Bella Creations Articles

MARCH / APRIL 2005

CHILDPROOFING YOUR HOME

Your home really needs to be childproofed from the moment you bring baby home from the hospital. With just the blink of any eye, baby will be rolling, crawling & then walking, and it's better to be prepared than finding out the hard way. So to help you with this process, we have listed some ideas to prevent your baby from being hurt at home.

• Fit gates to the top of stairs and any areas unsafe for baby
• Always open the gates to go through, don't climb over them - your child is sure to copy what you do
• Move all poisons to high positions. Items such as nail polish remover, deodorant, make-up, vitamins, essential oils, alcohol and cleaning products to name just a few
• Attach child proof locks to all draws and cupboards
• Thoroughly rinse all cleaning products away from surfaces after cleaning
• Don't leave pet food or accessories lying around
• Do not leave electrical appliances & cords near the edge of the kitchen bench or on the floor. Make sure they are all tucked away safely
• Cover electrical sockets with plastic covers
• Keep electrical sockets in off position when not in use
• Do not leave water in any type of vessel lying around. A child can drown in as little as a few centimeters of liquid
• Secure blind cords and don't position a bassinette or cot near the blinds where cords are exposed
• Make sure winter heaters & fireplaces are safely concealed behind fire grates
• Install a lock on to the toilet lid
• Keep First Aid supplies handy at all times

This is not an exhaustive list and each family needs to assess their home environment inside & out.