There is nothing more precious than your child, so keeping them safe comes as an instinct. But with every new stage of development comes new risks. One common concern for parents is preventing their child from falling at home. Falls can cause minor injuries, from bruises and bumps to more serious ones like cuts and bone fractures. Fortunately, with a little preventive action, you can help ensure keeping your little one unhurt. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the most fall-prone areas of the home and offer tips on keeping your child safe.
In your little one’s view, your home is a huge treasure island to explore, so you’ll understand why they want to climb and jump even in dangerous areas. So, let’s begin having a tour inside your house and see it on your child and toddler’s level to know the fall-prone areas.
Fall-Prone Area #1: Bedroom
Are you cosleeping with your toddler, or do they have a separate crib/toddler bed to lay on? Both beds and cribs pose a risk of falling for your baby. The fact that you are asleep at this time makes it more difficult for you to care for your little one. When your baby starts crawling, they will surely try to crawl out of bed to explore other areas of your home. Meanwhile, if they stay in a crib, they can climb up or jump out and pose the same falling dangers.
Precautions
Be aware of your baby’s development. A sign that you should get the best toddler rails for full-size bed or the best bed rails for toddlers’ cribs is when your little one can independently lay on their tummy. This ability means they’ll be crawling in no time; then, they’ll practice standing and walking after crawling. It is best to set up the best bed rails for toddlers ahead just to be sure.
Fall-Prone Area #2: Living Room
The living room is probably the place where you’ll spend most of your time relaxing and chilling with your baby. Keep your eyes on your little one as they may climb on the sofa, play with the blinds, and try to go outside through the window. Your living room cabinets and appliance holders will look like stairs to a small child, increasing the risk of the television, speakers, or other displays falling on them.
Precautions
You cannot keep your baby from climbing the living room furniture, especially sofa and chairs, and taking a peek out the window. With that, the best solution for you to keep your baby safe from a bad fall is to use a carpet for your flooring. You can also lay a thicker cushion on your living room floor, near the sofa, for your little one to have a soft cushion to fall on.
Fall-Prone Area #3: Kitchen
Meanwhile, the main concerns that pose falling risks for your baby in the kitchen are the chairs, table, or their high chair. There are different kinds of high chairs, the foldable ones and the portable high chairs attached to regular chairs, and without the proper straps and baby support, an energetic baby can fall out of these.
Your little one can also try to sit on regular chairs to copy you. When they do this unattended, nobody can keep them from common kitchen dangers.
Precautions
Choose the best baby high chair which ensures your baby’s comfort and safety. The high chair should have a safety strap to keep the baby in their chairs despite being energetic. It is also important to keep an eye on your little one as they may explore the kitchen to reach for some snacks or utensils that interest them. They may climb the dining chairs anytime, so you need to watch out for it.
Fall-Prone Area #4: Bathroom
Babies naturally slip, especially when practicing how to walk, but with wet floors, falling and slipping should be anticipated. Leaving your bathroom door open is a welcome sign for them to explore. Playing with water in the bathroom is slip-prone; it also poses a drowning risk when you have a tub filled with water. Meanwhile, when young children brush their teeth, they usually use a stool, which they might fall from, too.
Precautions
Toothbrush time, potty time, or bath time, you should always accompany your little one in the bathroom. Your presence will ensure that even if they spill water on the floor, you’ll be there to dry it for their safety. You can also add slip-resistant products like rubber mats to ensure that falling and slipping are highly improbable even during bath time. Finally, add rugs to wipe off wet feet.
Fall-Prone Area #5: Porch and Balcony
The porch and the balcony are home spaces where you and your little one can breathe in some fresh air and get a view of the outdoors. Staying in these areas is a welcome break from the long hours you stayed indoors, so expect your little one to be giddy and excited. If there are chairs and tables on the porch or balcony, expect them to climb it. Plants and other displays will surely be a part of what your baby will be curious about.
Precautions
Move all the furniture your baby can climb far from the tip of the porch or the balcony to keep your baby safe from falling. The balcony is an especially dangerous area for your baby, so it is best to keep them off from the place for their safety. The porch is a bit tolerable as long as you stay close to them and keep them far from the stairs.
Fall-Prone Area #6: Indoor and outdoor play area
If you have a dedicated space in your home for a play area that has baby walkers, an indoor slide, stools, tables, and shelves, this place becomes a fall-prone area too. These are the toys your baby will climb on, and because of their still undeveloped balance, there is a high probability that they’ll fall.
Meanwhile, the outdoors is even more dangerous, especially when there are bikes, tricycles, a trampoline, or a mini playground.
Precautions
Choose indoor play area toys that are suitable for your baby’s age. You can also add a cushioned mat in the playpen to ensure that if your baby falls, there’s a support that will catch them. In the outdoors, make the play area safer by adding sand on the ground. Sand is less tough than concrete or ceramic tiles—more child-friendly.
Ashtonbee’s Bed Rails For Kids and Baby Safety Products
We hope these preventive measures have helped you ensure that your little one will be safe from falls. Checking on the different areas of your home to see the fall-prone areas and taking preventive measures are the best way to keep your little one secured. Be sure to take all of these precautions and create baby-proofed spaces for your curious wanderers in every room!
If you need bed rails for your little one’s bed or crib and other baby safety products, we have a lot to offer here at Ashtonbee. From sliding door locks, outlet covers, corner guards, and bed rails—we have them all. So check out all these must-have products now, and babyproof your home!