Baby proofing question

kfry22 · July 2015

I am a first time mom and live in a 100 year old farm house with an upstairs. We have our house very decorated with a lot of little antiques and trinkets spread all over. I have been getting a lot of comments from people about how I need to baby proof or house and remove all of the small antique pieces. Most of them are breakable but were purchased at garage sales/flea markets for a few dollars or less.

So my question is how much baby proofing is everyone doing? We are taking a few measures to make our staircase safer and putting a baby gate at the top and bottom. I also registered for a few drawer latches so he can't get in to certain cupboards. I am also going to put the plastic outlet covers in as we have a lot of low to the ground outlets. Other than that, house is staying decorated the same. I feel that he can learn to respect our home and belongings. If anything gets broken, it won't be a huge deal as nothing is too expensive.

I would love to hear some input from experienced moms and hear what other first time moms are planning. Thanks ladies!!

MamaOwl15 · July 2015

Until the baby starts crawling, your things are pretty safe. Once baby is mobile, you need to make sure anything that could hurt the baby is out of reach, but as for things getting broken - it happens. We don't really have anything precious or expensive at my house, but I agree about kids learning to not touch certain things.

However, young kids don't necessarily understand why certain items are off limits. I'd keep anything that could actually hurt the kid on a high shelf or put in storage till later on.

midge519 · July 2015

I agree with teaching them to respect things. The baby is going to grab and pull while learning so I'm sure things will get broken but as long as baby can't get hurt with things you should be fine. That's what we're doing as well

dparker721 · July 2015

I'm a FTM as well and pretty much plan to do the same as you. We don't have a lot of trinkets around our house and the few picture frames, etc. that are on the tables aren't expensive. I plan to do the out let covers and baby gates and locks on the cabinets with cleaning supplies. Other than that, I plan to take my chances teaching her not to touch those things once she's mobile. I'm sure I'll lose a few things in the process.

amberrmariee20 · July 2015

I didn't move anything when my son started crawling and walking. I kept telling him don't touch mommys prettys and he's never touched any of them ! He's never been a picky baby because he was told not to touch what isn't his. He's never went in my fridge and broke or dropped anything. He's never went into cupboards and smashed things or tried to play with them. He's never bothered with plug outlets(however I did put the plastic things in those just for my own sanity).

Anything that could be dangerous like cleaners or medication should be kept out of baby's reach. But other then that everything should be fine !
I had stairs but at 2 he went up and down them fine. Until then he never bothered with them. I think "baby proofing" is well over done now a days. Once you teach them not to touch, it's so much easier then having to remember to move something, or close the gate !

FrozenMommy · July 2015

I wish my kids understood don't touch, but they don't. I can't blame them really, I am a touch everything kind of person. We had gates, plugs, nothing breakable in their space. Even now at almost 4 and 5, they still break things. If you don't want it broken, put it up.

satori15 · July 2015

I agree with @FrozenMommy. No amount of scolding or time out or whatever will keep my son out of things.

FrozenMommy · July 2015

@satori15, thank you! I feel like my family thinks I am a bad mother. At parties and stuff, they yell at me for my kids not to touch stuff, and I am kind of like, put up your expensive breakables around small children! Sheesh!

morganabyrd · July 2015

We had our family over for the holiday yesterday and my 11 mo old niece showed me REAL quick what needs to go in our home. Glass top coffee table with ceramic coasters? Picture frames and candles on fireplace? Yeah, see ya! Maybe you can borrow a toddler and see!?

Obviously we'll have a little time, but once they're mobile, game over.

loveleighmami · July 2015

I moved the cleaners up high, used the outlet covers, and the gate at stairs or if I wanted to keep baby out of the kitchen. Other than that, my kids seemed to learn what to touch and not to touch, plus I just kept an eye on them. If I had to go to the restroom or switch clothes in the washer, I would just put baby in the playpen. I never baby proofed much, but I do have friends that went all out. To each their own, but I think babies are intelligent enough to be spoken to and they understand more than we give them credit for. Yes, some may need more guidance than others and every situation is different, I understand that.

loveleighmami · July 2015

Also, as far as breaking stuff, sure it will happen. Heck, I still break stuff on accident from time to time lol. I use both circumstances as teachable moments.

