Baby-proofing... what do I need!!!?

Question

There are lists I have found on the internet, but they seem a little excessive. (Probably because they are written by the sellers!). What do I really need? btw I do not have any stairs.

(Son is 7 months old and already rolling into what he shouldn't be getting into!)

Answer 1

4 sets of eyes

Answer 2

Okay locks for the cupboards and locks for the drawers.

Put all chemicals on a top shelf out of reach

A baby gate or two

And just get down on the floor ( where his eye level would be ) and make sure there is NOTHING that would fit into his mouth that he could choke on.

Also electrical outlet plugs..they have the ones with the "key" so he can't pry them off.

If he's pulling up you may want to get a stove guard and an oven latch so he does not pull the oven door onto his self.

Also just make sure you keep things in the middle of counters or tables..never on the edge where he might grab at them.

Answer 3

You could get a play pen so you know where he is if you need to go into another room. Locks for any cuboards (bathroom, kitchen, laundry- where you keep poisons or dangerous item eg knives etc)- you can get some great ones that are just like latches.  If you have sharp corners on coffee tables or other surfaces get some covers for them so when he starts walking he doesnt get bad injuries.

EDIT- also some plastic powerpoint covers that just plug into the holes (so he doesnt go sticking little things into them).

I know there is so much stuff out there but this is what i'll be getting just to be on the safe side.

Answer 4

In all seriousness, not much.

One school of thought is to baby proof EVERYTHING.

Another is just supervise your child, and use constant and consistent supervision. I've done this and never had a problem. No gas vales played with, not knife draws being opened and fiddles with. I tend to think that people that go overboard on baby proofing use that as an excuse not to supervise their child, gives them the peace of mind to let the child roam while they watch tv.

Some proofing is obviously common sense, stairs for example. But you'll be surprised in what paying attention and giving positive correcting behavior can do.

(or maybe Im just lucky with my son too!)

Answer 5

My theory is move anything that is dangerous (knives, poisons etc) to a higher level...not worth the risk.

ANything you really care about (ornaments etc) should also be moved. It is good to keep some stuff around as bubs can learn not to touch.

Commercial products include:

Power point covers

corner covers (plastic covers for sharp corners)

child prrof door and drawer locks so bubs can't open things.

My daughter is 6 and a half months and just started crawling. I just make sure there is nothing floating around that she can get into.

But as long as it is not potentially dangerous I don't stress too much (e.g. she loves to play with the TV remote)

Answer 6

You don't need to spend allot of money.  Get everything that will break IE glass and put it away.  Buy plastic covers for your outlets so he will not get into an outlet.  Buy and install yourself cabinet kid proof locks.  Check all your electric cords and make sure that he can not pull them or bite them.  Make sure that all your cleaners are out of reach.  If you have any sharp edges like a glass table or a fireplace then cover them with cloths so that the edges are not exposed.  He will try to pull himself up before long so make sure that anything he can use is steady and will not pull over.

Answer 7

Oh thats what babies are like get him a play pen thing if your worried that he's going to hurt himself :D good luck x

Answer 8

I know what your feeling right lol. My daughter is 5 months just learned to crawl and has very recently discovered the joy of climbing up her playpen and hanging on to the side and walking around it. When I let her on the floor she tries to get into everything and pull herself up everything.

The best thing you can do is supervise your son while hes out and about the house. Just make sure theres nothing small he can put in his mouth on the floor or in his reach.

However if you have coffee tables, stands or whatnot with sharp corners you may want to consider putting something over the corners incase he falls and hits his head. When my daughter learns to walk I plan on buying clips to keep our cupboards closed and socket covers so she cant play with plug-in areas (for my own peace of mind) and keeping the doors closed to areas she doesnt need to be playing in (bathroom, etc.) Along with supervising her Im not really that worried. Other then that use common sense and dont put things in his reach that can harm him and he should be fine.

Answer 9

I think the best thing you can do is get down on his level and then you get a better idea of what he is looking at or will try to get at............then you make your list of what you need to baby proof. You can start with a gate for steps or if you want to close off a room to him, you need to cover all the outlets in the rooms and so on.I have 2 boys 12 and 6 and the younger one always figured out the "proofing".      

Answer 10

what i did for my son when he was that age, is i went to walmart, got the hooks that go on cabinets so that babies can't get into the cabinets, i got the plastic plugs that you plug into the outlets so that he wouldn't put anything in them or put his fingers in there.  i also got a lock for the frig so that he can't open the frig and hurt himself.  you can really find all these things at walmart in the baby section, for a reasonable price.  =D   hope you guys are doing well, miss talking to you!  

Answer 11

My son hated confinement so I knew he would never put up with a play pen.  We moved into a new house when he was 8 months so I babyproofed while moving in.

I didn't bother with those cupboard stoppers:  The pantry had a gate across it and I only put harmless stuff in the lower cupboards (such as pots, pans, strainers, plastic containers and cookie sheets - in the bathroom I put the towels and washcloths low and cleaners/soaps/etc. in the high cupboard.

I made the master bedroom off limits unless accompanied - so I didn't worry about the master bath (through the master bedroom) either.  I would close the door - even lock it to teach that it's off limits.  When we're in there, my son has learned what not to touch - like the computer.  Our main room/baby's room/guest room are all babyproof because they are simply sparsely furnished.  Get rid of extra lamps and put corded stuff in front of outlets - cover the cords with furniture or get rid of cords.  I have all fragile stuff up high or gotten rid of.

Outlet protectors are a MUST.  

Anyway, the main point is reevaluate how you set up your home from the ground up and try to turn into one of those people who just don't have a lot of "stuff" hanging out and try to give yourself a room (or two) where you CAN be messy and close the door.  You'll feel better anyway - it's nice how easy it is to clean the main room when company is coming - no extra furniture makes it look clean sometimes when it's not :)

After you're done, crawl around the house at his level to check that you have everything.