There’s nothing like a newly-crawling baby to highlight the dangers of, well, everything. When my kids started crawling, suddenly everything felt like a hazard: sharp corners, hard surfaces, small objects, furniture they could reverse-crawl underneath and get stuck in (yes, this is a real thing); there’s a lot that you feel you need to do to keep your kids safe.
But not all safety equipment is made equal, and there are actually some items that can make your home less safe, not more safe. So here are five things you should absolutely babyproof, and one thing you shouldn’t.
5 things you should babyproof
The main things you should focus on include:
Small objects
My eldest went through a heavy Shopkins phase when she was younger (Shopkins are tiny little plastic collectible toys; like miniature everyday objects, and very easy to lose down the side of the sofa.) Unfortunately, at the time, my youngest was just starting to move around, which meant I had to constantly be on guard for Shopkins in case he tried to eat them.
Any small objects can be choking hazards for infants and toddlers. Board game pieces, coins, small toys, hobby equipment, marbles; have a sweep of your rooms regularly and consider having rules around when and where certain things can be used (for example, Shopkins can be kept on the dining table where the baby can’t reach).
Two things to definitely look out for are batteries and magnets: small batteries and magnets can pop out of toys and are a huge hazard, as they can cause severe internal damage.
I would also recommend joining a paediatric first aid course: St John’s Ambulance offers training which is worth checking out to equip you in case of emergencies.
Fireplaces
This sounds like an obvious one, but fireplaces must be covered or kept away from little ones, along with radiators and small heaters. Once, one of my children crawled under the table and managed to scald their finger on the tiny amount of exposed pipe connecting the radiator to the wall; it was something I never even considered as a possibility, and I only turned away for a moment.
While you can’t prevent every accident, anything that generates heat needs to be considered when a baby or a toddler is around. Adjustable fireplace guards are brilliant, because you can make them fit awkward-sized hot spots.
Sleeping areas
One day your baby is sleeping peacefully in the same spot every night; the next, they’re pulling themselves up using their (surprisingly strong) little arms and trying to pull a Houdini when you’re not looking. Development happens quickly, and the moment they are able to climb, it’s time to lower the cot so they can’t hurt themselves.
Windows
While many modern windows don’t open all the way anyway, it’s worth considering window latches as a reassuring safety tool. Once, my kids decided to hide on the windowsill and close the curtains to hide from me. Again, I didn’t expect it, and while they found it hilarious when they jumped out on me, I kept thinking about how lucky we were to have the windows on the latch!
Look in your local hardware store or try B&Q or similar online stores to grab some window latch fittings. They’re easy to install and pretty cheap, and give you a layer of protection if your kid manages to work out how to climb onto the windowsill.
Cupboards
Cupboard locks are another simple thing to install, but they’re excellent at saving you from a) accidents and b) incidents involving lots of mess on the floor. Any cupboard within a baby or toddler’s reach can be protected using cupboard latches, and you can even stick them on if you don’t want to make permanent changes.
You should also consider cleaning products in your bathrooms; this is an easy area to miss, but if you have toilet cleaner and bleach hanging around, it’s worth locking these things away too.
What not to buy
When my eldest was born, I was given a babyproofing kit that contained, among other things, plug socket covers. This is something we used in my old job at a nursery, and it was believed that these were essential for children’s safety.
However, I later found out that these plastic plug socket covers cause more problems than they solve. (This is UK-specific advice.) British 13-amp plug sockets have plastic barriers to stop accidental shocks. When you pull a plug from the socket, the barriers spring into place, meaning little ones can’t poke their fingers in there and reach a live wire.
But if you insert something into the socket to push those safety barriers aside, you lose that protection. Plug socket covers are (obviously) perfectly shaped to fit into the holes of a plug. But if you were to insert them wrong (upside down, for example, or with just one prong instead of three), you lose that protection, and if you were to then insert your fingers into one of the other holes, you may get an electric shock.
Children are natural problem-solvers. They are scientists, busy all the time, trying to work out how things work and how one object relates to another. That’s why shape-sorting puzzles are so fun for little ones. If they were to stumble upon a plastic object, they might naturally try to fit it into the hole of the correct shape. But of course, they might insert it in the wrong way, leaving them at risk.
The guidance is to leave plug sockets alone; don’t insert plug socket covers, and if you get them in a kit, throw them away. Keep your children away from sockets when you can, and put furniture in front of sockets if you want extra protection. You should also switch off plugs you aren’t using.
We hope you find these babyproofing tips – and lived experiences – helpful. If so, check out our dedicated Parenting segment for more articles!
Featured image: Megan Bidmead
