Always keep your purse out of reach!

As a first-time mom, I was showered with many gifts, including some baby proofing items. I put them in the back of the closet since I thought there was plenty of time before I would need to use them. But the day your baby discovers the outlet, learns how to open the drawer, goes fishing in the toilet, or opens your kitchen cabinet will come before you know it, and by then it’s too late.

The only baby proofing I did early was put outlet plug covers in all the outlets in my house–one package did not go very far. I had to load my baby up to go buy more. These were a great investment for me as both of my kids are drawn to electrical outlets.

Before I knew it my first was in my kitchen opening drawers and cabinets. I had not installed child locks on these yet, so I had a mess on my hands. Thankfully I had already moved all sharp or dangerous utensils out of reach and made sure all household cleaners or chemicals were in a safe place. I like the cabinet locks for doors that have knobs; we use one of these on our fireplace and even I can’t get it open. Unfortunately, the cabinet locks that we used for our kitchen cabinets did not work that well. They slowed her down, but eventually she was able to still get into the cabinets by pulling the door or drawer hard. I then designated an area just for kid stuff that she can play in while in the kitchen–this has helped keep her out of other areas.

Both of my kids have been curious about the toilet. I have always been scared of them falling in or disgusted of the thought of them playing in the toilet. Thankfully, all of our toilets are in separate rooms so I am able to shut the door to keep them out. This has proven to be more difficult with my second as my first sometimes forgets to shut the door. They also make toilet locks if you are not able to keep a door shut.

Some additional baby proofing tips:

• Secure the plastic ends on doorstoppers with superglue
• Keep your purse out of reach
• Clear all surfaces at or below chest level
• Use hotel-style chain locks up high once your toddler learns how to open doors
• Use slip-proof mats under rugs
• A cloth diaper over the top of a door can prevent baby from getting fingers pinched in a door
• Research your houseplants and learn which ones aren’t safe

Baby proof early! Most baby proofing items can be found at a grocery store, discount store, or online.

Kristen Beggs is a cloth-diapering mom of two that lives in Midland, TX.