The Importance of Baby Proofing
Why Hire a Professional?
Millions of children are injured in their homes every year. Reducing your child’s exposure to potential safety hazards is a necessary parenting responsibility. Staying one step ahead of your growing and inquisitive child allows you to spend less time worrying and more time enjoying your family. Keeping your child safe is a never-ending process—baby proofing it is the best way to start. Your baby is becoming more mobile—crawling, standing and, of course, grabbing. He is interested in everything, fascinated with all kinds of things, except his toys. Then it’s those first wobbly steps, before he starts walking, running and transforming into a very busy toddler. There is a new favorite word in your home “No!” Your child is becoming independent and expressive, and he is not afraid to show it. And, he is starting to test his boundaries. While nothing can replace adult supervision, eliminating safety hazards from your home can give you one less thing to worry about as you chase after your toddler. In our business, your child’s safety is most important to us because we know it’s so important to you!
Why hire a professional baby proofer? Because they can …
- Educate you on how to create a safer environment for your child.
- Identify obvious dangers as well as those hazards you never realized existed.
- Access hundreds of specialized safety products that you will not find on your own.
- Devise safety solutions for even the most challenging situations.
- Ensure that you that you get only the highest quality products that have been field-tested by experts.
- Save you money by directing you to products that will work best for your needs, helping you avoid trial-and-error purchases and installation.
When is the right time to baby proof my home?
- Before your child becomes mobile and inquisitive—age can vary, typically most parents start baby proofing their home when baby is 6-9 months old.
- When you want to make sure you are ready for these rites of passage: crawling, pulling up, climbing and walking.
What are some surprising hidden dangers most often found in a home?
- Baby monitor wires near cribs. If a baby can pull the wire through the crib slats baby can then bite into a live electrical wire or wrap the cord around their neck.
Tip: Be sure all wires are out of baby’s reach. - Because children mimic what they see (monkey see, monkey do) belts, neckties, dog leashes, scarves, and other typical household items 7" or longer should not be hanging around. You don't want your child wrapping one of these items around their neck.
Tip: Adopt good housekeeping habits; be sure all long fashion accessories and accoutrements are out of reach of baby. - Common choking dangers include things like coins, jewelry, pills, buttons, plastic water bottle caps, small refrigerator magnets, etc. You get the idea. Get down on all fours and check under appliances and furniture (your child's territory) for these and other small choking hazards.
Tip: If it fits inside of a cardboard toilet paper roll it's probably a choking hazard. - You might think your child is totally safe when being carried by an adult. But, now that your child is higher up, any distraction like answering a phone or checking the stove top means your baby can grab items like knives on a counter-top, dimmer light switches, window blind cords, dangling telephone cords, etc.
Tip: Take notice and look at these typical household items from a new, educated perspective. - Have a shoe fetish like so many moms do?
Tip: Be sure you safely discard the silica moisture-absorbing packet that comes in the shoeboxes of all new shoes at the store. They are the perfect size for little hands and little mouths. - Keep plastic dry cleaning bags, plastic shopping bags, kitchen wraps with serrated edges on boxes and food storage bags out of reach of young children. Any plastic presents a danger to a youngster if they put it near their mouth.
Tip: This is good time to go green—opt for reusable grocery or paper bags, and advise your dry cleaner that you don’t want your clothes in individual plastic bags. - Don't forget grandma's house. Before you put your baby down on the floor to crawl around and explore, make sure everything is safe and sound.
Tip: Make sure there are no pills on the floor that grandma or grandpa dropped and forgot to pick up.