5 Ordinary Things at Home that can be Dangerous for Baby

Having a new baby in the house is such an exciting event. There is so much preparation and planning done to make sure that everything is perfect for when the new little bundle comes home. Unfortunately, you can only baby-proof your home so much. The balancing act between having a home conducive for both baby and all the other members of the family is a difficult one to keep, but being aware of things at home that could possibly harm your baby will help in making this possible.

Here are 5 things at home that can possibly be hazardous to Baby.  

Kuya or Ate’s toys
Babies love to play and interact with their older siblings - especially their toys. Remember though that toys Ate or Kuya like to play with are age-appropriate for them and not Baby. They may be dangerous for Baby to manipulate and play with. Teach the older siblings what toys they can and cannot play with when they are near or with their baby brother or sister. Toys that have small parts, like building blocks or doll sets with small accessories, are a big no-no when Baby is around. Playdough and plushies can also be choking hazards.  

Also, teach Ate and Kuya to look around and double check if they have packed away all the pieces when they do play with these kinds of toys. Having a stray piece on the floor or on the playmat can lead to medical emergencies, especially when there is a baby around.

Be very conscious also about hand-me-down toys from when Ate or Kuya was a baby. Yes, they may be age-appropriate for Baby to play with now but make sure that they are still in good condition and will not crack or break and become dangerous after a few times of play.

House plants
Houseplants are great because they help in cleaning the air inside the house aside from making the house more pleasant and beautiful. Be conscious though about the plants that you do put in the house and where they are placed. Some plants may be beautiful but can be poisonous if accidentally ingested. Also, since plants (especially flowering ones) usually attract the attention of babies because of their texture and color, be careful about where they are placed. Baby may try to reach for it and cause a lot of damage if they fall.

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Curtains, drapes and carpets
These items are present in just about every household. Make sure that carpets are kept clean - which means constant vacuuming and washing them every so often with organic/natural carpet cleaners and shampoos; and curtains and drapes are changed and washed often. These household items hold a lot of dust and dirt that can cause respiratory problems and allergies.

Babies are also notorious for being able to find and put any small items/lint/dirt they can pick out of the carpet into their mouths so make sure you keep the carpet clean. Curtains and drapes, on the other hand, can be pulled by baby to help himself up, which can cause him to stumble, so make sure that aside from being clean, they are not within Baby’s reach.

TVs, Computers and other electronic gadgets
Babies these days are exposed at such an early age to all these technologies and gadgets. Educational videos and CDs for infants (and even babies in utero) are widely available and are shown to babies via TVs, tablet PCs and cellular phones. Programs and applications touted to be appropriate for babies and kids can be downloaded. Technology has really become such a big influencing factor in our every day life. This is all well and good, if used in moderation - especially during the first two years of life. Being exposed extensively to these things, and at such an early age, has been proven to cause eye strain, headaches, behavioral problems and other health issues like obesity.  

Another thing to look out for is how peripherals and cables, chargers and batteries of these gadgets are kept. Since these things are so ‘normal’, their potential to harm baby is often overlooked. However, babies may choke on small parts or entangle themselves on cords and cables if they are not kept and put away properly.

Batteries from battery-operated gadgets can be very dangerous too, especially if babies are able to open the battery slot and play with the batteries themselves. They contain heavy metals that are very corrosive and can lead to poisoning when ingested. As a safety precaution, check all kids’ toys and gadgets that use batteries to make sure they are in good condition and are not leaking.

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Baby Products (toiletries, toys and clothing)
Bottles of baby cologne, shampoo or powder, baby’s comb or toothbrush, and other similar items may be made for Baby but they do not necessarily mean that Baby can handle and play with them. They are not toys and should therefore be used under adult supervision at all times. Baby can easily learn to open these bottles, and ingesting their contents may cause a lot of harm. The bottle caps themselves can be choking hazards.

Yes, it may be cute to watch baby pretend to brush his teeth with his baby brush or comb his hair with his little comb, but make sure that Baby only uses these objects under your supervision. Especially for babies beginning to toddle, having something in their mouth like a baby brush could severely hurt them if they fall forward.

The toys Baby plays with can also be potential hazards. Many ‘tiangge’ toys may be cheap and cute, but they are not regulated or tested so it’s highly possible that the materials used in manufacturing them can make Baby sick. They can also break or crack, or parts can fall off which can cut, splinter or choke baby. If you should at all leave Baby alone, make sure that he is left with strong and sturdy toys at all times.

Baby clothes can also be dangerous for baby. Always check the stitching of buttons or decorations on Baby’s clothing so they cannot easily be pulled out. Cloth diapers and wipe cloths may also be suffocation hazards if left near baby.

Having a baby at home is really a big responsibility to handle. There are many things that are necessary in the home that can potentially harm Baby and it is almost impossible to completely baby-proof your home. What is important though is to learn the skill of thinking ahead when it comes to the areas where Baby stays and the things that Baby has access to; and make sure Baby is with a responsible adult at all times to ensure his safety.

All photos from sxc.hu