A newborn baby is vulnerable to many different potential dangers in the home. Some of these can be dangers can be avoided by never allowing the newborn to go without supervision during the day. Other dangers need to be addressed by parents before the newborn comes into the home. Parents can take several steps that will help to make certain a house is safe for a newborn.
Clean Everything
One of the first steps is to clean everything in the home. It is especially important to clean the floor and walls. Homes with carpeting will need a professional cleaning. This helps to remove dust and allergens that
remove the dust photo courtesy of miteyfresh.com.au
. It also removes any sharp debris, pieces of wood other objects that could cause injures. Dangerous items like tools or unstable standing lamps need to be placed in locations that are outside of the reach of the newborn.
Secure Dangerous Openings
Parents will need to seal any dangerous openings in the home. Windows on the second floor in the room with the newborn should contain protective bars or barriers so that the baby cannot fall out the window. Parents might want to keep portable security gates that stop the newborn from reaching the stairs in the house. Cabinets or closets that contain cleaning chemicals should be locked. It is also important to go through each room and cover any electrical outlets along the walls. This will prevent electrocution. Parents who own a large amount of electronics will want to use surge protectors and extension cords that have safety covers for the unused outlets.
Check Safety Systems
Every safety system in the house should be checked before the newborn comes home. Smoke detectors, file alarms and especially carbon monoxide detectors should be functional and should have the batteries replaced regularly. Additional detectors should be installed in the room with the newborn. Fire extinguishers should be charged and placed in an accessible location in case of an emergency. Parents will also want to keep the number for poison control near the phones in the house in case the newborn eats something hazardous.
Make Sure Everything Is Padded
corner protector courtesy of babyoye.com
This is something that can save you some time down the road. Your newborn is not going to be walking around in the first few months but you can take the time to pad those sharp corners on a table or a corner of the wall. You never know when your kid can pull himself to stand on the corner of a coffee table, slip and bonk his head. Take the time now to make sure everything is safe and secure before you have your hands full with your baby.
Have the Family Help
There are a lot of things that you need to check before bringing home a new baby and the list can be a little bit daunting. If this is not your first rodeo and you have kids at home who can help teach them what they can expect and what they can do. You can even set goals with your other children to help you with the baby. Examples can be washing a couple bottles here and there, help changing diapers or you can even have your children do a safety patrol every day making sure everything is locked up and secure. This can help your children feel important with a new child around and can even a greater appreciation for the baby.
Author Bio
Annabelle is a blogger and really like to write, as a mother of two children, while not in front of computer, she is looking after her two cute angels. She also recommends that you use Commercial Pest Control Columbus to make sure no bugs or pest can harm your babies or family.