https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:04:23 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2791083 Sat, 09 Dec 2017 16:03:33 +0000 IRunForFun 2791083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've just done it as needed. Some around 5ish months when she started getting more mobile, again around 8ish months when she started standing, and a bit more just now at 10 months when she figured out how to open drawers and cabinets. We adjust as we go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2791081 Sat, 09 Dec 2017 15:42:56 +0000 WinterBee 2791081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: We didn’t fully baby proof, but did move items such as glass or sharp objects once she became mobile.<br /> She has her ‘hot spots’ in the house she frequents, bottom shelf in kitchen, hallway desk, shoe tray... we let her ‘play’ with things that aren’t really toys, but as long as we don’t make a big deal about it she’ll investigate then move on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2791063 Sat, 09 Dec 2017 13:25:53 +0000 auggiefrog 2791063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We baby proofed as needed. My DS wasn't really getting into anything until at least 6 months. I think he didn't start crawling until 9 or 10 months, so we didn't do much until then. Slowly, as we find the need, we make alterations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2791061 Sat, 09 Dec 2017 13:17:38 +0000 Purpledaisy 2791061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Um never. We just adjust things as needed. The only thing I really did was make sure that all chemicals/cleaning supplies type stuff was completely out of reach before they were mobile. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2791059 Sat, 09 Dec 2017 12:25:48 +0000 Portboston 2791059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely wait. We didn’t do much baby proofing at all. My kid was a really good listener so we only had to tell him not to do things one or two times and he never did it again. We put plug covers on just to be safe but only put a cabinet lock on the cabinet with poisonous stuff in it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2791056 Sat, 09 Dec 2017 12:15:22 +0000 MsBAM 2791056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’re doing it as we go. LO is 6mo and we haven’t had to baby proof yet, however the gate will be going up very, very soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790253 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 23:07:39 +0000 maddyz 2790253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: we use the magnet cabinet locks and they are super easy to turn off. I do it when I am cooking or putting away the dishes and the kids are sleeping. It's great. Really speeds things up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790252 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 23:05:54 +0000 maddyz 2790252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids are super into everything and not easily distracted. We mostly have been baby and now toddler proofing as we go. BUT we did make sure the dressers and bookcases were attached to the walls right away. That was something I just didn't want to risk. Cabinet and closet locks ended up happening pretty much as soon as DS1 was crawling.</p> <p>Things I didn't expect to need to do were move the knife rack and get rid of the stools at the kitchen bar. Knife rack turned out to be reachable and the stools were too easy a way to access the kitchen counters.</p> <p>Our apartment is small. We keep the kids out of our bedroom and everything else is baby safe. It's been %100 worth it to make a space where I am not having to say NO all the time... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790226 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 19:38:03 +0000 MaryM 2790226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@starchild: I get far less overwhelmed with to do lists broken down on timelines! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790223 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 18:58:12 +0000 starchild 2790223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We plan to do it as needed, but I just had to comment that I love your approach to putting your personal life in a project management system. I have a reputation for my spreadsheets! :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790211 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:26:06 +0000 MaryM 2790211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: That's a good point. We have an open wine/liquor rack we probably need to replace. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790210 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:22:59 +0000 Mama Bird 2790210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We mostly did it as needed, so it was a slow upwards progress - floor and bottom shelves first, then middle shelves, then counters, then... pretty much everything. I think the only thing we did beforehand was put away the nice glassware, because we didn't use it every day anyhow. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790202 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:13:53 +0000 MaryM 2790202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks all! </p> <p>We live in a one story house, so there aren't really steps to worry about. I think cabinets and the oven are the biggest things we'd have to do, and I can just imagine how frustrated DH will be with cabinet locks, so it makes NO sense to do it when there isn't even a baby in the house yet! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790201 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:11:14 +0000 psw27 2790201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>28 weeks?! LOL... no. We got gates once he could move enough that we worried about how quickly he could move towards the stairs. We never did outlets cause he never cared about outlets. We did cabinets around a year cause that's when he started getting into everything. And we did the fireplace sharp corners around 12-14 months when he was learning to walk but they fell off after like 3 days so I didn't bother to replace them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790199 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:04:11 +0000 Littlebit7 2790199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As needed, and we kept it pretty minimal with this approach. Of course we did the major stuff (securing furniture, covering outlets, etc).<br /> After that we just started to pay attention to stuff she was interested in and could be a hazard.<br /> We gated the office and the bathroom where the cat box is.<br /> As far as cabinets, I shuffled stuff around and used adjustable string loops to close off 2 cabinets.<br /> Thats pretty much it. We didn't do anything to the fireplace, we didn't gate off a play area, we didn't cover corners of furniture. I did put a few adhesive locks on our bedside tables and my makeup drawer, but that just makes my life easier rather than putting stuff out of reach.<br /> My kid likes to get into things, but we discovered with some smart storage and just shifting where we kept things, we didn't have to make the entire house off-limits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790193 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:44:14 +0000 PawPrints 2790193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After she started crawling, before she started walking. I agree with others - there may be VERY little that you actually need to do, depending on your kid's personality. I think the mandatory things are outlet covers and gates for unsafe areas (stairs), and anchoring furniture that could tip over. Most of the rest of babyproofing is just moving breakable things out of reach. