Written by Tarasha Chandra
It is indeed enthralling to see babies crawling on his own. This is a great milestone but with it comes the time when the parents need to keep an eagle eye on the baby. This is a time when anything lying on the floor or within their reach makes babies curious. They do not understand right and wrong so they can end up ingesting it by mistake or catch an infection as well. This is also a time when the parents have to make the house a totally safe place for them. Parents must make a baby proofing checklist when their babies are ready to crawl and take all the steps to make their house safe for the baby.
The house is full of different things that can interest babies. Some are safe yet others can be dangerous. Even the smallest or the most harmless for adults can be a hazard for the baby who has just discovered crawling. Infant injuries such as choking, bruising, falls, cuts, and wounds can all happen if proper precautions are not in place.
In This Article
Baby proofing is the process of making your house safe for your baby and reducing the risk of unnecessary accidents and injuries. When baby proofing, you will restrict your baby to a safe area and prevent their access to unsafe areas of the house.
As a part of babyproofing you will ensure that all electrical outlets are plugged with dummy plugs, all sharp corners are baby proofed with softer materials, drawers are locked, and access to all water sources, medicines, chemicals and fire sources are blocked. Additionally, you may want to provide a soft and comfortable surface to your baby so that they are able to perform the activity without hurting themselves.
Different babies start crawling at different ages. The average age for crawling in most babies is 9 months. However, some babies may start crawling by 6 to 7 months while others may crawl later than the 9th month. Some babies may skip the crawling stage altogether and start standing and attempt to cruise. This is absolutely normal too.
With crawling, your baby will learn to explore their surroundings. Some babies may also teeth around this time which will cause them to put anything and everything in their mouth. This can cause contamination and choking risk. As babies move around to explore, they can get hurt due to sharp objects or anything that can cause infant injuries. Crawling babies will start to try to stand with support of anything that they can get their hands at. This can also cause injuries.
Babyproofing your home will keep your baby safe from most of these injuries. It is important to note that you must always monitor your baby at this stage even if you babyproof your home. The smallest of negligence can result in injury which will involve lot of crying and some dangerous situations if your baby gets his hand on medications or chemicals.
[Read : Baby Mouthing]
Babyproofing is vital to ensure your baby’s safety during their growing years It is also very easy to childproof the house as there are a plethora of baby safety products available in the market that guarantee exceptional protection.
A few of the mandatory changes that must be done in the house to keep the baby safe are:
When the baby starts crawling, the first thing that they get attracted are small little holes of the electrical outlet which are not safe and present all around.
Most cleaning products contain hazardous chemicals that can cause problems if the baby ingests them.
[Read : Accidental Poisoning in Babies]
Wobbly or heavy furniture are a major source of accidents.
Another item or object of curiosity for babies are houseplants as they are easily accessible. So, it is important to keep these plants in safe areas.
[Read : How To Protect Your Baby From Poisonous Plants]
Sharp corners of furniture can cause cuts and bruises to babies who crawl past them or try to stand using their support.
Thus, it is important to get baby proofing done before the baby starts crawling to ensure a relaxed and safe environment for the baby and parents. You must also be careful and constantly monitor your baby during their play time and activity time.
Knee pads are undoubtedly good while the baby starts crawling. As it helps them to prevent accidents that happen due to the lack of proper balance and coordination. But do check with your pediatrician if you plan to use knee pads for your munchkin. Some experts believe that knee pads can interfere with the senses of the baby, preventing contact between the knees and the crawling surface. It is advisable to limit the use of knee pads and use as and when needed only.
A carpet is a great place for a baby to learn to crawl. This is a smooth surface for the baby to crawl on and does not hurt them. You should however be careful that the carpet is cleaned regularly as carpets can be a source of contamination.
Babies start crawling around eight months and thus it best to childproof the house before they start off exploring all places which are not safe.
She loves to dance, listen to music, cook, and read in her free time. She is transparent, intuitive, quick-witted, and loves to spend time with her near and dear ones. She believes in taking each day as it comes.Read more.
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