Congratulations! You are a soon-to-be mommy or daddy! We know what you’re thinking, “How can I keep my baby safe at home?” Well, you’ve come to the right place.
In honor of Baby Safety Month, sponsored by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), we’ve put together these quick tips to address safety concerns for infants at home.
Start with the basics
Your home won’t be safe for your newborn if it’s not safe for anyone. Get your home in shape with the following easy home safety projects:
- Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and have them in the appropriate areas.
- Check your detectors monthly to ensure they are working properly. (The vipHomeLink home management app will remind you!)
- Stock your first-aid kit.
- Keep a list of emergency contact information at hand, such as poison control.
- Have a landline in your home. Emergency personnel can find your home easier, and landlines still work in the event of a power outage. (Cell phones don’t always have power or reception.)
- Make sure the numbers on the outside of your home are easily distinguishable.
- Check your hot water heater and make sure it’s set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so as not to scald your baby.
Get a good gauge for your home’s safety with the Home Fitness Index on our home management app! Find out your home’s score now by logging into vipHomeLink (if you’re a member) or subscribing now (if you’re not)!
Before you welcome your baby home
Many simple home items can quickly become home hazards. These include but are not limited to garbage cans, tablecloths, loose rugs, small appliances, glasses, oven burners, cords, and even certain houseplants. You’ll need to prioritize certain areas of your home, but baby proofing isn’t a “one and done” task. It evolves as your baby grows and starts to explore his/her home.
Start your preparations in the nursery
AKA your bedroom!
While some parents choose for their newborns to sleep in a nursery, American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your newborn shares a room with you – not a bed – for the first six months to a year. This is to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. (However, babies also sleep better in their own rooms after four months, so read the AAP’s full recommendations before making a decision in later months.)
Since we’re focusing on infant safety at home, let’s start by readying your baby’s crib.
Choose the right-sized crib. Gaps around the mattress should be no bigger than two baby fingers. Also, bars should be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart, which will reduce the risk of your baby getting his/her head stuck. The crib should be free of any loose screws, plastic parts, springs, and cracked or splintered wood.
Cover the mattress in only a tight-fitting sheet and stop yourself before putting in any choking hazards, such as toys, pillows, bumpers, etc. Double and then triple check the area and remove any cords. These may come from lamps and window blinds, etc.
If you’re thinking about adding a mobile to the crib, make sure it’s secure, and your baby can’t grab it.
Overall, opt for newer items and cribs, rather than hand-me-downs, as newer items generally adhere to current safety protocols. Drop cribs are the perfect example. They are no longer made in the U.S. due to their suffocation hazard, and if you have one – get rid of it!
Some parents are even ditching the “crib” idea and going with a SNOO, which rocks your baby and helps to sleep-train them. (Drew Barrymore apparently loves these.)
Set up the changing table
Your baby may not start to smile until he/she is six weeks old, but even newborns can go for a roll. When you’re setting up your changing table, stock up on contoured changing pads with raised edges. (This is to help your baby stay on the table.) Then get into the habit of keeping a hand on your baby (or the table before they arrive).
Also, keep changing supplies close but not so close that your baby can reach them since some baby cleaning supplies can be toxic when ingested.
Put on the finishes touches early
If you do need help getting your home improvement project complete, contact a licensed contractor or remodeling expert to help you. This way, you can have the space you need by the time the stork arrives!
Complete any upgrades to the nursery at least eight weeks before your baby’s arrival. Then leave the windows open as paint has harmful fumes that can threaten your baby’s development.
Dress the nursey’s floor with a thick carpet, or if you have an area rug, put double-stick tape on the bottom. This way, you won’t slip while holding your little one during those late-night crying sessions.
Secure any dresser, bureaus, or TVs to the wall with anti-tip devices. These are easy to install and relative cheap, generally under $10 per device. If you need help installing these life-saving measures, find a reliable handyman who can help.
Parenting is going to an adventure, isn’t it?
If you’re worried about not addressing all the different hazards that threaten your newborn, hire a decorator or designer with baby safety expertise to help you baby proof your nursery.
As your baby grows, so will the number of safety hazards. Learn top tips for keeping your toddler safe at home, such as how to prevent burns, the dangers of sharp-edged furniture, and need-to-know product safety.
You weren’t born ready –
But vipHomeLink can help you champion baby home safety! Our home management app can help you stay on top of home maintenance, so your home stays safe for your bundle of joy. We also have expert-backed vipTIPS to help you learn what you need to do and how to do it. In fact, personalized reminders pop into your vipHomeLink dashboard.
Sign up today with a monthly or annual membership to vipHomeLink.
Advertiser Disclosure:
Any offers that appear on the vipHomeLink site, in our content, vipTIPs or other recommendations are for the convenience and benefit of our users. vipHomeLink may receive compensation from any purchases that are made by our users. This compensation is paid by the seller and will not impact the prices that are offered. This compensation arrangement may impact which offers appear and which sellers are featured on our site.If you elect to use or purchase services from third parties, you are subject to the third parties’ review of your information and to their terms and conditions and privacy policy. vipHomeLink does not endorse, warrant or guarantee the products or services available through the vipHomeLink offers (or any other third-party products or services advertised on or linked from our site), whether or not sponsored.
