https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:10:00 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2689297 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:23:26 +0000 Ajsmommy 2689297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We honestly didn't do much. We covered outlets and moved cleaning supplies out of reach. We bought baby gates but never used them. ... The only other thing we'd do (if we had any) would be to anchor large shelves / dressers to the wall. Our friends had a scare with a large dresser tipping over into their lo when she climbed it<br /> ..thank goodness it got held up on the windowsill!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2689097 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 13:25:16 +0000 Dahlia 2689097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We anchored furniture, and used outlet covers and baby gates on the main stairs. We have two steps between our dining room and living room, and we did not gate those off. Instead, we made sure to teach her early on how to do stairs. She's fallen once or twice, but two steps aren't going to seriously injure her. We also didn't latch any cabinets, we just moved the dangerous stuff to higher cabinets. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2689085 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 13:14:17 +0000 catomd00 2689085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Outlet covers and made sure all strangulation hazards (like blinds) were removed. We are super lax and prefer to teach what things are and how they are used vs. prohibiting access to items. For example, I know dishwasher pods are the new concern. DD has always liked helping me load the dishwasher and she loves putting the pod in. Now she asks every day if im doing the dishwasher so she can put one in. She knows it's soap and not something to eat. DD1 is 3 and we haven't had any issues yet, but if she gets curious or starts taking an interest in things she shouldnt, we would remove them from her reach. Our mindset is that we can't ensure every space she goes into when we aren't around will be child proofed, so we want her to learn what's off limits or<br /> How to safely be in a space that isn't child proofed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2689058 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 12:38:23 +0000 skinnycow 2689058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We anchored furniture and put in outlet covers. Otherwise, we just watch her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2689003 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 11:26:59 +0000 ShootingStar 2689003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We mostly just did things as they became a problem. So, once he started getting into the kitchen cabinets we put locks on them. At 3 he leaves stuff alone and we only use the locks to a couple cabinets with stuff I consider very dangerous (one with the cheese grater, one with dish washing detergent). </p> <p>We changed out a few outlets to the ones where it's impossible to electrocute yourself, but he's never even gone near them. And I'm not a big nicknacks person, so we don't really have stuff lying around. You'll see that once baby becomes mobile they'll go for certain things and you'll either redirect (like curtains, for me) or you'll move things or lock them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688904 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 09:24:54 +0000 LCTBQE 2688904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: thanks! my husband is great but I don't trust him to anchor the furniture :) and lord knows I can't do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688884 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 08:58:03 +0000 tinyperson 2688884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just did outlet covers on the most reachable ones and gates (and we hardly ever close them except for the one at the top of the stairs), and we secured furniture to the wall. It really depends on personality. My first daughter was never one to get into things, so we never had to do much. We'll see how our youngest does and babyproof accordingly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688861 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 07:31:51 +0000 SweetiePie 2688861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: yes! Baby Bodyguards! I know several other local moms who've used them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688858 Mon, 30 Jan 2017 07:14:22 +0000 LCTBQE 2688858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: will you tell me the name of the company? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688789 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 20:13:18 +0000 LindsayLou 2688789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did the minimum of babyproofing, and did it slowly, as needed. Our tv is wall mounted, otherwise we would have secured it. We secured bookcases and dressers. We removed knick knacks and picture frames on tabletops, and just slowly moved things we didn't want her to have higher and higher up as she could reach. The only cabinet or drawer we secured was our under the sink cabinet in the kitchen with trash and recycling, and cleaning products. We live in a small, one story house, and have never had any baby gates. We have moved almost all houseplants out of reach. My kid is a climber, and she has fallen or tripped or bumped her head many times. But she knows the space well, knows her limits, and we've never had any serious incidents.</p> <p>My daughter started crawling right at 6 months, was pulling up on furniture a month later, and was cruising a week after that. So right around 7 months was our major child proofing push. