Guest Blog:
Welcoming A New Baby? Improve Your Home for a Happy Childhood

Should you baby-proof your home when expecting a new baby? 

The answer is a definite "Yes." Your baby needs a safe environment when it leaves the hospital. Baby-proofing your home will prevent injuries, especially when they start crawling or being mobile. Baby-proofing is not a cakewalk. You'll need to do it room by room. 

It's not as overwhelming as it sounds. We're here to guide you.

1. Living Room Area

Accident-related injuries affecting kids under five years old occur at home. Such accidents are avoidable if we make our homes baby friendly.

Here are suggestions to make the living room area safe for your little one.

Baby Park

A safe baby zone is a must-have. Your little one will outgrow the baby snuggler.

They’ll need a safe zone to explore and develop their motor skills. You can include soft toys, books, foam mats, and a floor bed for a cozy nap. Create a space that would encourage your little one to explore independently. For better planning, consider working with a home remodeling company. Home remodeling companies around the world have become an expansive field. Professionals handle everything, including renovating your home to make it more baby friendly.

Proof the Fireplace

We love the comfort and charm the fireplace adds to the living room. However, burns may cause fatal injuries to your little one.

You can put up a gate around the fireplace. But you’ll have to use a poor heat conductor for the gate. Think of glass. It’s baby friendly yet visually appealing.

Tame Sharp Corners 

Pad or tuck any sharp edge in the living room. You may have to tuck away your glassy coffee table or sharply edged table until your little one grows older.  

Hide Cables

We have lots of cables and wires hanging around the living area. Keep them out of reach or hide them if it’s possible. Use your books, art pieces, or furniture to hide the exposed wires or cables.

Also, get rid of any poisonous houseplants.

2. Kitchen 

The kitchen houses many potential hazards for your baby. But you can make it baby friendly.

Unplug

We often leave appliances plugged in even when not in use. The habit should stop, especially if you’re expecting a new baby. Consider out-of-sight solutions for small kitchen appliances. A home remodeling expert will help you create a functional baby-friendly kitchen.

Oven Lock

Your little one may stray and peep into the oven. A lock on the oven door can avert a trip to the ER. Also, ensure the stove or oven knobs are out of reach.

Subdue Sharp Edges

Soften all sharp corners and edges around the kitchen. A bang on such surfaces can be fatal or cause serious injury to your baby.

Keep Products Under Lock

You’ll need loads of lockable storage to keep all the kitchen products, spices, and toxic products out of the baby’s reach. A remodeling contractor will help you achieve beautiful lockable storage solutions.

Use Anti-Skid Rugs

Spills do happen in the kitchen. It puts your baby at risk of severe falls.

3. A Baby Friendly Bathroom 

Don’t overlook the bathroom. Your little one may drown or get scalded in the bathroom.  If you have children or you are calculating the due date for your new baby that is coming, it is always a good idea to change your home spaces so everything creates a positive and secure environment for all family members.

Add a Lockable Door

A lockable door will keep your baby away from the bathroom as they grow. Ensure you can lock it from the inside and outside.

Add Lockable Storage in the Bathroom

Keep all the cleaning, showering, medicine, beauty, and other bathroom products in lockable drawers or cabinets.

Adjust the Heater

The heater is a disaster waiting to rush your baby to the ER. Therefore, prevent scalding by adjusting the heater. Set it to a baby-friendly temperature.

Slip-Resistant Rugs

Falls can happen during bath time. Luckily, a slip-resistant rug can present slips and falls.

4. Bedroom 

Cover Electric Outlets

Although easy to ignore, electric outlets can be dangerous. Your baby may poke electric conductors into the outlets and hurt themselves. So, cover all outlets if you’re not using them.

Windows Guards

Windows will fascinate your little ones as they grow. They’d wish to see what’s hiding outside the window. Therefore, secure the windows using window guards. The guards will keep your baby safe.

Tie Blind Cords

Easy to overlook. But the cords can choke them. Therefore, tie or put them out of your child’s reach. Also, keep the crib away from the window.

Wrapping Up

As babies grow, they will start pulling things, climbing on furniture, exploring all rooms, or trying to poke everything through outlets in your home. Therefore, you’ll need to continuously maintain a baby-friendly home to let them enjoy their childhood. Consider talking to a professional to help you baby-proof your home. It’s easy to overlook potential hazards when handling the proofing by yourself.

About The Author:

Summer Wilde is a young interior designer with a specialization in space planning. She works with a local remodeling company in Sacramento. However, she isn’t just passionate about helping families live in their dream houses only by the means of her job. She also likes to guide others through this journey by sharing her tips and suggestions via guest posting on blogs from time to time.