Child-Proofing Your Home

Here is a list of suggestions for you when safeguarding you home for baby. Always have adult supervision for your child. Try getting down on your hands and knees and think like a child to see what other safety precautions you can take in your home.

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Bathroom

Be sure to keep the bathroom door closed and the toilet seat cover down.
Install a seat cover lock.
Use non-skid mats in the tub.
Use a rubber bottom mat on the bathroom floor.
Be sure that all medications, cosmetics and cleaning supplies are stored out of reach.
Don't keep hair dryers, electric razors, etc. plugged in when not in use.

Kitchen

Cover all electrical outlets with safety plugs.
Keep appliances out of reach and use cord shorteners.
Put child proof latches on all cupboards and drawers containing knives, tools, cutlery, heavy cans, or cleaners.
Use unbreakable dishes for your child's food.
Have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
Keep anything that your child can climb on away from counters and stoves.
Cook on the back elements whenever possible and always keep pot handles turned in.
Keep your child out of the kitchen, or in a playpen or high chair while you are cooking and preparing meals.
Do not use tablecloths that a child can grab and pull off of the table.
Keep plastic wraps and bags out of reach.

Stairs and Hallways

Put mounted gates at the top and bottom of all stairs.
Never use the old, accordian style gates, as they aren't safe.
Never leave anything on the stairs that you can trip on while carrying your baby.
Use safety doorknob covers on all the doors you don't want your child to open.
Attach a bell to the door so you can hear when it does open.
Be sure to have smoke alarms on every floor of your home. Test them at the start of each season.

Nursery

Be sure that playpens and cribs meet safety standards (CSA/CPSC). Cribs made before 1986 are not safe.
Keep pillows, stuffed animals, etc. out of the crib to avoid suffocation.
Never place a crib within reach of windows, blinds, lamps, or electrical cords.
Make sure mattress is firm and fits snugly against the frame.
Regularly check to make sure all screws are tightened.
Remove mobiles from crib once your baby can reach them.
Make sure all furniture for the nursery has lead-free paint, is sturdy, won't tip, and has smooth edges/round corners.
Cut any cords on blinds so they are not looped or long.
Keep diaper-changing supplies out of baby's reach.

Living Room

Decals placed at a child's eye level on sliding glass doors can help warn them when doors are closed.
Buy a special guard to keep patio door locked - this will also prevent unwanted entry from outside.
Remove lids on toy boxes, or make sure there's ventilation just in case.
Remove cofffee tables with sharp corners or use padding.
Mount shelving units to the wall, so they can't tip if pulled on.
Cover your fireplace.
Use a power strip safety cover, and put clear plastic guards on your DVD players, VCRs, etc.to stop babies from pushing buttons or inserting foreign objects.

General

Install window safety devices, set to allow no more than a 10cm opening.
Don't leave furniture or anything that can be climbed upon near windows.
Ensure that windows are in good repair and that your child cannot push out of the window.
Know about all of your house and garden plants. Many common plants are poisonous or can cause diarrhea or vomiting.