the cityhammer blog

There's a lot of information out there to digest when embarking on a baby proofing project in New York. For that reason, today we bring you a quick primer on the subject. Enjoy these baby proofing and child proofing tips and please let us know if there are aspects of this subject that we have not covered.



Parents have the obligation to make the environment as safe and happy for baby as possible. Baby proofing is not a simple thing but you must do it before the baby can roll over or crawl. You can hire professional baby proofing people but it is also possible to do it yourself with a little ingenuity and by looking at the safety section of baby care stores. The internet is also another place to look for baby proofing items. Start by getting down ground level and seeing what the baby sees.

Around the House Safety

All rooms in a house should be safe enough for baby to play in. If you can’t child proof a room, enclose it with a child safety gate so baby can’t get in. Use doorknob covers to keep a room that has a door out of reach of baby’s hands. Remove all of the rubber stoppers off of the doorstops because they can be taken off and choked on. Place padding around tables and other sharp furniture so baby doesn’t hit its head on the corners of them. Purchase a playpen to put baby in when you can’t watch him at all times. Secure exterior doors by putting a doorknob cover on the inside of the door.

Stairs

Child safety gates belong at the top and bottom of all stairs in your house. Use hardware-mounted chairs because pressure safety gates are insufficient to protect baby. The slats should be no further apart than about three inches so baby cannot get his head stuck in them.

Cords/Outlets

Babies can easily put wet fingers and metallic objects in the holes of outlets so keep them covered with switch plates with sliders on them or use large plastic plugs to block the outlet holes. Tape down all electrical cords that might strangle baby.

Nursery Safety

Keep the crib far from cords on blinds, lamps or curtains. Keep the crib free of blankets, pillows or stuffed animals that can carry a suffocation risk. Keep all heavy and/or tall furniture bolted to the wall so that it cannot be pulled down on baby. Keep baby lotions, medications or ointments out of the reach of baby.

Window Safety

Toddlers, especially, can open up windows so you should put in protective devices that keep windows from opening more than four inches in height. Screens do not protect toddlers from falling out so you cannot count on them. Get rid of any blind cords or curtain cords that can easily strangle a child.

Kitchen Safety

Babies often play when you’re cooking. You need to put latches on all drawers and cabinet covers so that the baby cannot get into these items. Keep cleaning products, toxic chemicals and pesticides up and out of the way. Use a refrigerator safety latch so baby cannot get into the refrigerator and use stove knob covers so baby cannot turn on the stove or oven.

Bathroom

Use a special toilet lock so that baby cannot drown in the toilet water. In the tub, use non-slip runners so nobody slips in the bathtub when it is wet.

Labels: Baby Proofing, New York baby Proofing, NYC Baby Proofers

Clear Plastic Oven Knob Covers for the Kitchen

Over in the tips section on cityhammer.com, Staff Writer Mitch Mayer has posted a "Master List" of baby- and child-proofing tips, including specific suggestions for every room in the house. Kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, dens and nurseries are all discussed in detail. Keep in mind that there are some issues specific to baby proofing a Manhattan apartment and others that are more germaine to Westchester or Long Island baby proofing, but the common thread is that securing, fastening, locking, and closing off the various odds and ends of your rooms and furniture will give you the peace of mind that a new parent needs. I'd say these actions will help you sleep at night, but we all know that there'll be no sleeping!

Giving your baby a safe environment through home improvement requires a lot of thought and planning. Here at cityhammer, we recommend a thorough consultation with a New York baby proofer before implementing many of these ideas, but it's important to know what to look for in advance...after all, you know the nooks and crannies of your home better than anyone.

The "Master List" is located here: Baby Proofing Tips

Labels: Baby NYC, Baby Proofer on Long Island, Baby Proofing, Manhattan Baby Proofers

Living Room by Camren Parrish Interior Design

Living rooms and dens can be difficult to baby-proof because of jagged-edged furniture and the various antiques and objet d'art we all have as part of our decor. We've consulted some of the best baby proofing experts in New York for a list of tips that will make your living areas child friendly without a lot of aesthetic sacrifice:

Baby Proofing Tips for the Living Room and Den

Because trading in a glass coffee table for a foam one is not your first choice, consider adding pads to the corners and edges. Kids love to crawl under tables, so having exposed wrought iron edges is a bad idea. The good news is that there are plenty of options for covering these problem areas without resorting to putting your favorite furniture in a storage facility.

Kids are attracted to wires and cords like moths to a flame. If you are running extension cords, make sure they are tucked in and of course, try to use as few as possible. Stand-alone halogen lamps can be fastened to the wall via a simple plastic loop and a screw. That way, when your child attempts a "Singin' in the Rain" maneuver like swinging around the lamp pole, you won't have broken glass to clean up.

Fireplaces need to be separated from children, even during summer when they aren't in use. Use a child safety gate and keep the pokers and related accessories out of sight. Even if this means obscuring the fireplace from view, this is a must. Santa won't mind, but you'll sleep better knowing that the baby is being kept away from the brick hearth.

Any furniture over a reasonable height should be secured to the wall with a bracket. Bookcases and china cabinets, if leaned or climbed on, can be either pulled down or have their contents spilled to the ground if not fastened in some way.

In most New York apartments, televisions are being mounted to wall these days, which technically keeps them out of a baby's reach. But what of the power cord or cable wires? Be aware of how the wiring is mounted, and if possible, have your entertainment center built with infrared so that a lot of wires are unnecessary. Heavy TV's and stereo equipment should be secured to the surface they are mounted on so they can't be pulled down.

Your choice of houseplants and where they are situated can save you a phone call to poison control or a huge bill for a carpet cleaner to get soil stains off a leather couch! Avoid anything that sheds, because infants will explore whatever hits the floor with their mouths. And obviously, skip the cactus, unless it's on a high ledge or shelf.

Visit cityhammer.com for a list of the best Baby Proofing Experts in New York and New Jersey

Labels: Baby Proofer on Long Island, Baby Proofing, Den, Living Room, NY Baby Proofers

Bath Time can be Safe and Fun

Baby-proofing a bathroom in New York can be tricky because of the tight space normally involved. That said, here are a few tips we picked up from some of the best baby proofing experts in NYC and on Long Island.

Baby Proofing Tips for the Bathroom

The easiest child-proof tip for bathrooms is to keep the door closed, but this is not possible around the clock. Plus, eventually, they'll be able to reach the door knob anyway.

Scalding is the number one threat to your child's safety in the bathroom. One way to prevent this is to set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

With a baby or young child in the house, the last thing you want is an open "pool" of water. The toilet definitely qualifies as exactly that, but you can keep the lid shut with lid locks that are both inexpensive and easy to find.

Medicine Cabinets should be stocked only with child-proof capped items and obviously need to be high up enough that they are out of a young child's reach.

As we all know, wetness on counter surfaces or on tile floors is bad enough, but having a hairdryer plugged in and unattended is a recipe for disaster. Unplug anything not in use, from blow dryers to curling and straightening irons, to electric toothbrushes and find storage for these items that is not within your child's grasp.

Non-slip rugs and mats can prevent your baby from falling in the tub or on a damp bathroom floor.

Visit cityhammer.com for a list of the best Baby Proofing Experts in New York and New Jersey

Labels: Baby Proofer on Long Island, Baby Proofing, Bath Room, NY Baby Proofers, NYC Baby Proofing