Safety First!
Now that you have a baby in your life and his safety becomes your top priority, you can forget about keeping a designer home or the interior of your car looking immaculate at all times!
Once baby comes into your world, your life will no longer be the same. Suddenly, everything is a hazard, especially when baby becomes mobile. That means keeping away your glass vases, or ceramic antiques, and knick-knacks collected from your travels all over the world.
Keep these prized items out of baby’s reach until he is old enough to understand what they mean to you and why you treasure them so. Taking steps to child-proof your home and car not only keeps your baby from potential dangers but also prevents a lot of ill feelings in the event that your precious possessions get damaged.
To begin with, it is best to get down on all fours so that you can see the environment from your baby’s view. You’d be surprised at the many hidden dangers you can find from that part of the world. Here are some possible danger spots to look out for and what you can do about them:
In the living room
- Fit corner guards on table edges to avoid injuries.
- Replace glass tables with wood or plastic.
- Use stair gates at the top and bottom of stairs and keep them clear of clutter.
- Install safety covers on electrical sockets or hide them with furniture.
- Keep throw cushions out of reach as baby will want to grab on them for support.
- Push the television set all the way back to the wall.
In the bathroom
- Keep bathroom door closed always.
- Keep water-filled containers covered.
- Keep shampoos and cleaning agents in higher cupboards out of baby’s reach.
- Always return soap to soap holder; never leave it on floor.
- Keep toilet seat covered.
In the bedroom
- Fit grills and locks on the windows.
- Avoid placing too many blankets, pillows and soft toys in the baby cot.
- Never leave baby alone in the room as he will climb onto your bed or crawl under it.If baby is sleeping, place a baby monitor near by so that you will know when he wakes up.
- Use baby locks on cupboards. Tie drawers together with raffia strings.
- Check blankets and bed sheets regularly for loose strings that baby can wind around fingers and cut off blood circulation.
- Check toys for small detachable parts that may pose as choking hazard.
In the kitchen
- Keep glass, chinaware, knives and other sharp tools in high closets.
- Make sure that the baby chair has a harness to keep baby in place.
- Tidy up electrical wires and keep them out of reach of children.
- Use a child lock on the refrigerator door and keep a list of emergency phone numbers on it for caregivers when you are at work.
In the garden
- Keep garden tools, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides locked away.
- Place gates around the swimming pool and have it drained if not in use.
- Check garden swings and other play equipment for loose nuts and bolts, rusty and broken parts.
In the car
- Ensure the strap of the baby seat is fastened properly and nothing is within reach from both sides.
- Keep windows shut tight and locked.
- Secure child locks that allow doors to be opened from the outside only.
Ensuring everything is safe may seem like hard work, but the good news is that most mums slowly develop a sixth sense for safety. Start by seeing the world through ‘baby eyes’, where everything looks interesting and every nook and corner looks inviting. That’s when you will naturally start drawing up safety plans which will make you soon decide against white or cream-coloured furniture, glass tables and cabinets.
Cultivate this maternal sixth sense for safety and one day you will find the children asking why you seem to have eyes behind your back, especially when they are up to mischief!
