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Babyproof Your Home

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The process of baby-proofing your home begins shortly before your baby’s birth, and will continue as your child becomes increasingly mobile and curious.

Initially:
  • Ensure that baby’s sleeping area is well away from fire hazards, airborne pollutants and smoke.
  • Baby’s mattress should be thin and firm, and no pillow should be used in the crib, to limit the risk of smothering.
  • Do not put stuffed toys – especially ones with shaggy fur pile – in the baby’s crib.
  • Check all soft toys for eyes or other items that may be pulled off and swallowed. Check rattles and crib toys for sharp edges or breakable parts that may cut baby or be swallowed.
  • Do not attach toys above the crib or on the side of the crib. A baby can easily entangle her hand, foot or even her neck in the string, cutting off her air supply or circulation.
  • Don’t dress the baby in clothing decorated with long ribbons or ribbon-ties.
  • Avoid scalds and burns by never drinking coffee or tea near a baby, and not warming a bottle in the microwave (as this can over-heat the baby’s milk in the centre of the bottle).

    As baby becomes mobile:
  • Block off any stairs with a baby guard.
  • Crawl through your home, removing any poisons, household cleaners, toiletries, medicines, cosmetics, plants and small or sharp objects that are within reach of a crawling or standing toddler.
  • Ensure that no plastic bags are within reach of your toddler.
  • Rearrange your kitchen cupboards to move all groceries, spices and cleaners to the uppermost cupboards, leaving pots, pans and plastic containers in lower cupboards. Consider installing baby safety latches on all cupboards and kitchen drawers.
  • Attach all dangling electrical cables to the walls, well out of reach of a toddler.
  • Keep toilet seats, nappy buckets, fishponds and other water sources inaccessible and covered wherever possible. Babies have been known to drown in even a small puddle of water.
  • Cover any exposed wire or springs in baby toys, furniture and mattresses.
  • Move long curtain or window blind cables and telephone cables out of reach – toddlers may accidentally strangle themselves with them.
  • Cover exposed electrical sockets with safety plugs.
  • Secure any medicine cabinets with safety locks.
  • Move your dustbins well out of reach of the toddler.
  • Don’t keep heavy items on a table covered by a tablecloth – your toddler will pull on the cloth at some stage, bringing things crashing down on him.
  • Learn to use only the back plates of your stove top, and never let pan handles stick out over the edge of the stove top. Turn all pot and pan handles toward the back of the stove while cooking.
  • Lower the temperature of your geyser, to prevent accidental burning in the bath.
  • Ensure that all high chairs, car seats and prams have secure safety straps – preferably ones that form a Y between the baby’s legs, to prevent him from slipping down and being strangled by the waist strap.