Childproofing is one of the
most vital tasks you can do as a new parent and you should begin to think about
this before the baby is even born. When the baby starts to crawl, you should
get down on your hands and knees for a baby’s-eyes view of possible hazards.
Remove or fix any hazards you find. These are just some basic ideas for you to
get started:
Make sure your crib was
created after the 1992 safety standards as set up for use by the American
Society for Testing and Materials.
While hand-me-downs
within the family or garage sale purchases are inexpensive, many do not meet
current safety standards and shouldn’t be used for your new baby.
Make certain the crib
mattress fits tightly within the crib as baby can get caught between the crib
and the mattress. Only one finger should be able to pass between the mattress
and a crib slat.
Don’t utilize a crib with
cutouts in the headboard or elevated corner posts as baby can get his head I
there and become strangled.
Measure the distance
between the slats of the crib. They shouldn’t exceed 2 3/8 inches apart or
the baby can trap his head between the slats.
When building the crib,
put in all hardware correctly and make certain there is no leftover hardware.
Do not use fluffy
pillows, fluffy bedding, heating pads, stuffed toys or electric blankets in a
baby’s crib.
If the crib has mesh on
the sides, the holes in the mesh should be less than ¾ inches across. Most
playpens built after 1974 are okay, too. Make sure there are no holes in the
mesh that could trap a baby’s head in it. Wooden playpens should have the
same
child proofing guidelines as regular cribs.
Your infant changing
table should have a safety belt on it.
Use the safety straps at
all time when baby is in a swing, changing table or bouncy seat.
Put a rug at the food of
the crib or changing table so that if the baby falls, there will be some
cushioning.
Keep any night lights at
least three feet away from the crib and any bedding or drapes so as not to
cause a fire.
Reduce your water heater
temperature to less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s critical to understand that child proofing is a
continuous process – So please keep in mind that you’ll need to modify your
proofing techniques as your baby grows and develops.
