Baby safe your home

Make sure your new or existing home is as safe as possible for young children. Baby proofing your home can be done during the house design process or can be built into a completed home.

As any parent of a baby or toddler will attest, the safety of your child is something that's always paramount in your mind. The home can be full of potential dangers for very young children, so baby proofing the home is a must for new parents.

When it comes to a new home, thinking about baby proofing during the design phase is not a common occurrence, says architect Anne Webb. "Really, an architect concentrates on the bigger issues, and given that babies don't remain babies forever, incorporating baby safe aspects as part of the basic design doesn't make a lot of sense." Having said that, there are a few things that can be done in the early stages of designing a home:

Shelves - Make sure shelves are fixed to the walls so that a young child can't tip them onto themselves.

Stairs - To avoid slipping when carrying a baby, carpet the stairs. In areas that are not carpeted, go for a 'softer' floor covering, like cork or vinyl, rather than hard tiles.

Furniture - In a completed home, choosing furniture - like coffee tables, TV units and chairs - with round rather than sharp or square edges is a good idea; these are more baby proof and infants or toddlers are not as likely to injure themselves if they run into them. You can pad the corners of furniture that has sharp edges with foam. It's also wise to move sharp-edged pieces away from high traffic areas. Fabric-covered furniture should be covered in low-flammability materials. Make sure all furniture is well constructed and that any folding furniture has a locking device so that the potential for collapse is minimised.

Doors - To baby safe doors, use child-resistant locks to prevent unsupervised visits to off-limits areas. Insert plastic socket covers into electrical power points to stop children sticking things into them. Install safety gates at both the top and bottom of stairs.

Cords - Make sure the cords of appliances are short, so that young children are less likely to pull, trip or swing on them. If long cords must be used, tie them up or tape them down. Cover chains and springs with sheaths to protect children's fingers, and make sure they are short so there's no way they can be wrapped around a child's neck.

Windows - Lock all windows or firmly fit screens to them so that young children can't fall out. Lay anti-skid mats under rugs to avoid slipping - or simply roll rugs away entirely. For ongoing baby safety, continually check floors for small items that a young child might swallow, like buttons, coins or pins.

The Nursery - When designing your nursery, remember all these rules and make the space as baby-friendly as possible. To make sure you can keep an ear on your bub at all times, install an approved baby safety monitor.