It is never too soon to start baby proofing your house. Your infant will be getting around fast, and the best way to protect him from the dangers in your home is to baby proof it as soon as possible. Below are a few tips on how to baby proof your house.

Tie Down Furniture

To secure your furniture and TV, use furniture straps to hold the items in place in the rooms where your child might be left alone, even for a short period. Babies can use drawers for climbing, so do not put your TV on top of a dresser. Secure any furniture that has sharp corners or edges with corner or edge bumpers.

Prevent Drowning

Your toilet might be a hazard for small children, so in order to prevent drowning, make sure to keep the toilet lids down and secure them with a lid lock.

Prevent Falls

If you have long cords lying about your home, use cord holders to fasten them against walls. This way, your baby will not be able to trip or tug on the cords to make the attached equipment fall.

Secure the Crib

Make sure your baby has a crib with fixed rails. Test it in order to make sure that the infant’s head cannot fit in between the slats to prevent injury. An easy way to check is to slide a can of soda between the slats; if it slides easily, the slats are too wide. Your baby’s sleep place should not be crowded with soft items like blankets, bumpers, stuffed toys, or pillows.

Hide Your Medications

Have your medicine stored in a childproof container in a high, locked cabinet. Do not take medicine in front of your children, and never say it is candy, because they might have a desire to imitate you. Throw away your old pills using a sealed bag that your child would not want to inspect.

Prevent Electric Shocks

Purchase childproof outlet covers to secure all exposed electrical sockets. In order to further protect your child from shocks, keep large furniture in front of the outlets, so that your baby would not be able to reach them.

Lock Chemicals

Store household cleaners and chemicals in locked cabinets or install safety latches that lock as soon as the cabinet door is closed. If you have cupboards with small appliances or other risky items, install safety latches on those as well. Hazardous items should be always stored high and away from small fingers.

Bathroom Safety

Never leave your child alone in the bathroom. To secure the bath area, adjust your hot water heater to make sure hot water does not reach higher than 120 degrees, in order to prevent scalding. At the bottom of the tub, install no-slip strips and cover the faucet with a soft cover.

Baby Gates

If there are rooms in your house that you do not want to baby proof, install baby gates so that your child cannot enter those rooms. Moreover, install baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Make sure to use the gates that can be securely attached to the walls without the chance of trapping the baby’s head or pinching small fingers.

These are just a few tips on how to baby proof your house. Always check if the alarms and appliances in your house are installed and working properly to avoid potential hazards. If you are not sure what else to do to baby proof your house, try to see things from a baby’s point of view; get down on your knees and crawl around the house so you can notice the things on the child’s eye level. Child safety is extremely important, so it is better to start baby proofing your house as early as possible, and some things should can be done even before the baby is born.