Furniture
We will never forget the day a free-standing wardrobe fell on top of our toddler – well it almost did! Luckily, the wardrobe hit a bed before it hit our daughter’s head and she was uninjured. If toddlers are in a room with a wardrobe, they may pull out the drawers at the bottom or climb into the wardrobe which makes it unstable. It’s the same with any piece of large heavy furniture. If it has drawers, it will be opened by curious hands. The incident prompted us review all our furniture and the potential pitfalls.
DIY stores sell fixing kits so that you can secure furniture to walls to keep everyone safe. Some furniture comes with these fixing kits.
Over the last few years TVs have become larger so it’s worth making sure that they cannot be reached by children by mounting them on walls or using cheap solutions such as flat screen TV savers.
Locks
Locks are vital to keep little ones from getting into cupboards and eating washing capsules or getting close to bleach or other dangerous substances. These locks very inexpensive items are vital and well worth investing in. Remember, curiosity can be lethal. Toilet locks are also available and well worth considering.
Remember to keep your washing machine and tumble dryer door closed to keep children, or even pets, from crawling inside. And it might seem obvious but remember to keep your all the doors in your home always locked to keep children from wandering.
Fire Safety
Those of us lucky enough to have an open fire or a wood burner will be making good use of it as the days get darker and colder. It may not fit in with your interior décor aesthetic, but It is important to invest in a quality fireguard such as this great one from BabyLo, which is now on offer with 20% off. This 5-star product is loved by our customers. Please make sure that if you leave your children off a relatives’ house that they also have a fireguard.
Candles, matches and anything that can be used to ignite household items need to be kept in a very safe place and it is important to keep cables and electric wires, neat and out of the way.
Bath Time
Bathing a baby can be stressful. The multi-award-winning Shnuggle Baby Bath creates a relaxing bonding experience. The uniquely designed bum bump helps you to support your baby and prevent them from sliding. The foam back rest is soft and warm against baby’s back and the rubber feet provide additional grip. Suitable from new-born up to approximately 12 months, the clever bottom bump helps you support even the tiniest baby in an upright position, whilst the handy plug allows you to empty or refresh water for a more enjoyable and comfortable bath time for your little one.
The super-safe JANE Universal bathtub, our 5-star best-seller, is also worth considering. It has other benefits such as the fact that it can be used in a shower tray, hence saving money on water AND it can be used outside in the sunny weather.
And if you don’t trust your elbow you can purchase a bath thermometer for very little.
Look at Samuel Johnston’s offering of baby baths.
Feeding Time
Falls are the most common injuries associated with highchairs. So, when you are making your purchase make sure that you consider the following issues:
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You will need a Five-Point Harness – Just as in car seats you’ll also find five-point harness options in highchairs. The shoulder straps keep your baby’s torso from falling forward and prevent your little one from wiggling out (as they may be able to in a waist-belt-only restraint system).
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A Wide Base is important – Highchairs can become top heavy due to your child’s weight as they sit in them. To combat this, choose one with a wider base and a larger footprint. It may take up a little more space in your house, but it is much safer.
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Locking Wheels increase safety – If your highchair comes with wheels, ensure they can be locked to keep the chair from moving around when in use.
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Metal Joint Construction – Many high chairs have been recalled primarily due to plastic joints cracking. Choose a highchair with metal joint construction as it tends to be stronger than plastic.
Burns from touching an oven or cuts from reaching out and grabbing a knife are also important considerations to bear in mind.
If you child can work at the harness place a piece of material around it so that this is not possible. Remember never to leave your child unattended in a highchair, clean it on a regular basis and keep an eye out for recalls.
Check out our full range of safe highchairs here
Choking hazards
Please also take care when feeding babies items such as grapes, which must always be sliced to avoid choking.
Here are some other foods that are considered choking hazards: popcorn; hard boiled sweets; white bread; crackers or rice crackers, cheese chunks, nuts, raw vegetables, chewing gum, hot dogs, chicken on the bone. There are many other choking hazards around the house such as batteries, small toys etc.
Essential Safety Items
There are a few other items that any busy parent looking to safety proof the home should consider:
Outdoors
As many people now consider their garden as an extension of their home, it is well worth making sure that garden utensils such as clippers etc are keep safely locked away in a shed or garage.
Keep items such as plant food and slug pellets out of the way and make sure that the garden gate is always locked.
Shop Safety