In all the excitement of having a baby, you may have forgotten that many homes aren’t really designed for little ones. There are a number of everyday features that we take for granted but which represent possible hazards for your baby. When you’re getting ready to welcome a new addition into the family, make sure your home is just as welcoming for him, or her, as it is for you.
Buy the essentials
Making your home ready for you baby doesn’t mean you have to make huge structural changes to your house. Instead, make sure your home is stocked with the little things that every baby needs.
Where is your baby going to sleep, for example? Cots are usually viewed as the safest sleeping place for a newborn baby and you can use light blankets or a baby-sized sleeping bag to keep your child warm. Making sure you have a good supply of diapers is also essential. If you want to save on waste and repeat purchases, be sure to look into cloth diapers for your baby.
Protect against falls
On average, babies start crawling between 6 and 10 months, and as soon as they’re on the move, their chances of taking a tumble greatly increase. Fortunately, there are methods you can employ to not only prevent falls, but reduce the pain caused when they do occur.
Firstly, make sure all mats and rugs have non-slip pads under them to make it easier for your baby to get around. Secondly, tidy your living space to ensure that there are no loose cables around that might trip your child.
Corner protectors are also a fantastic way of making your home safer for small children and babies. Placing these over tables and other low furniture pieces will help make the impact a lot more forgiving if you baby does fall over.
Get rid of the pests
A clean home takes on extra importance when you have a newborn baby. With their immune system still developing, it’s important to limit their exposure to harmful bacteria where possible. Although this can largely be achieved through general cleaning and sanitising surfaces, there may be hygiene issues that are more difficult to overcome.
Pest infestations can introduce harmful diseases into the home and provide a threat to your baby’s well-being. If you encounter a horde of nasty critters, be sure to visit a local exterminator to make your home baby-safe once again.
Forbidden areas
If you have parts of the home that are particularly dangerous for your baby, the simplest solution is to just block their entrance. Baby gates can be purchased for both doors and staircases and ensure that your baby is free to roam in the safe spaces of the house, while being prevented from wandering into those forbidden areas. That way, you gain peace of mind and your baby can carry on exploring.
When you have a newborn baby in your life, it can be easy to panic. Not everything in your home is a potential hazard, but the above tips will help you to create an environment for your baby to grow and learn safely.
I think it’s great that you included getting rid of pests into your post about having a newborn in the house. It’s a part of baby prep that isn’t so glamorous, but is definitely necessary for our children’s health! When I was pregnant with my little girl I was a right clean freak, but never thought about doing any sort of pest control. I did find another blog about bug proofing that you might want to check out too <a href="http://www.empirepestcontrol.co.uk/how-to-bug-proof-your-home/". I’m getting as much information as I can, ready for when we have baby number 2!
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Of all of the list I have read about preparing for baby, this is the first one that addresses getting rid of pests, which is something that so many parents to be don’t even think about. Even pet fleas and spiders can cause problems for newborns. It is also so important to take care of things like this, along with carpet cleaning and other processes that might involve chemicals long before baby is welcomed home. I also make sure that I have everything that I could possibly need for those times that we need to get out of the house, or take a short road trip. Read more about my advice for necessary baby essentials at https://www.roamingmommy.com/
mariana@roamingmommy.com
Thanks for this awesome post. It’s such a great use of the space and the sliding barn door is so creative. Did you get this done in one day?