HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME SAFE FOR BABIES

The first year of your baby can be an exciting time for you and your little one. It is during this time of his/her life that you get to witness their first smile, first laugh, and in most cases, first steps. Most of the special "first" moments of your child's life happen throughout the first year. However, if you are not careful, you might also witness their first accident.

I'm not writing to scare you; I'm just making you aware of the possibilities if you don't pay utmost vigilance when dealing with your child and his/her safety. And really, accidents happen. Accidents happen to us as adults and it can definitely happen to our babies.

So in this article, I'll share with you simple things you can follow to keep your baby away from danger and the likelihood of accidents in your own home.

Install smoke alarms in your child's bedroom. I doubt that your baby would start creating fire in his/her crib but you'll never know if fire hazards around him/her (i.e. electronic appliances) can malfunction and create havoc.

Keep plants out of reach of your baby. Not only that it might be poisonous to your baby but it can be a choking hazard. Better be safe than sorry right?

If you have firearms, lock them up tightly and put ammunition's in a separate location. Ammunition's can go off if the conditions are right. This is a general safety tip as much as it is for your baby.

Matches, cigarettes, and other flammable substances should be out of your baby's reach or placed in a childproof container.

Practice a rule that no person can handle your baby while handling something or just finished handling something hot (like a cup of tea or hot towel).

Be mindful of the things you put in the table. Children tend to pull tablecloth so either make the tablecloth high enough to be beyond the reach of children or just keep them away from it entirely.

The kitchen should be a no-access zone for children. There are just too many things that can happen in there.

Electronics outlets, especially the open ones (unused ones), should be completely covered and secured to avoid electrocution.

Electronic cords should be secured and well-maintained. Children might chew on them.

Door stops and safety knobs for the doors that should be off-limits to children.

So here are some simple tips for making your home safe for your children. Follow them and you can rest easy that your child won't run into the risk of having his/her first accident.