If you’re a parent, you’re well aware that kids can get into pretty much anything. Keeping your little one safe isn’t as easy as it may seem- there are so many safety factors that may not even cross your mind before becoming a parent! From climbable furniture to electrical outlets- when you become a parent, you have to survey your home from a whole new lens. Today, I’m sharing 12 ways to childproof your home for safe sleep and day-to-day activities as your little one grows through life!
12 Ways to Childproof Your Home for Safe Sleep
Safe sleep starts with a childproofed environment. Unsecured furniture, cords, batteries… Suddenly, everywhere you look there’s a hazard! There are different safety precautions to consider as your child grows and develops into the next stage of their life. I’ve broken out 12 ways to childproof your home for safe sleep (and living) so that you can rest easy.
How to Childproof Your Home to Eliminate Safety Hazards
With newborns, it’s not so much a concern of them getting into things as it will be once they’re older. It’s important to optimize and childproof your home for safe sleep, but also for day-to-day living. You want to make sure your home is completely free of any fire hazards or potential dangers. Here are some of the steps you can take to childproof your home for safe sleep and everyday life:
Eliminate environmental risks
Make sure that you have a working smoke and carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home. Keep a fire extinguisher in a convenient spot on each floor, and make sure to keep one in the kitchen! Always have an exit plan in case of emergency so that there’s no last-minute scrambling. Additionally, always use outlet covers to prevent electrical shock. Investigate your home for any small, loose objects that could be swallowed to eliminate choking hazards.
Cover sharp corners
Survey your home for any corners that your little one could potentially bump their head on. Corner and edge bumpers can help reduce the blow so that any babies learning to walk won’t accidentally stumble into a sharp corner.
Use baby gates
Restrict certain spaces using baby safety gates like the top of the stairs, or rooms that are potentially dangerous for unsupervised exploration.
Prevent injuries from unsecured furniture
Toddlers, pets, earthquakes, or any other external factors can knock furniture over, so it’s important to take precautionary measures! Make sure all heavy furniture is secured to the wall using furniture anchors. Additionally, make sure there’s a spot for all cords that isn’t within your little one’s reach to eliminate risks of strangulation.
Prevent water burns
Keep your water heater thermostat so that it cannot get hotter than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent water from coming out too hot and potentially burning your baby.
Block off any areas of water
The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that most toddler drownings occur in their own backyard pools. Make sure that if you have a pool or hot tub, there’s a secure gate preventing any children from unsupervised water exposure and potential drowning.
Keep all cabinets and danger zones locked
Use safety latches and cabinet locks to keep all cabinets off-limits in each area of your home. Toddlers are curious by nature, and if there’s no barrier between them and an interesting cabinet, chances are they will want to explore what’s inside. The same goes for rooms that are potentially dangerous if unsupervised- make sure to keep those doors locked as well. Always keep doors that lead outside locked to prevent any accidental wandering around the neighborhood. Make sure to put locks on the toilet seat covers as well as install a stove lock and cover any oven knobs that could be accessed.
How to Childproof Your Nursery for Safe Sleep
Safe sleep space
Use only infant sleep products that meet the CPSC Safe Sleep standards. Make sure there aren’t excess pillows, blankets, or bulky toys until your little one is at least a year old to prevent suffocation. When you childproof your home for safe sleep, the ideal space will be a flat surface meant for sleep (like a crib or bassinet) with nothing but a fitted sheet.
Keep a cord-free environment
Make sure any cords are kept away from cribs (or within your child’s reach in general) to eliminate the risk of strangulation.
Keep the windows safe
Use cordless window coverings on all blinds in your home to prevent your little one from accidentally becoming tangled in a free-hanging cord. Additionally, make sure to use window guards and safety netting to prevent falls, since window screens aren’t strong enough to prevent falls from happening. (Make sure that you have an exit plan in place that accounts for window guards!)
Prevent furniture from tipping
Dressers, bookshelves, or any other big pieces of furniture that reside in the nursery are at risk of tipping over if left unsecured. This becomes especially true when your little one is old enough to waddle around on their own. Childproof your home for safe sleep by making sure no piece of furniture is left unsecured to the wall to prevent tipping injuries.
Creating an optimal sleep environment
Once you’ve taken the necessary steps to childproof your home for safe sleep, it’s time to transform it into a sleep oasis for your child! There are so many toddler and baby sleep products to create an optimal sleep environment for your little one. Curating an environment that’s peaceful, dark, and tailored specifically for sleep will make life much easier as you and your family grow together. Most babies thrive in a sleep environment that’s dark, has white noise, and a sleep outfit that’s optimal for the temperature of your home.
As always, please conduct your own research when looking for ways to childproof your home for safe sleep. There are so many factors of childproofing to make your home safer, and it’s important to consider all safety hazards. This list doesn’t cover every single hazard regarding home safety, but it’s a great place to get the ball rolling.
If you’ve childproofed every corner of your home and optimized the nursery but can’t seem to get your little one to sleep, I’m here for you. My blog is chock-full of free sleep tips for you and your family! If you’ve tried it all and can’t get a full night’s sleep, I offer one-on-one sleep support to get your whole family the quality rest you deserve. Parenting is so hard, but when you’re sleeping through the night, it’s much easier to show up for your kid as your best self!