If you are pregnant or have a baby getting your apartment ready from when your child learns to crawl and walk is a huge and very important step. Over two thousand children die each year from home safety related accidents. Here are some ideas to help you thoroughly "baby proof" your apartment.
The first thing you should do is ensure you have working smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher in your apartment. Because of the number of people residing in the standard apartment complex, even if you personally are very careful, the risk of fire is greater. Smoke alarms should be checked every six months to make sure they are functioning correctly. While this may seem overly cautious, it is basically like putting your seat belt on when you climb in a car; It could save your life.
Another idea is to have a friend with a toddler come over and follow the toddler around to see where you need to baby proof. This will give you a very clear idea of the dangerous areas in your apartment and what you want to change or protect. Cabinet locks, a toilet seat lock, and socket protectors are the obvious choices, but actually having a child show you that he can reach the aquarium on the side table or the cord of the TV is too accessible will cover areas you may not have noticed . Some families choose to move certain pieces of furniture like their coffee table out of the way until their child is in less danger of hurting themselves on it.
If you do not know any young toddlers, consider simply crawling around on the floor yourself at a toddler's level. I'm advise doing this while your spouse is away or they might make me mercilessly make fun of you like mine did. Seeing things from a toddler's point of view can also help you notice potential safety hazards like cords that are too low or plants that could be toxic if eat or cleaning and medicines that can be reached. When you have a toddler you will have to vacuum far more often than normal to keep your child from finding and eating all sorts of choking hazards on the floor on a daily basis. Baby proofing your home allows not only for your child to play and explore in a safe environment, it also gives you peace of mind.