Childproofing

Congrats on your baby! I really hope you enjoyed sleeping – it might be months before you get to do that again. And you think I am joking… Sigh. I wish I were. Now that your sweet little muffin has arrived, you’ll need to start childproofing before your babe starts crawling, climbing, and walking – aka getting into absolutely everything that appears to be dangerous, you know, because that’s what babies like to do.

• Lock up cleaning products.
• Use baby gates, especially near stairs.
• Use outlet covers throughout.
• Cover sharp corners of furniture, like your coffee table, with bumpers.
• Use doorknob covers.
• Tie up cords to blinds, or purchase cordless window treatments.
• Invest in cabinet latches, a fridge lock, and a patio door lock.
• Zip tie electrical cords and stuff them behind furniture.
• Make sure heavy items are at the bottom of bookshelves or filing cabinets so they aren’t top heavy.
• Secure your TV to the wall.
• Put floor lamps behind a chair or couch to hide the base and (help) eliminate the desire to climb it.
• Keep remotes and small electronics (like your iPhone) up high – unless you want to replace them.
• Be cautious about placing furniture near windows.

Baby Bathroom Etiquette

Confessions of a Mama: Even though I thought I had childproofed my apartment impeccably, my kid always found something that I had undoubtedly missed and liked to get into trouble with them. (When you haven’t slept in months and are extremely sleep deprived, things sometimes get overlooked.) So, get down to your baby’s eye level and look at everything that is in view and what would be tempting. These are the items you want to be sure to put away, lock up, or place up very high. You’ll thank me later.

• Get a baby tub for when they are little – you use less water, and they get a kick out of it.
• Invest in bath toys to entertain your little peanut.
• Always use a good, naturally derived lotion to keep your baby’s skin oh-so-soft after bath time. Your baby’s skin absorbs everything like a sponge – don’t use something fully loaded with chemicals.
• Use cabinet locks for the vanity.
• Get a temperature gauge.
• Purchase a rubber ducky that changes colors if the water temperature gets too hot.
• Get a faucet cover for the bathtub.
• Make sure all razors, shampoos, conditioners, and soaps are up high and out of reach.
• Lock away or store up high any curling irons, straighteners, or hair dryers.
• Make sure any nail polish or nail polish remover is out of sight and out of reach.
• Keep your toilet paper up high! (Thanks for wasting an entire roll in the toilet, Baby.)
• Purchase a toilet lid lock or always keep the lid down.
• Get a lid on your trash can, or better yet a locking lid. You’re welcome.
• Have towels ready (bonus points if it’s heated) – your baby will be freezing after the bath!
• Invest in a bath wash that has essential oils or herbs – like lavender, chamomile, or eucalyptus – for that calm, soothing effect. (Aka knock your kid out and get your zzz’s on.)