I have a coworker that tells her grandchildren that her items are grandma's toys and they have their toys and she respects their toys so they need to respect hers. She says that works for her and her grandchildren.

FrozenMommy · July 2015

My 2 year old decided one night it would be a good idea to climb into the tv stand, which had glass shelves. I was in the bathroom, and I hear BOOOM crash, and her say ot oh. Freaking thing shattered all over the place, it came off the corners and the tivo hit it. So now our TV is mounted up on the wall. Things you don't even think of can happen.

carlymarie021 · July 2015

I put this on my registry because I live on a second floor apartment (Target)

carlymarie021 · July 2015

Sorry forgot to post pic

LiveNLove44 · July 2015

I have had experienced mom friends who have mentioned "baby proofing" my house more, but DD is doing really well at almost 2 years old. We did the outlet covers, moved chemicals and sharp objects entirely out of reach and eyesight, and put drawer catches on some of our drawers. We have a gate at the top of our stairs, too, but we really encouraged a lot of stair climbing when she was super young so she could adapt and adjust to them. We have the gate for obvious safety reasons, but DD was going up and down stairs (supervised) since well before she could walk. I think each child will be different, but hopefully this DS of ours will be just as good at not messing with the things we've left out at toddler level as DD is!

jefinley1 · July 2015

This is such an awesome question and it's been great to hear the input. I got outlet plugs and when crawling age is reached will put anything super dangerous out of reach. I will possibly use baby gates, but after using them at my sister's, I always felt like I was more in danger of tripping and falling down the stairs with them than the babies were of falling on their own (classic klutz).

I kept asking my mom if I needed more precautions and she was definitely an advocate for the playpens plus boundaries combo, so that's what I'll be doing. We have record and book cases everywhere and there is just no way that will ever change. But I definitely immediately invisioned her pulling one down on herself when I thought about having a baby in our place. So when I was offered two playpens, I gladly said yes to both. She will hang out in those if I can't monitor her every move. One will stay in the car for when we visit family and friends. I don't ever want them to feel like they have to baby proof just because we're coming to visit. So if I don't want to run around after her the entire time (because it's certainly no one else's responsibility!) that I'm visiting and she doesn't understand don't touch yet, she'll just get popped in one there too. I'm the one who decided to have kids, not my host so I wouldn't want to put any additional tasks on them on top of welcoming us into their home.

loveleighmami · July 2015

@jefinley1 yes!!!

Also, I will redirect someone's child in my home if necessary, and I would hope someone would do the same for my kids, even though I try my best to keep an eye on them. I have experienced parents who get upset if I tell their kids anything, but I really believe it takes a village. Sorry, this is off topic!

jefinley1 · July 2015

loveleighmami said:
@jefinley1 yes!!!

Also, I will redirect someone's child in my home if necessary, and I would hope someone would do the same for my kids, even though I try my best to keep an eye on them. I have experienced parents who get upset if I tell their kids anything, but I really believe it takes a village. Sorry, this is off topic!

This is exactly what my family does with my nieces. We love it for the most part. The only time it became a little too much was when my sister's idiot soon to be ex-husband wouldn't help her out in keeping an eye out so it became entirely our responsibility if she needed a break (this was when we were all there for an extends period of time over holidays). Then it was kinda like, "OK, I actually was pretty intentional about not wanting kids just yet and would like to enjoy just hanging out with my family with my husband before I do, so if you'd like to maybe take a turn being a parent that would be great!" My parent's already paid their kid house dues, so I think its reasonable for my mom to want some grown up decorations now and we can all just keep an eye out. I think this is, if slightly off topic, in the same vein...

