The 10 Products you Need to Baby-Proof your Home

You welcome your new bundle of joy for the very first time into the safest place there is – your home. With your baby swaddled in a blanket or between bolsters on your bed, you know you can take a shower or do a few chores and he’ll still be right where you left him.  Fast forward to a few months when your little one is rolling over, crawling on his knees and beginning to walk, and suddenly you feel as if every step is an accident waiting to happen. Is there any way you can regain your sense of security without hampering your child’s need to explore?

For Des Camacho-Peterson, new mom to 8-month old Lucas, baby-proofing her home is a necessity. “Before my son starts walking, I will baby proof our home. We live in a condo with stairs and it would be really risky not to have gates, for instance,” she says.

Fellow moms tell us below which babyproofing products they recommend. Listed, too, are safety devices included in Childproofing Your Home, a publication by The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), to ease your worries and help keep your children safe in and around your home.

1. Safety latches and locks

Prevent your child from having access to household cleaners, medicines, matches and kitchen utensils that may cause serious harm if ingested or handled by installing locks in cabinets and drawers.

Try:
Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Lock - Php 89.75 at Baby Company
Fixon Child Safety Adjustable Lock for Drawers and Cabinets – Php 44.75 at ACE Hardware

Photo from http://www.justkidsstore.com/prod/safety-1st/cabinet-slide-lock

2. Safety Gates

Mother to Sofia, 5, Noah, 2, and Nathan, 1, Hans Tumabagahan stresses the importance of a child gate. “With two kids and one learning to walk, it is impossible to keep an eye on all three. The gate gives me peace of mind. It also trains them to observe boundaries and stay where it is safe.” The CPSC recommends safety gates that children cannot dislodge easily but that adults can open and close without difficulty. Gates at the top of stairs must be screwed to the wall.

Try:
Dreambaby Hallway Gate - P 4,279.75 at True Value

Photo from http://www.2wired2tired.com/munchkin-baby-gates-contest