Family Parenting

Keeping Baby Safe

October 24, 2015


A funny thing happens when you’re about to have a child. Your friends and family all remind you about how extensive baby-proofing your house and play areas will be; they buy you all of the outlet covers, baby gates and cabinet latches that your house can hold. You close up every open outlet, block off stairways, and prevent yourself from opening all low-lying cabinets.

The sweetest boy arrives… and he doesn’t even try to get into a single cabinet.

…for the first eight months.

Not long after Fox was born, we realized that all of the work we invested into “baby-proofing” was eventually undone by our own laziness. Laptops needed to be plugged in. Stairs needed to be descended, and cabinets needed to be accessed on-the-fly.

3 Tips to Keep Baby Safe - The February Fox

It only took a few short months before Fox started darting around on hands and knees, and we realized we had to rethink our approach to making sure he would stay safe in our home. We quickly discovered that our baby was able to think outside the box when it came to exploring his ever-growing environment.

3 Tips to Keep Baby Safe - The February Fox

Not only did we have to rush to re-cover outlets, find missing pieces of cabinet latches, and re-install baby gates, but we had to take a step back to realize that there’s a lot more than what meets the eye when it comes to baby safety, especially with your first child.

I have compiled a list of three not-so-obvious reminders of how to get more creative with your baby-proofing.

1. Secure furniture that can be dangerous from baby torque

While our current home is more traditional, we have accumulated a lot of modern and Scandinavian style furniture. We like to think that Fox has a great sense of design and was immediately drawn to our sleek dressers, which he could pull up on. The first thought that popped into my head was the step that I always used to skip at the end of assembling the furniture, involving securing the top of the dresser to the wall to prevent tipping. Luckily, we have a tendency to save all extra parts and were able to stabilize all of our furniture by the time Fox discovered the decor.

2. Evaluate the space that baby spends their time

I have to admit that it took quite a lot of effort to put myself into the mindset of our baby. Things that I wouldn’t think twice about as anything other than a chore had to become top priority. Since we have several (shedding) cats, a regular vacuuming and visual scan of any play area became necessary each time I sit him down in a new space to explore.  The second step is to make sure to eliminate any possibility of baby from creative danger. Make sure there are no items that your baby can use elevate himself into dangerous situations or move to reach items that would normally be out of reach.

3. Install cordless window coverings, especially in rooms baby spends time in

Safe window coverings weren’t on the top of our list when we evaluated the safety of our home for our baby. But it only took a couple weeks before we realized how enticing dangling cords can be for a playful baby boy. Luckily, Smith & Noble window coverings have provided some tips for keeping your baby safe, specifically regarding window coverings.

  1. Replace any window coverings (including blinds, corded shades and draperies) manufactured before 2001. Today’s products had additional safety features like loop control, cordless operation and wand pull.
  2. Make sure all cribs and changing tables are away from windows and coverings – a non-windowed wall is ideal.
  3. Never allow cords or any other items to dangle into cribs, especially when babies are able to push up onto their hands and knees.

3 Tips to Keep Baby Safe - The February Fox

3 Tips to Keep Baby Safe - The February Fox

For more tips on baby safety, Smith & Noble have assembled a comprehensive list of advice and information on several aspects that are otherwise overlooked when evaluating the safety of your child in his or her new home.

As a bonus to parents looking to make sure their home is the safest it can be, Smith & Noble are offering a savings of $50 per window treatment to upgrade and replace any unsafe treatments in your home.

Additionally, you have the chance to win $1,000 worth of Smith & Noble custom window treatments for your home, courtesy of Smith & Noble. Find out how to enter to win by clicking here.

Check out more info on Smith & Noble here:

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