Home may be your family’s safe space, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t hazards. From sharp corners, to steep stairs, to open toilet lids, to medicine cabinets, there are lots of ways your little one can get into trouble. But a little preparation, and some baby safety products, can go a long way in protecting babies, toddlers and even older children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendsOpens a new window placing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors throughout the house, keeping fire extinguishers readily available, installing gates at the top and bottom of stairs and storing medications in child-resistant containers. But there are a few additional baby proofing products into the mix. Think soft covers or bumpers around sharp or solid furniture and cabinet locks for any place containing cleaning products, alcohol, laundry detergent, button batteries, pesticides, and anything else that could be poisonous or otherwise pose a threat.
Don’t feel like you have to wrap everything in protective coverings, though. Just be attentive and follow the baby proofing basics, some of which should be implemented as soon as baby is born (keeping cords out of the way, for example). Others, like gates on the stairs, should be implemented before your baby becomes mobile, says Donna Whittaker, vice president of curriculum and education at Big Blue Marble AcademyOpens a new window.
“An optional way to look at what needs to be baby proofed is to look at your home from a child’s perspective,” says Whittaker. “As silly as it sounds, crawling on your hands and knees works best. Look for spaces that contain potential safety, choking or toxic hazards. Using an empty paper towel tube is a good way to check for choking hazards. If an object can fit through the tube then it should be deemed a choking hazard.”
If you need a little help getting started, we’ve rounded up the best baby safety products that are effective enough to keep curious little ones safe but they won’t leave the adults in the house totally flummoxed.