all know how quick they can be and before you know it, they are somehow standing on the table. Be proactive, take anything that could hurt them and put up high or covered, buy toys that are less likely to be choking hazards (because everything goes in their mouths), and make safe places for them to roam and just watch them. Babies will be babies and love to explore so just make a safe place for them to explore.

In reality, nothing we set up will ever be completely safe. Little ones can find ways to climb out of barriers and somehow can get into or out of places we never thought they’d figure out. So just be on guard and prepared for anything with your little daredevil. They just can’t help themselves but to always be on the go, ready with an escape plan and will stop at nothing. Sneaky little people they are.