Every single room of your home that you expect your baby to be in must be checked to see if it is baby-friendly.  Before beginning your baby-proofing rounds, though, you should make sure to keep an empty toilet paper roll handy.  That old tube isn't really useless. It's great for determining what objects are too small for your baby to have... If it can pass unobstructed through the tube, then your baby shouldn't have it and it would fail the 'Choke Test'.

Get to the store

Many stores have a baby section.  These sections typically stock baby essentials beyond the obvious clothes and diapers.  Here you will find typical baby-proofing items such as plug covers and corner pads.  Buying a few of these will help and you will probably need a few replacements, so don't be too shy while buying these products.

Get down on the floor

Yes, that's right. Crawl around on the floor and look at what's there. If it can be picked up, then it should be examined. Your floor should be free of little items and any objects that are there for the baby must pass the Choke Test.

Get on your knees

Walking around on your knees, and make sure you note any sharp edges. These edges must be padded or reinforced to prevent injury to your baby should your baby run into them.  If you take the back of your hand and smack it against the surface in question and you feel discomfort, then it should be padded.

Get on the wall

No, we're not talking about punishment. Most walls tend to have electrical outlets and these can be dangerous to your baby.  Remember the baby-proofing kit that you got?  Well, this is where you would use the plug covers.  Just make sure that you plug every single outlet so your baby isn't tempted to see what he or she can stick in the holes.

Get to your room

Well, your baby's room, actually. Examining your baby's sleep area is one of the most vital aspects of your baby's safety.  The area should be free of clutter.  For the first few months, the baby should sleep without a pillow and definitely without toys because anything in the crib could be a suffocation hazard.  To protect your baby, you can actually have a crib rail pad that would go along the inside perimeter of your baby's crib to prevent damage to the skull if your baby should accidentally bang his or her head on the rail while sleeping.

Safety is important to your new baby. Following this simple advice will allow your baby to be safe and happy, and will definitely give you peace of mind when looking after him or her.

Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.

Please login or register.