When you have a child on the way, one of the first things you have to do is baby proof your home. It’s not just when they start to be able to crawl that your home can become a hazard; you are going to need everything to be super easy to access when you first bring your baby home, to make life as easy as possible for yourself.
Being suddenly responsible for a new-born baby can be overwhelming so forward planning is a necessity. There will also be changes to make as your child becomes a teenager. Here, we run through some ideas on how to child proof your home for children of all ages.
New-Born Proofing
When you first bring your new baby home, you will want your home to be ready with everything you need. Your baby will only have basic needs at first, but it is very important that these are met.
They will need a safe, comfortable place to sleep and at first, they will need to be next to you so make sure you get a mobile cot such as a Moses basket. Make sure you have clothes ready for them in a range of thicknesses to keep them warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. Babies usually have a cooler body temperature than adults or even older children, so knitwear and blankets are essential.
If you’re not breastfeeding, or if you are not producing enough milk for them, make sure you have bottles, a bottle steriliser, formula and plenty of room in your fridge. You will also need nappy changing equipment which includes a mat, nappies, cleaning materials such as baby lotion or wipes, and a cream to protect them from nappy rash.
Toddler Proofing
As soon as your child begins to be able to move around by themselves, they will try to get their hands on anything and everything. They have very little sense of danger at that age, so it is extremely important that you reduce the number of potential hazards for them as much as possible. First of all, make sure they cannot escape from their cot. You may need to lower the base or raise the sides for this. Safety latches will be needed on cupboards, windows and doors, and you will definitely need stairgates so that your child cannot fall downstairs or access upstairs without supervision.
Asking a plumber to come around and regulate your water temperature will stop your child being able to turn hot taps on and scald themselves. You can also get protective covers to go over switches on appliances and plug sockets, and safety catches for bins. You will also need to cover the corners of any furniture with padding so they can’t bump their heads, and if you have a pool it is crucial that this is securely covered.
Teenager Proofing
As your child grows older and starts to explore the digital world, it is important to make sure there are age restrictions on their internet access. Looking into Smart Homes could be another way to take control over the amount of time they spend on electronic devices, as they allow you to control all devices from a single, remote point. Teenagers are also keen to break the rules so remove any temptations such as alcohol collections or car keys from their reach.
Child proofing your home is an absolute necessity and something you need to return to thinking about at every stage of their development. For more parenting tips, take a look at corporatedad.co.uk.
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