Parenting & Family

The ABCs of Baby Proofing Your Entire Home

Briana Hernandez · Published on 2017-03-08

The ABCs of Baby Proofing Your Entire Home 1 One of our favorite parts of impending parenthood, whether for the first or fourth time, is the nesting phase. While picking out nursery colors and adorable furniture is the fun part, you may find yourself dreading the baby-proofing process. Remember it is exactly that—a process! And it’s easier than you think, especially with these baby-proofing tips and helpful products you can get with Cash Back at Ebates.

Take Your Time

Before you buy all the baby-proofing products in the world, do yourself a favor and take a deep breath. Then remember you have a whole five to six months from when baby arrives to when baby starts crawling and exploring their surroundings. When you decide it’s time to get started, focus on the one room where your little one will be spending most of their time. Typically, this is the living room.

Get Down

The best way to assess a room’s baby-proofing needs is to get down to your child’s vantage point. That’s right. Crawl on your hands and knees around the floor. Who knew you had so many electrical outlets and sharp corners? Use this information gathering to draft a baby-proofing checklist you can use to shop for everything you need.

Go for Bulk

You will quickly learn that you need a lot to keep a baby safe in your home. A baby-proofing kit is really the best way to go, since they tend to include almost everything. Plus, it never hurts to have some extras on hand—especially outlet covers. If you’re a traveling family, you should also consider a travel baby-proofing kit to keep those guest rooms and hotel suites safe for small hands.

Off-Limits

Don’t be afraid to make certain rooms or sections of a room off-limits for your child. Maybe you only want to baby proof the front of the home. Just place a baby gate in front of the hall to keep baby in bounds. If you have a home entertainment center or a computer desk in a common area, put a baby gate around that. Keep pets’ water and food bowls behind baby gates as well.

Stock Up on Distractions

Another great way to keep baby away from potential hazards is to simply distract them with colorful, shiny things they can play with. Keep bottom drawers in the kitchen full of toys and safe utensils like measuring cups and wooden spoons. Put stuffed animals on bottom shelves of your (anchored) bookcases. Baby will be able to play safely, and you’ll have peace of mind—which is, of course, priceless.

Briana Hernandez

Briana is a shopaholic whose newest obsession is matching top-and-skirt sets (but she also can’t resist a good jumpsuit). She loves rock music, horror movies and is an all-around pop culture junkie. She is, without fail, always down for karaoke. Her blog, Mamafierce, is a chronicle of personal fashion, body positivity and the adventures of motherhood. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, three-year-old son and tortoiseshell cat, Divvy.