gabrielafrnqyepez · July 2015

my child proofing for my son was more about safety like corners of walls, of glass tables etc. we had a tv console that was a glass top and the corners would get Me all the time i found rubbers for them and placed them also from experience from when my youngest cousin was a baby we put up rubber covers on the wall corners because she ran and ran into the wall right on to her forehead she still has a scar...as far as breakables ds understood not to touch but if it was valuable it was safely put away. in the kitchen i didnt put anything on the cabinets because we just put up a gate it was totally off limits the bathroom he knew not to go w.o mommy and def to not touch the toilet or cabinets. but like pp have stated putting them in the play pen when you can't be with them is the smartest way to go!

JaqiDec04 · July 2015

FrozenMommy said:
My 2 year old decided one night it would be a good idea to climb into the tv stand, which had glass shelves. I was in the bathroom, and I hear BOOOM crash, and her say ot oh. Freaking thing shattered all over the place, it came off the corners and the tivo hit it. So now our TV is mounted up on the wall. Things you don't even think of can happen.

A good friend of ours son climbed up their tv stand and pulled their TV down on top of himself. Full reconstructive facial surgery it was horrific.

Luckily, DD has never been much of a climber, but all shelves, book cases, tvs, dressers, etc are secured to our walls. Since we live in Califoenia, it's pretty standard due to earthquakes, But I would do it anyway. I wish more people did.

I'm so glad your child wasn't injured and your TV is now secure.

FrozenMommy · July 2015

@jaqidec04, Oh my god, what a nightmare! I was lucky it was a fairly low to the ground stand, and the glass was the kind that shatters but not into slivers. Safety glass I guess. But still.

FrozenMommy · July 2015

@jefinley1, I was never a fan of sticking my girls in the playpen. My boy however, he will be spending some time in it. I have a few months still to go through all the girls stuff and toss out choking hazards, but they are terrible about leaving their stuff everywhere. You find things you thought were gone forever months later. I am so afraid of when he starts crawling, he will go straight for the danger toys!

jefinley1 · July 2015

FrozenMommy said:
@jefinley1, I was never a fan of sticking my girls in the playpen. My boy however, he will be spending some time in it. I have a few months still to go through all the girls stuff and toss out choking hazards, but they are terrible about leaving their stuff everywhere. You find things you thought were gone forever months later. I am so afraid of when he starts crawling, he will go straight for the danger toys!

This is the other thing that I started this past week: just throwing out or donating anything that I didn't need, use, or want anymore as I know that was probably the biggest hazard I could control in our place. The playpen is kind of a necessity in our place as I'm limited hardware-wise in our townhouse rental (I can't wait until we're settled in one place long enough to buy!) and I am genuinely terrified of her pulling over the book shelves or getting splinters crawling on the not recently sanded or polished hardwood floors. I'm pretty paranoid though, so I'll probably use it regardless if I'm not able to watch her or future kids like a hawk.

wildbutterfli2001 · July 2015

We have learned with our first. In the beginning we were like,oh were good. haha! Then he was mobile. It started with crawling do we did gates over stairs and plug outlet covers rearranged sharp edged furniture that he would try to climb on. Then he started walking. Cabinet locks and anything within arms reach, then came the climbing, oh lord, tables, chairs, end tables, toys, his dresser. Then came the ability to open doors Holy cow that is scary stuff! Door knob covers galore! There is something new he figures out around every corner!

It's trying, down right exhausting, especially when we go to other people's homes to visit. They don't understand things right away nor do they understand the dangers,so it's a constant work.

The biggest piece of advise I can offer is to pay close attention and your baby will show you what you need to childproof if you haven't already! If it's quiet, it's not so you can relax, go check it out lol.

They will fall, get hurt, bumps and bruises, break stuff and drive you crazy. That does not make you a failure! It is one big learning experience for everyone.

And last but not least, it goes by quickly so try your best to enjoy every moment! All things considered you will get through it and so will your child!

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