29 July How to Prepare Your Home for a New Baby July 29, 2020 By sma Safety kids 0 HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR A NEW BABY July 29, 2020 | Safety | kids There’s no better feeling than becoming a new parent. But it can also be scary and daunting, especially if it’s your first time. What do you feed them? How do you keep them healthy? There are a million different questions you have to answer in just a short amount of time. The biggest of these is how to keep your new little one safe. You can easily check your home for dangers and implement safeguards to keep your new bundle of joy from harm. Home Safety Checklist: Before the Baby Comes Home In the months leading up to your baby’s arrival, take a walk around your house and assess any safety concerns. Here are some essential things to check for: Do your rooms have smoke detectors installed, and are they working properly? You’ll also want to get a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home or apartment. Of course, you’ll also need a baby monitor. There are many different options that you can choose from, with simple radios to screens and sensors. It is up to you which you choose; but once you get the monitor, test it out to be sure it works correctly. A portable monitoring system is a great idea for when you take trips to grandma’s house. Are windows in your house sealed properly? Babies are highly susceptible to sickness, and a drafty window or door could expose them to extreme temperatures. See if you can detect any air movements around windows and doors, and get them sealed as soon as possible. Chipping or peeling paint can be a hazard. Little ones can pull it off and, like many babies do, could try to put it in their mouths. Have rooms with this issue repainted, and verify that the paint itself is safe for use around infants. Home Safety Checklist: After the Baby is Home Once your little one arrives, there are still precautions to take. Before you know it, they’ll be crawling. To keep them safe once they're on the move, here are some additional things you can do around your home: Put baby gates at the top and bottom of staircases to prevent them from crawling up or down. Add covers to outlets, and hide all electrical cords so they can’t be pulled on. Wrap up window blind cords in a high place. Install protective coverings to the sharp corners of desks, tables and beds. After the crawling stage comes the walking stage. This is another amazing parenting moment, but again opens more things to watch out for. Your baby will start to pull themselves up and onto everything they can find. In addition to wrapping up and hiding all cords, you should start checking for unstable furniture items: Floor lamps should be pushed behind furniture so they aren’t easily accessible. Make sure your TV is anchored securely to the wall or your entertainment center. Bookshelves can easily tip and also need to be anchored to the wall. Check any items on top of desks or tables to be sure they’re anchored securely. You might want to get rid of that kitchen tablecloth to avoid your baby pulling everything onto the floor. Now it’s time to lock a few things up and put any hazards away. Put all chemicals and tools with small parts in a cabinet or closet that can be locked. If you can’t lock the door, purchase childproof locks that easily install over the handle. Lock up your trash cans as well to keep a curious baby from getting into the garbage. Knives, dishes and small appliances should be put far out of reach. Extra Safety Measures We understand that things can never be too safe for your baby. Here are some extra measures you can take: Check that your hot water heater is working correctly and set at a temperature that’s appropriate for your baby. High water temperatures can burn a baby’s sensitive skin. Make sure every rug in your home has a non-slip pad under it. This will prevent your baby from either pulling them or having them move while they walk, which can be a trip hazard. Call National Property Inspections for Extra Precaution Today Parenthood is stressful enough. Use these tips to make your home a safe place for your newest addition! A home maintenance inspection is recommended every two years to ensure your home systems stay in proper working order. The next time you need an inspection to make sure your home stays safe, Find your local inspector to make any appointment. Comments are closed.