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790192 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:44:02 +0000 Mamatimes3 2790192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn’t do much at all. At our old house we had a gate by the stairs once he crawled and some locks on a few cabinets that had breakables. At our new house, we’ve done nothing and we moved in with a 1 year old. My kids didn’t really require it because they weren’t into much. But our house is kid friendly with not a lot of breakables in their reach. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790185 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:59:33 +0000 misolee 2790185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did as needed. For my DD, we didn't need to do gates or locks on cabinets or anything. We just did outlet covers and even then did she rarely touch them.</p> <p>For my DS, he gets into everything so we did it all. remember around 8 months, he would try to pry the outlet covers out :meh: Door covers, pantry locks, cabinet magnet locks, outlet covers, corner guards on all the furniture, gates, etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790181 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:53:28 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2790181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did once they started getting into things! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790178 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:48:40 +0000 kiddosc 2790178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not until they were mobile. And we did super minimal baby proofing. Outlet covers and we did cabinet locks for #1 but never bothered for #2. We keep the bathroom door shut and neither kiddo has been a door opener. 28 weeks means three more months of pregnancy, and then kids are MAYBE semi-mobile at 6-7 months.... that's a lot of unnecessary time dealing with child proofed cabinets and outlets and door knobs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790153 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:54:03 +0000 MaryM 2790153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: Thankfully, we secured the bookshelves and tall furniture when we moved in. Though I should make sure DH reattached the straps after we had our floors finished. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790152 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:52:01 +0000 petitenoisette 2790152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hahaha 28 weeks pregnant baby proofing?! That's a little premature. </p> <p>Agreed with the others that we did it as she got mobile and based on what seemed necessary. We recently had to add doorknob covers at 2.5 bc she learned to open them (and lock!). So just did things as they came up.</p> <p>The one thing I would definitely do now is to attach any heavy but tip-able furniture to the wall because it is kind of a pain to do but extremely dangerous and you don't want to put that off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790138 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:07:10 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2790138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We baby proofed once LO became an expert crawler and began to pull himself up onto the stairs and his furniture. We had a service come out and give us recommendations. We had the same service install in areas that the baby would be in and have free reign. For instance he would freely be in his bathroom and ours so we proofed the shower knobs, but for the guest bathrooms we did not. We skipped baby proofing the doors,m to prevent pinched fingers, but now that he is older I see why they are on the list. When our family was over they were so frustrated with all the baby proofing we have done, which made me realize that our parents clearly did not do this and we survived. The proofing that has paid off the most has been cabinet locks and drawer locks, appliance locks, and of course our stairs gate. We skipped outlet covers and the metal objects (scissors and knives) are in drawers he can't access. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790136 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:04:03 +0000 Becky 2790136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would definitely wait until the baby is getting mobile, and at that point cover outlets, put whatever locks you’re using on any low cabinets that have poison or other sharp or dangerous things in there, and gates if you need them. I’m definitely more of the camp if not doing tons of baby proofing and instead showing them what they aren’t allowed to do. Neither of my kids got into very much though but at the same time it’s not like we have stuff they could have gotten into and hurt themselves (we have2 locked cabinets: one that has bleach in it which is the only chemical cleaner we have, and another that has tools and light bulbs). We use a gate at the top of our stairs and briefly had one at another set of two steps that led onto stone floors until our littlest one was about 10 months and consistently crawling down then safely backwards. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790135 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:02:55 +0000 LadyDi 2790135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Other than tying up the blind cords on the window in his room we waited until he was mobile to see what he was getting into. It ended up not being much, just outlet covers and a doorknob knob lock to keep him from going into our basement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790134 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:02:03 +0000 avivoca 2790134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: We plugged outlets within easy reach. Anything high: Nope. Anything in their room or out in the open in our room/the living room/kitchen: Yep. If it's behind furniture, it's not plugged. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790133 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 12:00:04 +0000 csross217 2790133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As pp have said, we did it as needed. Once DD started getting mobile we put in gates and plug protectors, and after that baby proofed drawers, etc. as she could reach them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790132 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 11:57:08 +0000 KT326 2790132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: the way our house is set up I was able to put a baby gate to the kitchen. Once they were allowed in the kitchen I put locks on the cabinets with stuff they shouldn't get in to. I wouldn't worry about it until it's needed. Once the baby was mobile it was easier to see what kind of things needed to be done. No sense in shelling out money for it and then not really needing it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790131 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 11:55:46 +0000 erinbaderin 2790131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Never, other than putting up some gates - we did those as they started to crawl. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-baby-proof#post-2790130 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 11:55:29 +0000 birdofafeather 2790130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>when she got mobile. we lived in 600 sq ft so i didn't want to deal with all of it before we had to. and we moved when DD2 was about 8 months so we added cabinet door locks to the kitchen. </p>