Keeping your baby safe in the home is a top priority, but there are challenges. Whether you recently moved into a home or you have many people inside at once, keeping your baby safe requires a system to make everything around your baby safe and secure. As you start with the baby’s room, then move throughout the house, keep these healthy tips in mind to make sure your baby is safe.
Check For Safety Around The Crib
First and foremost, your baby’s crib should meet government standards. These standards are in place to prevent parents from using cribs that could put their babies in harm’s way. If a baby can fit through the crib’s slats, or those slats are not as strong as possible, the risks to your child are exactly why these standards were put into place. In addition to the crib itself, be sure to remove extra pillows, stuffed animals, and blankets. By keeping extra items out of the way, your baby will be able to sleep more soundly and safely in the crib.
Remove Moisture From the Home
According to This Old House, 60 percent of U.S. homes have wet basements, where moisture, mold, and mildew can pose risks for your baby. Indoor air quality should be your top priority, so if you notice discoloration in the walls, water pooling around the sinks and toilets, or any sign of water damage, there is a risk to your child’s health. Babies are more susceptible to unhealthy air and, as a result, shouldn’t live around leaks, water damage, mold, and mildew. About 38 percent of homes run the risk of basement mold. Cleaning up after a spill, hiring a plumber, or fixing leaks yourself can make your home a lot fresher–and far safer for your baby inside.
Make Sure Fire Safety Equipment Is Working
The smoke alarm and fire extinguishers should be in working condition at all times. Therefore, you should get into the habit of testing these items regularly. And not just you; everyone in the family should know how to use fire safety equipment in the case of a fire. In addition, make sure you have a fire escape plan and an idea of how you’ll get the baby out should smoke and flames ever come through your door. Take safety a step further, by addressing your home security system when you’re checking the smoke detectors. Research shows there are about 2.5 million break-ins per year, mostly home burglaries, so it pays to stay safe from fire–and criminals on the streets.
Cover Wall Outlets And Remove Access to Electricity
When your baby is out of the crib, it’s dangerous to allow them access to wall outlets. The holes in these outlets are large enough for a child to get their fingers through and initiate electric shock. Keeping them covered prevents this terrible ordeal from happening, while also helping you to stick to some general electricity guidelines in the process. Double-check the age requirements for all devices in the home so your baby can’t get into electrical devices. Have a plan in place so that everyone in the household knows the risks.
Keep The Volume Down In The Home
If you’re selling your home you can recoup 68% of the cost of a new roof. But why would you want to do home renovations with the baby in the house? Noise in the home will only serve to agitate your baby while making for an uncomfortable environment. Remove unruly guests, actively tell others to quiet down, and maintain a set of rules for the volume of devices and general activity throughout the home. A baby that is exposed to loud noises will eventually begin to believe something is wrong. To make your baby feel safer, simply keep the home as quiet as a library whenever possible. You may even find that by doing so, your baby may be less likely to cry and be upset, proving that the home is safer overall for you and your family.
All it takes to keep your baby safe in the home is a little more attention to detail. By being proactive and anticipating risks, you can address them safely before you have an accident. From keeping the volume down to checking on the crib, keeping your baby safe means setting the rules. Be on the lookout for other ways to stay safe, and overall, you and your child will feel much safer in the home.
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