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# Nurse offers ways to baby-proof your house
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/nurse-offers-ways-to-baby-proof-your-house/
- Published: 2003-04-08T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:03:27.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Christina Pols, R.N.*

QUESTION: I want to make sure my home is safe for my baby? What steps should I take to make it baby proof?

If you haven’t already begun to safety proof your home, you should start immediately. Even before babies begin to crawl, there are numerous safety considerations to follow, particularly in the bedroom and crib area.

Make sure the crib mattress fits tightly, with no more than two fingers width between the mattress and side of the crib. Crib slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart to avoid injury. Keep crib side rails up and secure bumper pads to the crib. Do not place any heavy wall hangings directly above the crib and secure all drapery and mini blind cords out of the child’s reach.

When your child can sit, remove all crib gyms and mobiles. Once your child can stand, remove the bumpers and any large stuffed animals that she can climb on to prevent him or her from falling from the crib. Falls are the most frequent cause of injury to children younger than 6 years old.

Once the baby begins to move on his or her own, you should safety proof the entire house. Most babies begin to crawl before six months of age.

When checking for possible child hazards in your home, experts recommend getting down on the floor and crawling from room to room, mimicking the movements that your baby will be making in the months ahead. There are also professionals available who can evaluate your home and do all the safety proofing for you.

If you plan to purchase and install safety devices yourself, following are some of the basic safety equipment recommended for all homes: ■ Electrical outlet covers. ■ Cabinet door latches for kitchens and bathrooms. ■ Toilet latches. ■ Stove guard. ■ Stairway gates/barriers. ■ Furniture screws and bolts to attach heavy/bulky items to walls.

If your home has a pool, spa or hot tub, make sure it is secured with high fences, locked gates, locking covers and pool alarms. A child can drown in a matter of seconds and it is usually silent.

In kitchens and bathrooms, make sure all cleaning products, prescription medicines, cold remedies, cosmetics, shampoos, perfumes, insect sprays, etc., are kept in high locked cabinets. Many of these products can be poisonous to infants and toddlers, including items as innocuous as mouthwash, which can be fatal if swallowed.

Bathrooms in particular can contain many sources of possible danger to your baby. Make sure any appliance that you leave plugged in, such as a hair dryer, does not have a cord long enough to reach any water source. Install a toilet lock and, if possible, install circuit breaker outlets in bathrooms.

When bathing your infant or toddler, use only a few inches of water in the tub and place bathmats on the bottom to prevent slipping. Never leave your child unattended even for a second while filling up the tub or during bathing and drain the bathtub immediately after use. If the bathroom door has locks, remove them so your child cannot accidentally lock it.

These are just a few of the safety issues to consider.

Many hospitals offer parent education classes for expectant moms and dads on infant and child safety. Contact your ob/gyn or hospital to find out what services are available to you. (Christina Pols, R.N., is the Parent Education Coordinator at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. For more information, call Parent Education at 310- 829-8731 or visit Saint John’s website at www.stjohns.org.)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 8, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/040803.pdf?ref=smdp.com)