

To prevent burn risk, there are a few ways we can manage this hazard: Outlets on walls and often on the end of kitchen counters or kitchen islands are within reach of small children. Installing basic cord wraps is an easy way to keep loose blind cords stored up and out of reach. In reality, any blind cords in the home can be a hazard, not just in the nursery. Cord wraps for blind cords.Īs above, blind cords should also be a minimum of three feet away from a baby’s crib. These can also be useful if you have loose cords in a living area or play area. Yes, the cord is there, but it’s no longer accessible for the baby to pull on. A cable is then inserted into the channel, and a cover is snapped over the top to enclose it. But, how is that possible without the monitor cord getting within reach of the baby? That’s where “ cable concealers” come in! Cable concealers are adhesive plastic channels that you fix to your nursery wall. Monitor cords can be particularly challenging, as we often want a clear, birds-eye view of our baby. I’m a huge fan of using outlets behind an anchored piece of furniture and leaving the cord behind the furniture and out of reach. This includes blind cords, baby monitor cords, and other electrical cords. Covers for electrical cords, including baby monitor cords.Īs a general rule, all cords should be kept a minimum of three feet away from a baby’s crib.
#Babyproof cord how to#
The CPSC has set up an excellent tip-over prevention campaign, AnchorIt!, to help parents learn how to anchor furniture and televisions properly and what tools and materials they will need. This is a commonly overlooked hazard and among the most serious.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that a child dies in a tip-over incident every two weeks. If you are going to pick one task to babyproof your home before baby arrives, I strongly recommend anchoring your furniture and televisions to the wall. Gates for fireplaces, stairs, or other living areasĪgain, there’s no harm in being proactive.Anchoring straps for furniture and televisions.Receiving them as a baby shower gift is a huge help! Common babyproofing items to consider: For example, if you live in a multi-level home, stair gates can add up quickly. Wait, I should babyproof before they’re born? Not necessarily, but hear me out! At some point, all parents will require babyproofing supplies, and what better way to acquire them than to add them to your baby registry? Take an assessment of your home’s risks and what items you may need. Now that you know the basic rules let’s jump into the when and why of babyproofing! Babyproofing: When and Why Things to consider before they’re born. They also may not withstand the same wear and tear the same way that baby gates meeting standards do.

However, these types of gates are often built with gaps that can lead to entrapment injuries or horizontal bars that children use to climb. However, we’ll often see images of beautiful DIY stair gates online and may consider this for our own home to match our home’s decor. Baby stair gates are manufactured to specific safety standards to protect children from injury.

Typical examples of this include DIY stair gates and using pet gates. We can unintentionally create new hazards when we get “creative” with the babyproofing process. The second rule is not to unintentionally create new hazards! Babyproofing is ultimately about safety. We should therefore aim to be a few steps ahead, if possible. I am often asked, “When should I start babyproofing?” My answer is: the sooner you can, the better! There’s no such thing as “too soon,” but there is such a thing as “too late.” When we convince ourselves that a baby isn’t yet capable of rolling, crawling, or walking, that’s often the day they do! We’ve all heard stories of babies who surprise their parents with a new milestone long before it was anticipated. The first “rule” is to avoid assumptions about your baby’s development. Before we get into the when and why of common babyproofing tasks, there are two rules of thumb to keep in mind when you begin babyproofing your home. Babyproofing can be overwhelming for new parents, with many left feeling confused about where to get started.
