Home safety - which items are essential?

[hmaz]

My LO is now 6 months old and is becoming more and more mobile everyday. I'm starting the task of baby proofing and wondered what safety equipment people see as essential and what's a a bit excessive. This is my first baby so not too sure what I really need.
The things I'm thinking of getting are:

-plug socket covers
- cupboard locks for all cupboards with cleaning equipment, tools or anything else sharp or dangerous in
- drawer lock for cutlery drawer
- corner covers for coffee table and our fireplace surround as corners of hearth are really sharp
- fridge/freezer lock although bit unsure about these
- 2 stairgates
- new tv unit so that LO can't pull tv down or reach wires behind
-something to tidy up other wires in house so they're not so accessible
- carbonmonoxide alarm

is there anything I've forgotten that you think is essential or something on my list that from experience you'd say definitely isn't needed?
Thanks

 

[carly_mummy2b]

This is a great thread my LO is 4.5 months so not long until n eed to be thinking about this too

 

[binxyboo]

Are you in the UK?
If so, you don't need socket covers.
British sockets have a safety shutter system that will only activate if a plug is inserted.
It is worth noting that no makers of sockets manufacture socket covers. They are all made by independant companies.

Check out this website
https://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

 

[hmaz]

Are you in the UK?
If so, you don't need socket covers.
British sockets have a safety shutter system that will only activate if a plug is inserted.
It is worth noting that no makers of sockets manufacture socket covers. They are all made by independant companies.

Check out this website
https://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

Thanks for the link, I didn't realise they weren't needed in the UK. Sounds like they can be more if a risk than a help

 

[hivechild]

Eyes in the back of your head.

I quickly learned that no matter what you do and how much you try to baby proof, your LO will hone in on the one weak spot you missed or just invent new and hair raising ways to frighten the living daylights out of you.

 

[Scally]

We have a double socket cover in the living room as its very near where she plays, and a different tv cabinet so wires etc are hidden and she cant reach the tv. But apart from that we didnt baby proof anything, she has learnt she can only go in one cupboard in the kitchen, that she cant touch the oven, radiators etc. We did get a carbn monoxide alarm though x

 

[MrsT&Ben]

My lo is 1 and I still have yet to baby proof!
We have stair gates and thats it. I keep thinking maybe I should but lo is not left on his own in the kitchen or bathroom so thinking i'm not going to bother.
I'll probably change my mind in the future!!! He He.
Thanks for the link about plug sockets.

 

[jakey1]

Eyes in the back of your head.

I quickly learned that no matter what you do and how much you try to baby proof, your LO will hone in on the one weak spot you missed or just invent new and hair raising ways to frighten the living daylights out of you.

Totally agree!! I have the perfect example of this. Our fire is a heater type and it doesn't get hot to the touch, but rather blows out warm air into the room. But it is a coal effect fire and the coals are loose so we thought we would buy a fire guard anyway to deter them from removing the coals and putting them in their mouths. Anyway, we put the fire surround on and in the 2 minutes that it took me to run to the loo, DS managed to use one of his toys to stand on, and climb up the bloody fireguard so that he was sat on top of it. I just caught him before he fell off thank god. We have now removed the guard and have removed the coals and it's so much safer. Obviously most people have guards because their fire gets extremely hot but in our case it proved to more of a hazard than a safety feature

 

[StaceyPreedy]

I baby proofed top to bottom, i never considered DVD's and books on a set of shelves so i have to buy a cupboard and a dvd stand with doors and add the safety catches BUT she can open these she still managed to pull the tv over as well and smash it to a million peices and stair gates just won't fit on my stairs (never thought of that when we moved in) Now she eats the cat biscuits when im not looking and throws her toys and of course my phone out the cat flap alot of the time as well as sticking drumsticks to her xylophone up her nose and running around, moving things purposely so she can climb and reach things. Oh and a good one, throwing herself on the floor (regardless of weather there is something on the floor like a toy or her toy box) on purpose when shes in a strop and headbutting walls etc. I think kids just like hurting themselves lol or they have some form of death wish, just can't take ur eye off them for one minute.

 

[HayleyJA]

The only thing we bought was a stair gate - just one! I have no doubt that there will be accidents but as others have said, as much as you baby proof, they will find a way! We've been 'sensible' and removed books/dvds/shelves away but other than that, we've just taught her what she is and isn't allowed to do. One of the things she already understands is 'hot'. She'll blow (as if I'm blowing a hot drink or food) whenever I say 'no, hot' and as yet hasn't tried to touch.

She can open cupboards but rather than buy locks and catches, I just stick a wooden spoon through the handles to prevent her from opening them! She soon looses interest!

The things I'm more conscious of are things being put down the toilet as she has worked out how to open the lid, and things going in the washing machine - she's already thrown a few magnets in, but I'm waiting for a tissue or something coloured to ruin a load of washing one day...!

Hey ho, you live and learn!

 

[hmaz]

Thanks for all your replies. I think I'll get two stairgates and a few cupboard locks to start with

 

[Sally1997]

I think it's down to how you and your other half feel about dangers. Some people feel safe with a few precautions while others need to do more. There's no one right way. You have to decide for yourself how much will make you feel at ease. What do you think?

 

[KateyCakes]

I thought of baby proofing my baby - surely that'd save time and effort

 

[Laurenmomma]

Really u need 4 pairs of eyes and baby in a bubble ball!!!

Iv got stair gate at bottom and one on her bedroom as it wouldn't fit at top of stairs! Locks on kitchen cupboards although she figured after a couple of days that if she pulls really hard they pop off! Haha clever gets!

Iv found today I need a cover for oven as the door gets hot which I didnt no about and she's obsessed with touching it even tho it hurts her! Hide all DVDs and CDs unless u eat them scratched and make sure tv is secure! I'd basically just try and put most things in a place rather than out

Ther will still be accidents that can't be proofed, children are so Into everything they find ways!

Ps I found kiddicare.com to be one of the cheapest for safety stuff n u get free next day delivery!

Good luck!

 

[Sally1997]

That might br tongue in cheek but it's very wise. The most effective way to make her safe is training your baby/ toddler.

 

[Blah11]

we didnt baby proof our house at all with amelie and probably wont this time either. We have a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm but we'd have that with or without kids.

 

[Jchihuahua]

We have a stairgate at the top of the stairs and socket covers and cupboard locks for the kitchen cupboards and that's all we've needed.

 

[janet]

Has anyone thought about the blind cords? i have my blind cords out of the way, many people dont think of this, but it has came to light recently in papers and on the tv about the fact lots of toddlers have sadly died due to getting strangled putting there heads in the blind cords, if a toddler put there head and they over balance they cant lift themselves back up due to the fact there head is much heavier than there bodies, sorry to make a big story about it lol but just the thought of this scares me half to death

 

[Blah11]

we dont have blinds but if we did we'd tie them up out the way for sure. My 3 year old still puts things round her neck drives me mad.

 

[Jchihuahua]

we dont have blinds but if we did we'd tie them up out the way for sure. My 3 year old still puts things round her neck drives me mad.

I caught Daisy putting the monitor cable around her neck, 'look, my scarf!' earlier. Toddlers really seem to like to do that sort of thing. We only have one blind but keep the cord wrapped around a metal pin thing so she can't reach it.