How To Baby-Proof The Modern Home

Ensure your little ones aren't taste testing everything in your home and keep them safe with these babyproofing tips from Natalie Preddie.

My son is about to crawl. At 8 months, he is no longer in the last place that I left him, seems to find everything that he is not supposed to and put all small items into his mouth. It is now that we need to ensure our home is baby-proofed.

Here are some of my favourite products to baby proof your home, room by room:

Whole House

  • Plug Covers + door handle covers
    • Safety First pack at Walmart
  • Baby Gates
    • Pressure gate, screwed in gate
  • Door motion centre
    • As they start to wander, this is integral to keeping an eye on them. My eldest started leaving the house as soon as he could reach the door handle. This is a really important item, especially if they wander at night.
  • Blind Strings
    •  Tie up blind strings so baby can’t reach them.

Living Room

  • Corner Safety Cushions
    • Little crawlers and bump into corners, fall into corners or can hit their mouth then pulling themselves up.
  •  Anti-Tip Cords for TV and stereo
    •  Little ones can get stuck under cabinets or try to pull themselves up on shelves. Having no tip cords on big items ensure that little ones can’t pull large furniture on top of themselves

Kitchen

  •  Cupboard + Fridge Locks
    • Avoid babies getting into glass, food that they can choke on
    • Move all cleaners, plastic bags and knives up high
    • Unplug small appliances and put them in cupboards
  •  Stove top dial covers
    •  Even if you are holding a baby while cooking, they could turn on the gas and you don’t know about it. This will also help to make sure you don’t accidentally turn on the gas.

Bathroom

  •  Medication Safe
    • Keep your meds locked in a small space where your little one can’t get it. Medications can be deadly.
  • Toilet locks
    •  I’ve lost multiple pieces of jewelry down the toilet- including my fitness tracker. I’ve had friends call a plumber after a bunch of kids clogged the toilet with a toy. To keep your possessions out and the water in, a toilet lock is your best call.
  • Cupboard locks
    • Again, keeping harmful chemicals, toothpaste, nail clippers, etc out of baby’s reach is important for safety.