Babyproofing for a Normal Life

Your child can’t live in a bubble. They’re going to inhale germs, eat dirt, and get into plenty of icky and undesirable things. They’re going to get cut, bruised, pinched, and they’re going to bleed. Nevertheless, it is your job to protect your little one within the walls of your home, but even there you can’t be 100 percent babyproofed.

How could a babyproofing company say this? Well, because we have kids, and we understand that you just can’t live as a family when the whole house is on lockdown 24 hours a day. Your child needs to develop confidence and independence – and she does that through exploration.

So babyproof the high-exploration territory and accept that some rooms are simply safer than others. Here’s how.

Super-Babyproof the High-Traffic Area

You likely have a family room or living room where your family congregates to watch television, play, and relax. This is where your busy baby will be the most, so make it a point to designate this room as the “safe” area and do everything you can to babyproof it. Add gates at the entrances and exits to the room, cover sharp corners and fireplace hearths with foam, and hang your television on the wall or anchor it with furniture straps. Box up your surge protectors and install wire covers.

The kitchen is also a heavily trafficked area so take precautions here as well. Install childproof safety latches to all cupboards, and magnetic locks to the cabinet that holds household cleaners. If your oven and dishwasher are not equipped with safety locks, install them.

Universal Babyproofing
In the low-traffic areas of your home – the places your child will only be if you are always present – you can be a little less diligent about the hardcore babyproofing. But there are a few “musts” for your house as a whole, even for the rooms your child doesn’t often frequent. These include outlet covers – they’re inexpensive and simple to install. Also strap all of your heavy furniture to the walls to avoid tip-over accidents.

Some rooms you spend a lot of time in and others you don’t. Some rooms will be off limits until your child is in grade school, other rooms are the heart of your home. Put your energy where it’s needed most. When you’re hanging out in the less-babyproofed rooms, make sure your brain is turned to high alert and that you’re keeping a close eye on your curious child. Need to relax a bit and let your baby play without you acting like a helicopter? Park yourselves in the heavily babyproofed territory.