The arrival of a new baby into your life is a momentous event that calls for significant adjustments to your routine and living arrangements. Babies and toddlers have little to no fear and a great deal of curiosity. Both of these may lead to dangerous situations if you don’t implement the proper safety measures. That being said, making a home you’ve lived in for years baby-safe is one thing. You’re familiar with its hazards and how to deal with them. However, Making a new home safe for your baby is a different story. That is why today we will explain how to baby-proof your new apartment.
Table of Contents
1. Invest in Safety Gates
A baby gate is an essential piece of baby-proofing equipment for every new parent’s home. If you set them up properly, baby gates can prevent children from entering rooms or locations where they might be exposed to potential dangers, such as the kitchen. Installing a baby gate is a simple solution to keep youngsters out of dangerous areas of your residence. Also, if you have pets and you’re not sure how they’ll react to your baby, safety gates can come in handy. Check out this baby safety gate below!
2. Secure All Electrical Outlets
It is standard for apartments to have electrical outlets in every room. This poses a large hazard for children. This is because small children are usually not aware of the dangers exposed outlets have. It’s possible for kids to get their fingers stuck in there and get electrocuted. For this reason, if you have any small children, it’s a good idea to cover all the plugs. To do this, you can use tape or duct tape to hide outlets. You could also try setting up furniture in front of them. Keep in mind that kids may easily pull heavy furniture over on their heads, so it’s a good idea to strap it down as well.
3. Implement Safety Locks
Curious toddlers may mistake the shiny pots, jingling cutlery, and swinging cabinet doors of a kitchen for the perfect playground. This is especially true if you plan on giving your child baths in the kitchen sink. However, the kitchen actually contains several dangerous items for children to touch. This means you need to put the cleaning supplies and sharp items away and set safety locks on the cupboards and drawers. This is essential for baby-proofing your new apartment.
In addition, you must be mindful of how you use your stove, pots, and pans. Even a turned-off stove might be dangerous for curious infants who grab for anything in sight. If the controls for your stove are on the front of the appliance, you should keep them hidden so that a child doesn’t accidentally light the burners. Also, when cooking, never let the handle of a pot or pan hang over the edge of the stove. A toddler could grab and pull on it, spilling the pan’s boiling contents all over themselves.
4. Cover or Remove Any Sharp Edges
Clumsy infants learning to stand and walk don’t mix well with sharp edges on furniture or moving boxes and crates. According to experts at Verified Movers, this is why you need to unbox your belongings and settle into your new apartment as soon as possible. In addition, a circular coffee table, as opposed to a square or rectangular one, may be preferable if you want to provide your infant with more floor space for crawling and walking. If your home has sharp edges, you can easily purchase safety guards to smooth them out.
5. Establish Risk-Free Play Zones
Young children do not need a large play area, but they do require a safe area. Suppose you can’t keep a careful eye on your kid at all times; set up a play space in your apartment where there are no dangers or things that can hurt your child. This includes high shelves or pointy furniture. In addition to a gate, you should install protective foam mats in high-traffic areas. If you do this, you can focus on other things without worrying about your child’s safety.
6. Keep an Eye Out for Dangerous Toys
Simply because you purchased a toy for your child in a toy store does not mean it is risk-free. No matter how harmless it appears, any toy can become a hazard in the hands of a creative child. Furthermore, some toys contain toxic materials that should be avoided. To ensure your child only plays with safe toys, you can check on toy recall lists from time to time. This way, you will be updated on which toys have been recalled and why they need to be taken off the market immediately.
7. Look at the Patio or Balcony
Apartments on the ground level don’t have the same fall risks as those further up, but patios, which plants often surround, may still be dangerous. If necessary, research the vegetation typesin your immediate vicinity to see if any represent a threat. Take appropriate measures if you discover hazardous plants outside your home. In addition, if you have a balcony and want to use it without worrying about your children falling through the bars, you may install rail guards. However, our advice is never to let your child out of sight on a balcony in the first place.
Conclusion
It’s not easy to settle into a new place to live. However, things can get even more challenging if you decide or are forced to move while you’re expecting. It’s a lot to plan and execute a move while also thinking about how to baby-proof your new apartment. That is why it’s so important to make sure everything runs smoothly, from the relocation process to preparing your home for the arrival of your child.
That said, hopefully, you know how to baby-proof your new apartment. Following these suggestions will allow you to relax and enjoy your time with your baby without worrying about their safety.
