5 basic, brainy baby-proofing tips

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SALT LAKE CITY — Babies are busy bundles of joy that can turn a home upside down and inside out in a flash. The thought of the preparation needed can be overwhelming. But take heart: There are simple and inexpensive preventions that can save time, money and sanity.

As the mother of five children, I have traveled down the baby-proofing road a few times. When my first little one was on the way, I went a little overboard buying every protective gadget and proofing device imaginable — so much that my husband and I were thoroughly frustrated in our own home, having trouble ourselves opening doors and lifting up toilet seats. Now, however, I feel a little more seasoned and adept at determining what is essential and what is simply superfluous and an unnecessary expense in the baby-proofing task.

When you're ready to baby-proof, focus on these five tips for keeping baby safe and parents sane.

Put things up, up, up

All of those stylish, breakable knicknacks and priceless family heirlooms I had sitting on well-appointed end tables had to be removed and put up high when my first baby came along. It is perfectly normal when a home has a baby in it to have all decorations, valuables and essential belongings that you don't want lost, slobbered on or destroyed relocated to the sky-high places of your home. Even if your baby isn't walking yet, it's important to think about all the places your children may reach and climb to by the time they're toddlers.

For safety's sake, remove all cleaning supplies, chemicals and poisons from lower cabinets. I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to dangerous chemicals: I do not trust cabinet locks. I've had experiences with them not latching and failing, so I never leave chemicals in lower cabinets. Colorful rat poison looks like candy to a toddler, and there have been numerous cases of children ingesting it. Be aware and remove it from any place a baby could come into contact with it.

Be cautious and on the lookout for things around you home that could present a strangulation hazard. Window treatment cords that dangle down within a baby's grasp are deadly. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, since 1990, more than 200 infants and young children have died from accidentally strangling in window cords. I have witnessed my babies putting things around their necks many times, and I'm always amazed how natural a reflex it is for them to do this while they are playing and exploring their world.

Swab the decks

Keep the floors clean and debris-free. Sanitation is high priority, because baby will be crawling around the floor, then putting her hands into her mouth. When my children were babies I would insist on people removing their shoes when they came into our home to help keep germs and dirt off of the floor.

Although foods like hot dogs, peanuts and grapes are the No. 1 cause of choking deaths to children, balloons are No. 2.

–Dr. Heather Paul, National Safe Kids Campaign

#paul_quote

Babies are remarkably dexterous when it comes to picking up the smallest of items and skillfully placing it into their little mouths. It is crucial to be on a vigilant lookout for pieces of broken balloons. Dr. Heather Paul, executive director of the National Safe Kids Campaign, said, "Although foods like hot dogs, peanuts and grapes are the No. 1 cause of choking deaths to children, balloons are No. 2." Latex Balloons are particularly dangerous because the material is smooth and will adhere to the trachea and will obstruct the airway even with administration of the Heimlich maneuver.

Lock the little one in or out

Babies are clever little creatures, and it doesn't take them long to figure out how to open doors. At my home we always keep doors to bathrooms, older siblings' bedrooms and especially doors that lead outside closed and locked. There have been many accounts of small children who have wandered away from their homes by simply opening the front door and setting off down the road.

A lot of people like to use cabinet locks in kitchens and bathrooms where they have many items stored. I, on the other hand, have chosen instead to forgo child locks and rearrange things instead. I put plastic dishes and bowls in the lower kitchen cabinets so the baby can play and explore freely. I have found that kitchen things are babies' most favorite toys. If you are someone who will find yourself bothered by a baby clanking on pots and pans and food storage containers strewn around the kitchen floor, you might want to go with the cabinet locks.

Secure wobbly things for your wobbler

When a baby is learning to walk, these little busy bodies become obsessed with standing straight and tall, and they start by pulling themselves up on everything. Babies can seriously hurt themselves by pulling a heavy piece of furniture down onto themselves. Watch out for wobbly items in your home like bar stools and top-heavy furniture, and make sure your TV and electronics are pushed far back on their stands.

Wispy, dangling, tablecloths are also extremely attractive to little ones. They will reach out and grab them, and by doing so, pull everything on the table down on top of themselves. Go cloth-less instead.

Gate the community

If a room just has too many dangers or distractions for a baby, gate it off. However, keep in mind it's only a short amount of time before a skillful toddler will learn how to scale these obstructions. Gated stairs are even more dangerous than un-gated stairs, because a baby can climb to the top of the gate and fall from an even greater height. Therefore, you must keep babies away from stairs until they can learn to crawl down them backwards. Place the security gate at the door of the child's bedroom so that she will never even make to the stairs. By "security gate" I mean the ones that are not the accordion type, because babies can get their heads caught in those. Before our little ones could climb like monkeys, we used our 50-pound food storage buckets of red wheat to block entry. It was nice to see our food storage being used productively.

Busy little babies certainly keep parents hopping! They are constantly growing, learning and changing. With them we too must learn, change and adapt so their home can be a safe place for them. If you ever grow weary of these adaptations, take heart; this time does not last long, and babies seem to grow at the speed of light. You may even find yourself looking back with nostalgia at the thought of all your belongings piled onto one tiny, overcrowded shelf, or your food storage jammed in all of the doorways of your home.

Shannon Badger is a graduate of the University of Oregon, and a frazzled mother of five. Correspondence is welcomed at kellydame@yahoo.com.