Babyproofing Your Home with Baby-friendly Furniture and Stuff

FFDM Boulevard: This round dining table is perfect for homes with young, active babies.

A baby who’s on the move is a little bundle of joy that’s at a higher risk of getting in trouble. Gone are the days when your baby will just spend almost the entire day sleeping. Now, with more freedom, there is also a greater need to be more aware of the dangers that potentially lurk in every corner of your home.

Babyproofing a home is important in keeping the baby safe. You must take a few rounds in all the rooms and check out areas that are in need of childproofing – the leading ones are the nursery, kitchen, bathroom, even the living room (where the fireplace is often situated).

Burn and Scald Prevention

The fireplace is a pit that could potentially burn an exploring baby. Have this part of your living room fixed with a fireguard. If you have radiators, then you will need to be extra vigilant compared to a home that’s built with fireplaces.

As much as you can, make sure that your baby won’t be taken into the kitchen. If she needs to be there because there’s no one to look after her while you’re cooking, then just make sure that she won’t go near the cooker.

Have her secured in a playpen or the highchair.

Fall Prevention

Safety gates are the best tools to deter falls at the stairs. Have these installed across the doorways that lead to unmanned rooms. Check if the safety gate that you’re buying is in compliance with the BS EN 1930: 2000.

Check that the balusters on your stairs are not too widely-gapped. Stairs must also be free of clutter a hundred-percent each time. Low surfaces such as floor should be free from small objects. Regularly vacuum the living room so that such small items will not accumulate.

Baby toys must also be kept inside a box. Broken toys must be discarded right away especially the ones that have small parts. Better yet, check out the toys that are appropriate for your baby’s age. These are the ones that usually have larger parts.

Strangulation Prevention

If you have to take her with you to the garden, just make sure that you won’t take your eyes away from her. Ribbons, string, polythene bags and plastics should be locked. Even plastic hoses should also be kept away from your child’s reach.

Poisoning Prevention

Be sure to store all medicines, garden products, toiletries and alcohol in a cabinet that’s not easily accessible by younger children.

Outdoors, be sure to remove all the plants and flowers that might be potentially poisonous in your garden, too. Even the harmless-looking berries could cause poisoning.

Bump and Cut Prevention

Furniture should be fitted with corner protectors or – better yet – invest in pieces with round edges. Keep your cutlery, knives, scissors, and pens out of your baby’s reach. Have all drawers and cupboards fitted with locks.

If you’re not about to invest in a new furniture ensemble, then just make sure that you babyproof your existing furniture. There are now babyproofing products that are meant to cover table and chair edges. Called corner guards, check out the different options online. There are also some that come in sticker forms while others are plastic items that can keep the baby from hitting her head.

In the bathroom, there is also a toilet-lid lock that can now be purchased. Electrocution can also be prevented if you purchase outlet covers.

Childproofing the Bedroom

If you’re thinking that your baby is safe in the nursery or the bedroom at all times, think again. Those fluffy comforters are really not a good thing to place inside a baby’s room. This thick bedding can cause suffocation. To prevent SIDS death, be sure to place your baby, on her back, on a tight, firm mattress.

Tags: babyproofing, guest room, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017 at 3:45 pm and is filed under Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.