Stay Hip Even With a Baby Proofed Pad
Guest Post by: Stacy Harris
Having a baby obviously brings many changes into the lives of new parents, but one thing many don’t think about are the transformations that might need to be made in order to baby proof the home. According to SafeKids.org, household injuries such as suffocation and furniture tipping over are some of the main reasons young children and infants go to the E.R. or suffer from a fatal injury.
In a 2013 survey by the National Association of Realtors, the living room was noted as the most important room of the house by 55 percent of respondents. As it’s the room that typically gets the most activity and is most used to entertain guests, the living room is likely to be the one new parents are most concerned about being stylish while also keeping it safe for that precious bundle of joy.
While having a stylishly decorated home is important to many couples, baby proofing is obviously a more important priority. Fortunately, there is no need to sacrifice your home’s interior in order to protect the safety of your little one.
SafeKids.org reports that 17 kids die each year from TVs tipping over. because of its weight, a 36” CRT TV that falls just three feet creates the same momentum as a one-year-old falling ten stories, the site reveals. Of course, furniture and other heavy items can also tip over and crush a young child. Children tend to climb on and pull themselves up using all sorts of furniture including shelves, television stands and the TVs themselves.
Of course you don’t have to get rid of your trendy furniture or top-of-the-line entertainment systems. Instead, anchor these items to the floor or attach them securely to a wall.
You may have a number of breakable items such as glass vases and porcelain sitting on end tables that are within reach of a small child. There is no need to sell them at a yard sale. Instead, invest in inexpensive yet stylish “floating shelves” that can be installed high enough so that little hands can’t reach. A good example can be found on the Wayfair website, with floating shelves available in several different stylish colors that can be matched to your room’s interior.
As suffocation is the number one cause of unintentional injury-related death for children who are under the age of one, it’s extremely important to keep this in mind when baby proofing the home. Window coverings are a great way to create a beautiful look in your living room, but those pull cords as well as floor-length drapes and curtain rods also pose a significant safety risk.
If you have long drapes, consider tying them up to create a decorative look that not only protects draperies from your child’s sticky hands, but also helps eliminate the risk of the material getting wrapped around your little one, causing injury or worse.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends using cordless window coverings to help prevent the risk of strangulation. Most window treatments that were made after the year 2000 were developed with this in mind. However, those that were made pre-2000, should be repaired or replaced. The Window Covering Safety Council offers a free repair kit for older corded draperies, shades and blinds that can be obtained by visiting WindowCoverings.org.
About the Author:
Stacy Harris
In a 2013 survey by the National Association of Realtors, the living room was noted as the most important room of the house by 55 percent of respondents. As it’s the room that typically gets the most activity and is most used to entertain guests, the living room is likely to be the one new parents are most concerned about being stylish while also keeping it safe for that precious bundle of joy.
While having a stylishly decorated home is important to many couples, baby proofing is obviously a more important priority. Fortunately, there is no need to sacrifice your home’s interior in order to protect the safety of your little one.
Heavy Furniture
Of course you don’t have to get rid of your trendy furniture or top-of-the-line entertainment systems. Instead, anchor these items to the floor or attach them securely to a wall.
Breakable Décor
Curtains and Blinds
If you have long drapes, consider tying them up to create a decorative look that not only protects draperies from your child’s sticky hands, but also helps eliminate the risk of the material getting wrapped around your little one, causing injury or worse.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends using cordless window coverings to help prevent the risk of strangulation. Most window treatments that were made after the year 2000 were developed with this in mind. However, those that were made pre-2000, should be repaired or replaced. The Window Covering Safety Council offers a free repair kit for older corded draperies, shades and blinds that can be obtained by visiting WindowCoverings.org.
About the Author:
Stacy Harris
Stacy is an interior designer who specializes in nurseries and children's bedrooms.
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