Baby Safety: How to Childproof Your Nursery
what you'll need
- Durable and safe crib
- Outlet covers
- Suitable beddingand pillows
- Firm mattress
- Safe and educational baby toys
- Hinge-free toy chest
- Hypoallergenic cleaning materials
Baby safety is every parent’s top concern. If you have a newborn infant, it is imperative that you go through the effort of childproofing your baby’s nursery to ensure safety. Below, you will find the necessary steps that you have to undertake for this process.
Step 1 – Find a High Quality Crib
The first thing that you will have to do is to find a high quality crib, one that is made of durable materials and upholds excellent manufacture standards. When searching for a crib, go for one that has slats that are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. The crib should not have any sharp, pointed, or jagged edges that can harm your little one. It should have a sturdy and firm foundation so it will not wobble. Put a firm mattress and suitable pillows and bedding inside the crib. Never use heavy bedding to prevent the risk of suffocation. Do not place the crib near the window. It should be in a safe corner of the room.
Step 2 – Secure Electrical Outlets with Cover
Although your newborn will not be crawling right away, he/she will start to in the near future. It’s imperative that you cover electrical outlets with protectors to avoid electrocution. Kids like to stick their fingers everywhere, and you wouldn’t want them to do that with the electrical sockets. Make sure that the protectors you buy are durable. Flimsy ones made of plastic can easily be pulled off. This will not only expose your kid to dangers of electrocution but will also be choking hazards for your little one. Moreover, never run electrical cords under mats or carpets.
Step 3 – Examine the Room
Check on the furniture pieces to see if they are stable and safe enough to stay in the room. Wobbly furniture can easily fall on a crawling baby. Guards should be installed on windows as well as gates for the top of the stairs. Remove all cords and strings that can cause strangulation hazards. Make sure that the toy chest doesn’t have any hinges or holes that can pinch your baby’s fingers.
Step 4 – Take out All Things That Seem Risky
Impose this rule on your baby proofing activity: when in doubt, take it out. If you’re not sure about whether a particular thing will cause harm to your kid or not, be on the safe side and keep it out of the room. When it’s your baby’s safety that you’re talking about, you can never be too careful.
Step 5 – Keep the Room Spic and Span
As part of the baby-proofing process, you need to keep the room clean and orderly as well. Use mild detergent and baby-friendly cleaning supplies for tidying up the room. Vacuum all the spots on the floor to ensure that no dust mites can harm your little one. Wipe furniture clean and wash toys with warm water and anti-bacterial soap regularly.