Baby proofing your house: 6 tips your Mom never told you

Baby proofing your house may not be as easy as you think it is. There will be things that you would never think your little one could get in to and you will be amazed when you find out they can. Baby proofing requires much more than just putting covers over outlets and putting any breakables out of their reach.

Baby proofing isn’t just for safety, either. I once found my 3 year old painting with my $45 MAC cosmetic brush! He said it was the best brush he’d ever used—yeah, I’ll bet! Make sure you remove any valuables and anything that you do not want to see broken. In other words, Grandma’s heirloom vase should not be within arm’s reach or on a bookcase that can be climbed.

So, without further ado, here are some baby proofing safety tips your mom never told you about:

1. Invite a mobile baby over.

   Want to know if your house is really baby proof? Have a friend who has a baby who is crawling around come over and that baby will immediately let you know if your house is baby proofed enough. Just watching this little one crawl around will give you the eyes you don’t have to realize all the things that a baby could get into. 
   
   

2. Make sure your crib is up to standards.

   Back when we were growing up our parents use to put all sorts of things in our cribs. From over-sized comforters, blankets and multiple stuffed animals, not to mention using drop side cribs—we know now that all of these are potential hazards. Make sure your crib has slats that are no more than 2 3/8” apart and that there is nothing in the bed with baby.
   
   

3. Make sure all toys are an appropriate size.

   Want to know if your child’s toy could be a choking hazard? Use the toilet paper roll rule.  If the toy is small enough to fit through a toilet paper roll than it is probably too small for baby. This includes anything that could easily break apart or even objects that can be stuffed into a small mouth. Garbage bags…who knew those could be so attractive? Live and learn!
   
   

4. Mount bookshelves and dressers.

   Babies can climb and if they pull the drawers from the dresser the weight will make it fall forward. You can mount these items with safety brackets to the wall. If you have a flat screen TV, make sure that it is either mounted to the wall or that it is secure to the entertainment center. This item is easy for little ones to push over and can be extremely dangerous.
   
   

5. Check your hand-me-down toys.

   Hand me down toys are great! But always be sure to go through them and check before giving them to your kids. Older toys can have a high level of lead and safety standards have since changed.  Make sure these toys don’t have any recalls on them and that you clean them thoroughly.
   
   

6. Don’t be afraid to gate.

    Don't wait to gate! The best way to make sure your little ones can’t choke on anything/break anything is to cut off access to certain parts of you house. Adults can and should still have their space. Baby gates help give you back your sanity.

You came. I gated. We conquered.

Happy parenting!