As any parent knows, a child's safety is a parent's number one priority, especially in the nursery.
While it may seem silly to childproof the nursery while your baby is a newborn, by preparing the room now, you will eliminate the risk of forgetting to do it later. When you are functioning on two or three hours of sleep each night, safety can quickly slip your mind. Check out the five nursery safety tips below to help you keep your child safe.
1. Anchor Everything
There are more accidents and child deaths from furniture toppling over on children than you would imagine. No matter how sturdy you think that heirloom dresser from Aunt Mabel is, or how tip-proof that changing table feels, you still need to anchor it to the wall. From the largest armoire to the smallest bookcase, wall anchors can and will prevent injuries or worse. Anchors are easy and quick to mount by attaching one end to the furniture piece and the other to the wall. Be sure to use wall anchoring screws, so that they do not slip free.
2. Eliminate Lead
With all of the technological advances in manufacturing, one would think that the occurrence of lead in baby products would be almost nil. Unfortunately, many other countries that export their products to the United States do not have the same lead standards that this country does. Before you purchase any crib or painted piece of furniture, check with the Consumer Protection Agency to see if the product has been recalled. This is also crucial if you are buying second hand products of any kind. Many toys and baby accessories have been recalled in recent years due to high levels of lead.
3. Bye-Bye Blinds
Those mini-blind cords that are used to raise and lower the shade are among the biggest offenders for nursery safety. Children can and do become tangled in the cords when they are looking out the window or are near the blinds. Select a different type of window covering for the nursery, or purchase a child-safety kit designed especially for mini-blinds.
4. Cover the Outlets
Electrical outlets are at the perfect height for small explorers. Do not wait until your child starts crawling or walking to cover them; it’s better to do it now rather than risk forgetting to do it. An inexpensive pack of plastic outlet covers can protect your child from electrocution.
5. Air It Out
If you wait until the last minute to paint or decorate your child's nursery, chances are that when you bring him home, the fumes from carpeting, paint and furniture will still be lingering in the air. To eliminate the risk of air pollution and toxic fumes in the nursery, air it out. Open windows, even in winter, to allow fresh air into the space. The air quality will be much safer and more comfortable by the time baby is brought home.
Home decor specialist, Alyssa Davis, is a regular writer for Metal-Wall-Art.com, and she offers many ideas on how to design your favorite rooms with wrought iron scroll grille and western metal wall sculptures.
