You may be ready for your bundle of joy, but it's important to check that your house is also ready to accommodate the little hands and mouths that want to touch and taste everything.
During the first few months your baby can't move around, but before too long he'll start to crawl, and then walk.
Having tiny feet running around the house is a wonderful experience for new parents, but you have to keep an eye on your newly mobile child!
One of the first and best ways to keep your child safe is for you and your spouse to equip yourselves with a first-aid course - and make sure to keep your first-aid qualifications up to date.
Also, go to your nearest pharmacy and buy a first-aid kit - one for your home and one for your car.
If you have a babysitter, she should also get first-aid training, in case anything ever happens when you aren't at home.
To childproof your house, you will probably have to change the way some furniture and appliances are arranged.
You might need to move a kettle to the back of a counter, or up on to a higher counter where little hands can't reach the cord and pull it down.
You also might have to rearrange cupboards so that glass and other things that can break and hurt your baby are out of reach. (It's a good idea to have one cupboard available to your baby, with plastics and other things that can't break, that they can play with.)
It's also vital to make your little one aware of what he's allowed to do around the house.
Good tip
Pretend that you're a baby by lying down on the floor and looking at everything from the baby's point of view. Look for everything that could harm baby.
Plug points are very dangerous if the child can reach them, but shops sell easy-to-use covers that you can plug into the sockets so babies can't stick their fingers into the holes. Even if the cover's in place, though, and the plug is switched off, make sure your baby knows that plugs should NEVER be played with.
Once you have checked the dangers at floor level, get on your hands and knees and crawl around to see what you will bump your head on. Babies also often hurt themselves by grabbing on to things that aren't secure, like loose table cloths. Teach your little one that bumping into things or pulling them can hurt their tiny bodies.
Also very important is to:
- Check that there are no electrical wires or cords that can be reached. Unnecessary household accidents happen when babies pull on kettle or iron cords, bringing the appliance tumbling down on them and often burning them horribly.
- Teach your baby never to fiddle with the knobs on the stove, or reach for pots on the stove top. To be on the safe side, switch the stove off at the wall when you're not using it.
- Sharp knives, forks and other implements can also hurt your baby, so make sure they can't be reached. You can buy cupboard locks and install them yourself - many of the new baby locks are carefully designed and won't damage your cupboards.
- Never leave candles or lamps burning in
an empty room or if there are children sleeping there. Also make sure that you keep burning candles away from curtains, paper, cloths and furniture.
Prevent poisoning
Babies often get poisoned by drinking common household cleaning agents such as bleach or polish, or taking medication such as cough mixture or tablets. It's essential to keep all these substances locked in a cupboard where your baby can't ever reach them.
Poison information numbers:
Red Cross Children's Hospital: 021 689 5227
Tygerberg Hospital: 021 9316129
Paraffin safety
Always store your labelled paraffin container, preferably with a safety cap, up and away from children. When not in use, keep all paraffin containers, matches and appliances locked away. Use paraffin appliances on a steady, flat surface, out of the reach of children and away from any flammable substance and heat sources such as a fire.
For more info on paraffin safety call 0861 22 44 22
Danger list for babies
- Don't put food, dishes, cups or other objects near the edges of tables
- The pot handles on the stove must face the wall
- Keep cleaning chemicals, paraffin and other poisons in a locked cupboard
- Hot irons must be kept out of the reach of children
- Never give your baby medicine unless a doctor has prescribed it
- Use a baby's car seat if you drive with your baby in the car.