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688783 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 19:57:32 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2688783@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Secured furniture to wall, put cords for blinds out of the way, and when she was pulling up on stuff around 8 months I wrapped the curtains up around the rod. I only have a couple of outlet protectors and she has maybe tried to tou h the outlets a handful of times since she was able to and she's 15 months now. We have a baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs and one between one room for convenience for me. I just bought corner bumpers for some moulding that is at her head height because she runs around after my daycare toddler and they bobble their heads around. I bought finger foam rings for some doors that usually stay open because she got really into closing doors and pinched her fingers once and also locked herself in my bathroom accidentally by shutting a door and pulling a drawer out to play with stuff that was right in front of the door. That was one of my top scary parenting moments as I listened to her dumping boxes of earrings and tiny things out while my husband and I tried to figure out how to get the door open again! We have only one cupboard lock in the kitchen for dishwasher tabs and cleaning supplies. So she and my daycare toddler often rip apart my kitchen, but that's just a nuisance not really a hazard and I'm right there anyway. </p> <p>That's it though. I guess we sort of did fairly relaxed and tried to watch her. She plays independently a lot and is quite well-behaved a lot of the time for not doing stuff she isn't supposed to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688754 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 18:42:32 +0000 brownepiano 2688754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got rid of knickknacks and everything on lower levels that we didn't want him getting into. I rearranged my kitchen so the bottom cabinets are not an issue and put a lock on the two we didn't want him getting into. We'll put a gate on the stairs once he starts climbing the stairs. We put outlet covers on but he's more likely to try to plug in actual electronics than anything else. </p> <p>We have gotten so used to living with toddlers that now for baby number two we haven't had to do much as he's started crawling. He tends to get into the kids dishes and strew them all over the kitchen but I don't really mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688745 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 18:12:10 +0000 peaches1038 2688745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We secured everything to the wall in all of our rooms and put cabinet locks on the bathroom vanity and the kitchen sink cabinet because of cleaning supplies. We also did outlet covers and one gate to block off the room where the cat litter is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688735 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:50:45 +0000 lady baltimore 2688735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've waited to baby proof until each need has arisen. DD is almost 14 months. She didn't show interest in outlets until after she started walking, so we have covers on those now. We installed a wall-mounted gate at the top of our stairs (so we can close it and let her wander upstairs), but just use baby fencing to blockade the bottom (she can move it, but the sound will alert us before she makes it farther than the landing). Kitchen cabinet exploration has only become an issue in the last few weeks, so I have secured the three she is most interested in. We just got a wall strap for the TV. The only corners we have protected are the ends of the bed frame, and those are as much for our shins as the baby!</p> <p>Before she started walking, the only real "baby-proofing" was rearranging low shelves as she was able to reach them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688730 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:40:43 +0000 erinbaderin 2688730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We pretty much just did gates and secured the bookshelves to the walls. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688724 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:12:29 +0000 wrkbrk 2688724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: Admittedly on the lax side but we just got outlet protectors and we watch him. He is never alone in a room and we rarely turn our backs. We already had dog gates in most doorways and at the bottom of our stairs.<br /> ETA: Heavy furniture that could tip is also secured to the wall - we had someone come do that and it took like 2 hours total. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688715 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 15:22:35 +0000 SweetiePie 2688715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Necessities are strapping furniture to wall and also a TV strap if you have yours on a stand of any sort. And outlet covers.<br /> We have an apt but also had a beach house for a year at the height of his dangerous exploration (8-20 months) and it had stairs. 100% needed gates at the top of our stairs. We also had a set going down to our garage off of the kitchen and we just blockaded it. He was never there alone so we felt ok with that. </p> <p>I actually did like the corner protectors because I just couldn't shake the fear of him falling and getting the corner of a table in the eye. It still makes me shudder. But I only did it with things that were very much in his path like TV stand (toy box right next to it) and coffee table. Not a high dresser or even a living room end table that was against the wall and kinda out of the way. </p> <p>We had a babyproofing company come and do it all so they also did latches on all drawers and cabinets in our kitchen. I actually appreciated it more for keeping the kitchen tidy and not a play space for him. They recommended one low drawer being for "his" stuff (cups bowls etc) or things we felt were safe like wooden spoons. So if I was in the kitchen he could open that drawer and I'd know he was safe. </p> <p>But we did a LOT of "watch your fingers" and also some natural consequences if I didn't think it would be that bad. I probably could take all the latches off at this point and it wouldn't matter (he doesn't even bother anymore since he knows they are latched and he's very careful with the one drawer that is unlocked. And actually the one under our kitchen sink broke so he has free reign but he doesn't even care since it was latched for so long). But for now I'm used to it so why not just leave it. </p> <p>The pro babyproofers did strapping furniture/TV, cabinet/drawer latches, and outlet covers as MUSTS. Like they wouldn't even come to the apt if we didn't allow any of those things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baby-proofing-2#post-2688710 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 15:09:12 +0000 Goldengirl 2688710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 11 weeks so not yet mobile. I'm wondering what things I need to do in terms of safety to baby proof my home for when he starts crawling and grabbing things. I was just reading a list but it mentioned so many things and seemed like overkill.</p> <p>For moms with toddlers, what safety precautions did you take around your house/apartment? What's essential? I really don't want to put locks and corner protectors on every single thing but want to be safe. Pretty sure back in the day we would just bump our heads or open a cupboard and that would be that! What's the norm nowadays? What did you do?</p> <p>Also on that note, when did this start to really become an issue/when did your LO first crawl? </p>