Babyproof the Nursery
You need to babyproof the nursery as soon as possible because this is where baby safety starts.
Don’t take for granted that your baby’s room is a safe haven. There are quite a lot of things to consider in order to babyproof the nursery correctly. In our ordinary every day lives, we often take short cuts which look, and are perfectly fine for everybody else, but are not safe for your infant.
We tend to also forget that although your baby is very helpless in the beginning, day by day and week by week, he is getting stronger and learning how to use his body and limbs. The sooner you babyproof the nursery the better.
Some time ago my Son-In-Law was both horrified and embarrassed to admit that he had never considered baby safety or the need to babyproof the nursery when he left his two month old son lying gurgling on the parental bed, while he (good old Dad) rushed off to relieve himself.
When he got back, the child was on the floor. He couldn’t roll over, but he could definitely squirm.
Babyproof the nursery by following the baby safety tips below
- Before purchasing cots, baby carriers etc. check the product recall pages to ensure that the item does not have a dangerous defect.
- Ensure that the changing table in the nursery is sturdy and that all items that you may need are close at hand. If you are forced to turn away from your infant, make sure that you keep one hand very firmly on him. Don’t leave your baby alone on any high surface. Even a bed is too high. Your baby may not be able to roll over, but he can sure wriggle around.
- When choosing a cot for the nursery, make sure that the bars are vertical and that the gaps between the bars are 2 3/8 inches (68mm) or smaller. You don’t want your infant to push his head through the bars and become strangled.
- Never choose a cot that has decorative posts sticking up at the four corners. It is quite possible for your child to accidentally hang himself on these posts. If your infant’s cot already has them, cut or screw them off before it is too late!
- Ensure that the mattress fits snugly against the sides of the cot. If your infant’s head or body becomes accidentally wedged, he can suffocate. There should be no more than a two finger width between mattress and cot sides. If necessary, try placing rolled towels in the gap.
- If you live in a cold area and find it necessary to make use of a hot water bottle despite having a heater in the nursery, always make sure that it is covered before putting it between the sheets. Baby’s skin is very delicate and burns easily. Remove the hot water bottle before putting baby down to sleep.
- Do not hang a dummy on a ribbon around your baby’s neck. Remove any ribbons, strings or tapes from toys and clothing. They can cause strangulation.
- Make sure that there are no electrical cords near the cot, such as lamp cords. Tie any curtaining cords so that they are well out reach from of questing fingers
- Once your infant is able to sit (and reach out), baby safety becomes even more important. Remove toys that are strung across the top of the cot as well as mobiles. The strings can get wrapped around his throat.
- Before your infant discovers that he can pull himself into a standing position, remove cot bumpers , pillows and any bulky toys. He will use them to stand on and try to get out of the cot.
It won’t be long before your infant is crawling around and trying to investigate everything so
After you babyproof the nursery, you can rest for five minutes before you go on to tackle the rest of your home.
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