What's threatening the baby?
At some point it appears in your home-a tiny, appetizing, whimpering creature in a lace envelope not in height. So far, the whole world is reduced to his cradle and your hands, which are so interesting to look around-of course, if you do not sleep. And do not eat. And you are not capricious. But very soon-sooner than it seems now-this person will start to turn over, crawl, sit down, get up and even walk. How to protect him? How to be sure that he will not hit, will not be poisoned, will not burn himself, will not cut himself? How to make your home as cozy and safe as his crib?
Check the furniture!
The crib. It turns out that the accident is waiting for a crumb there. Inexorable statistics every year records many cases of sudden death of children during sleep. This is the so-called cradle-to-cradle death syndrome. Its causes are still not clear, but there are safety measures in place to help reduce the risk. So, do not buy your baby pillow until he turns two years old-he may suffocate. Lay him on his back-this is the safest position. Do not cover the mattress with loose plastic sheeting. If the crib is equipped with a bumper, shorten the tie so that it cannot wrap around the child's neck. Don't put too big soft toys in the crib - a tiny baby can suffocate when it's stuck in its face. And the older man will try to climb over the curb, climbing them. With small toys, too, should be careful: isn't it possible for the baby to swallow it — if not entirely, then at least dismantle it?
Think about where you are going to install the changing table. Attached to the bed or a special bedside table, it is, of course, very convenient to use, but then you should not take your eyes away from the baby lying on it for a second. It is necessary: either a changing mat on an elevation, but with the special fastening straps holding the baby and interfering with changing clothes, or it-on the floor. But in this case, the floor should be perfectly clean, warm, and its covering, if possible, made of natural materials.
Check all the furniture in the little man's room, and in the neighboring ones too. Is it stable, aren't there sharp corners? Almost any supermarket today can buy special "security kits" for young discoverers-nozzles, rounding corners, socket plates, non-slip bath mats, etc.
See if the radiators are too hot. Maybe it is better to hang them with towels. Walk through the apartment carefully, looking carefully at all corners: are there no bare wires on the quick hand wrapped in scotch? Isn't there something lying around that risks being in the baby's mouth soon? Isn't it too low that the tablecloth hangs from the dining table-pulling on it, the baby will overturn both hot tea and beating dishes on itself.
Flower pots are especially attractive for people who know this world. The earth, flowers and leaves often get into their mouths. So try to make sure that all the flowers are outside the reach of the baby. If in your collection of plants there is begonia and philodendrons, they have to be abandoned. These flowers, unfortunately, are poisonous. The same applies to alpine violets and oleanders-they are toxic.
Even more than flowers, babies are interested in pets. The appearance of a baby in the house does not mean that you need to part with your favorite pets-of course, unless there are any special reasons: allergies to wool, aggressiveness of a four-legged friend, etc. But you will have to think carefully how to organize their lives together so that neither your little man nor your animal are not hurt.
"High risk zones"
It's primarily the kitchen, bathroom and balcony. Well, on the balcony the baby has absolutely nothing to do without your supervision. But the kitchen and bathroom deserve a separate conversation.
The kitchen is the place where a mother sitting with her child spends almost most of her time. And how to simultaneously engage in cooking and follow the main rule of each kid's parents-do not let go of his eyes? Of course, taking him to the kitchen. But to do this, it needs to be as safe as possible. On the floor should be laid non-slip coating, which will easily wipe away all spilled. The stove should be equipped with a special protective grid, the handles of the pans are better to get used to turning to the wall at once, and in general it is possible to use only distant burners. On the fridge, freezer and all lockers will have to install additional locks. Keep all detergents, cutting kitchen utensils and garbage cans out of the reach of the child. And put electrical appliances and hot drinks away and higher.
The bathroom is a place where your baby should not appear without you until at least two years of age. Keep all medicines, razors and cosmetics in lockers that close.
