Prepare your home for your child's safety

Enough cannot be said about the importance of preparing your child's environment for his or her safety.  Babyproofing becomes even more important when you are trusting the care of your child to someone who is not the parent.  The added piece of mind goes a long way.  Here is a list of some of the most basic babyproofing that should be done before your baby comes home from the hospital.

1. Purchase a pool fence or net to create a barrier between your child and your back yard swimming pool or any other body of water.
2. Install a pool alarm as a back up alerting devise only (this does not replace a pool fence).
3. No child should be left unattended, even for one second, in or near any type of standing water. This includes bathtubs, buckets, toilets or even puddles of rain. 
4. Install sensors that let you know if a door to your home has been opened. 
5. Install outlet covers in all electrical outlets.
6. Cover the sharp corners of furniture with foam padding.
7. Install toilet seat locks.
8. Install door knob covers to avoid entry into a room that is not adequately baby proofed.
9. Buy retractors for long cords and extensions.
10. Install appliance locks to ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators or any other dangerous appliance that could put a curious child at risk.
11. Only use the back burner of a stove for cooking and always turn pot handles inward.
12. Purchase a stove top shield to avoid little hands from reaching hot pots.
13. Install stove dial covers to avoid a child turning on a stove.
14. Place a visual or auditory monitor in your baby room.
15. Install nanny cams ( your employee must know there is video surveillance)
16. Post the number to poison control next to your telephone.
17. Share babyproofing tips with other adult members of your family, including hired caregivers or any other adult who spends extended periods of time with your child.  GET CPR CERTIFIED.  It could save your own child's life or that of another.
18. Contact a professional babyproofing company to see if your home could require additional safeguards.