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Top 5 Baby Proofing Areas Minimalist and Extreme Parents Can Agree On

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Babies are curious little beings, aren’t they? As a parent, one of my biggest pleasures of the job is watching my baby discover new things for the first time. However, with that curiosity comes many opportunities to get themselves into trouble. My daughter is now 14 months old and into everything. Today, I wanted to share some baby proofing tips that help in our home. This post is sponsored by Huggies.

To provide you with a bit of background on my household situation – I have my 14 month old daughter, and a son who is 3.5. My son is very independent. While I’ve had to baby proof to keep my daughter safe, I also have had to keep in mind that my son still needs independent access to certain things. I’ll explain this more in a bit.

When it comes to baby proofing, my husband and I would like to consider ourselves minimalists. There are certain areas of the home that need to be baby proofed, but we also try to not go overboard, and to teach (some might call it ‘train’) our daughter to not go near certain things.

I hope the below tips are helpful in identifying the bare-minimum areas to baby proof your home. My husband and I try not to let our house look like it’s been overrun with baby / kid things, so we aim not to have too much ‘stuff’ all over.

Whether you consider yourself a minimalist or extreme baby proofer, there’s one thing all parents can agree on – changing the diaper of an active, squirmy baby is never easy. You have to be quick and efficient because you typically only have one chance to get that diaper on before your baby has wriggled out of your grip and is halfway on the other side of the room!

Huggies Little Movers Diapers provide a comfortable fit for baby. They have double grip strips that secure the diaper in place and ensure it stays right where it should – even on a squirmy baby! As a busy mom, I don’t have time to worry about a leaking diaper – I need to trust that the diaper she is wearing is built for an active, wiggly baby, which is why I chose Huggies Little Movers Diapers.  They are designed with a Moving Baby System that allows babies to move freely and thrive as they go exploring. I also appreciate that they have a DryTouch liner that helps keep my daughter feeling dry. The trusted Leak Lock System is also great, which provides up to 12 hours of protection to prevent leaks.

front door

Top 5 Baby Proofing Areas Minimalist and Extreme Parents Can Agree On

    1. The Stairs. Without question, if you have stairs in your home, gates should be installed at both the top and bottom of them. There are many different styles of gates on the market today. As a rule of thumb, pressure-mounted gates should not be used at the top – only hardware-mounted. We have this specific gate at both the top and bottom of our staircase. They are affordable ($34!), sturdy, and easy to operate with one hand. We also were able to ‘rig’ it with a 2 x 4 and zip ties, so we didn’t need to drill into the banister. Directions can be found here, and you can see what I mean in this photo.
      gate
    2. The Bathrooms. First and foremost, we have a rule to always keep bathroom doors shut. My daughter is not yet able to open our door knobs, so that isn’t a concern, while my preschooler is old enough to open and close the doors by himself. Once my daughter is old enough to open doors, we will likely still not be able to install door knob covers, because my son cannot open doors with the covers on. At that point, I hope my daughter is old enough to understand “No” and will not open the door. Wishful thinking? :)Also, in the bathroom, it is very important to lock up all medicines, products, cleaning supplies and chemicals. Depending what your linen closet / vanity doors look like, there are many options of locks to consider. Many different styles are available including latches, magnets, straps, and cords. Want to use what you have? The rubber bands that come around bundles of asparagus are quite strong and can loop around double knobs. Or hair ties. You’re welcome 😉drawer knobs
    3. The Kitchen. Consider the same tips above to ensure all kitchen cabinets that contain anything that shouldn’t be in the hands of your baby are securely locked. In my kitchen, that is only the sink cabinet. I have rearranged the containments of the pantry and drawers to ensure anything within reach is safe – no small pieces, nothing hazardous, and no sharp objects. She loves to play in the kitchen (straws! measuring spoons! TUPPERWARE!) while I *usually* cook up a quick meal. If stove knobs are in reach, these covers are great. Oven locks are also very necessary to keep babies safe – there are front lock and side latch options. When cooking on the stovetop, try to use the back burners. If that’s not possible, be sure to turn handles in and closely supervise the area. In the kitchen you will also want to keep a lid on your trash can, particularly one that can lock. We really like this particular one.cans
    4. The Cleaning Supplies. As you already know, cleaning supplies can be quite dangerous. Be sure to keep them stored behind locked doors – either the garage, locked cabinets, storage closet, wherever works in your home. Even when your sprays or supplies are safely stored behind locked doors, keep the nozzles in a locked position. For dishwasher and laundry pods, I keep them stored up high (out of reach) in these containers with locking lids. Consider switching to nontoxic / natural products.
    5. The Bedrooms. The biggest tip I can give in regard to the bedrooms – ALL bedrooms – is to anchor any and all dressers. Kits are available to purchase and should be used. Anchor all large and heavy pieces of furniture – dressers, armoires, bookcases, shelving units, and so on. Anchor any large TVs that aren’t mounted to the wall (the same goes for all TVs in the house, of course.) Be sure to tie up any blind cords that dangle – they are choking hazards. In fact, in our home, we are slowly converting all window coverings to cordless cellular shades.

 

Huggies® believes deeply in the Power of Hugs. The simple, loving act is proven to support babies’ emotional and physiological well-being. Huggies® diapers and wipes are inspired by a parent’s hug, – to nurture baby with care, cradle baby in comfort and surround baby in protection. Huggies® Little Movers Diapers have a Moving Baby System™, so baby can explore more with a comfy fit that lasts. Learn more at Huggies.com. #HuggiesCouncil

 

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Herbal healing

Sunday 25th of December 2016

I rarely comment, however after looking at a few of the responses here Top 5 Baby Proofing Areas Minimalist and Extreme Parents Can Agree On. I do have 2 questions for you if it's okay. Is it only me or does it seem like a few of the comments look like they are written by brain dead individuals?

:-P And, if you are writing at other online sites, I'd like to follow you. Could you make a list of all of your social networking pages like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?

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