Babes and Kids: Baby Proofing

Showing posts with label Baby Proofing. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Safety 1st Cabinet Flex Lock

0 comments Posted by tiff snedaker at 1:46 PM

As I mentioned in the baby proofing post, babies are naturally curious. Once mobile, they will get into anything and everything. The Safety 1st Cabinet Flex Locks were one of the first things that we tried when baby proofing.

Pros: These can be used on cabinets that have knobs on them. It's simple enough to put on, you just put each loop over the knobs and then pull down on the zip to tighten them. These really are baby proof, Chandler could never and has still never figured out how they work. This is because you have to push the button in the middle while pushing the one on the side that you want to loosen. These are also very durable. We have had a couple for a few years and have never had to replace them.

Cons: I like the idea behind this product, but they are difficult to loosen. You have to have two hands to do it and even then it feels like you are fighting with the product. (Sometimes I would get frustrated and feel like I needed more than 2 hands? I thought these were supposed just be baby proof and not adult proof too?) I hated trying to loosen and tighten these every time I got into a cabinet. I finally decided to leave the loops that go around the cabinet a little looser. I could just pull on side off, get into the cupboard and then push it back on. Chandler still couldn't get it off. Although I figured out a way around how hard they are to zip, you shouldn't have to do that with a good product. There are other products out there that have the same concept but are easier to use. These are also only good to use on cabinets that have two knobs. In our house we recently moved in to, we don't have knobs on our kitchen cabinets, so these won't work at all.

The Bottom Line: A baby proofing product that seems to do it's job, but I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Price: $2-4

Where to Buy: Carefree Store Online, Walmart

Rating: OK

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Safety 1st Grip Door Knob Covers

0 comments Posted by tiff snedaker at 7:00 AM

After learning to walk, it seems like toddlers start to get very curious. They will start testing their limits and getting into anything and everything. I remember Chandler trying again and again when he was about 18 months old to open a door. After much effort, he figured it out. It was ALL downhill from then. He's gone outside multiple times, opened his brother's door and gotten into his crib with him, gotten into the bathroom and all of my makeup....and much more. The solution? Simple - Door Knob Covers!

Pros: These covers come apart into two pieces. It then has 3 grooves where it snaps into place as you put it over the door knob. They then have sort of a loose fit. If your child tries to open the door, the cover just spins around the knob and They work on all sorts of door knobs. We've used them on regular round knobs in our apartments and home. They also work great on door knobs that aren't quite round. In order for an adult to open the door, you just pinch the two gray grooves on either side together. This allows you to grip the knob in order to open it. Chan is almost 3 1/2 and still hasn't figured out how these work. Nice, huh? They are also very durable and easy to take on and off. The picture shows these in white, but I have found them in clear at Walmart and like the clear design better. They aren't as noticable. These are also very affordable and are only about $2-3 for a 2 pack.

Cons: There have been times when the cover is in two pieces that I have a hard time putting it back together. Maybe it's just me because my husband laughs and does it for me. I, however, think that it could be designed a bit better so it is easier to put together. After time, and enough fiddling by your toddler, they come apart easily. This has happened with 2 of the knobs we have bought.

The Bottom Line: A great way to babyproof doors, a must have!

Price: $2-3 for a 2 pack (Diapers.com even sells them in a 4 pack for $3.79.)

Where to Buy: Walmart, Target, Diapers.com

Rating: Great

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Baby Proofing

4 comments Posted by tiff snedaker at 8:00 AM

I had a request for baby proofing and thought it was a really good idea. I don't consider myself an expert, and I've improvised many times to try to baby proof. So here are a few ideas and tips to get you started. In later posts, I will review different products that we are actually using to baby proof and why we do or do not like them.

My very first tip would be to get on the floor. I'm sure you will feel awesome doing this right? Yes you may feel dumb, but crawl around and see things that you could "get in to." Babies have a totally different perspective. They don't see the world from a 5 foot + perspective. By getting down on the floor you will see things that you might not have noticed before. And believe me, your little one will find every cheerio, every dust bunny and more....and then will proceed to eat them all :)

I notice that my home is most baby proofed when I keep it clean. It seems like simple common sense, but it really works. If there is a lot of clutter, you better bet your baby/toddler will get into anything within their reach. By keeping your home clean, you also avoid choking hazards. Babies use their mouths to experience the world and will put anything in their mouth - it's just second nature. In fact, I pulled a crayon out of Rowan's mouth today and found a penny in there the other day. I know well where the crayon came from, it's called his 3 year old brother, but I have no idea where the penny came from. It's scary to think how easily he could have choked on that penny.

Another tip for baby proofing is to give your baby their own designated cupboards.I have a cupboard in the kitchen that just has pots and pans in it. It is easily accessible to Rowan and he knows he can get into it. (It used to be the drawer under the oven when we lived in our apartment - alas the picture.) He loves having the independence and not being told no, and also getting to play with the pots and pans. This is something I wish I would have done when Chandler was a baby. He got into every cupboard and was always making huge messes. I didn't restrict him or give him his own cupboards, and although it was fun for him, there was always a mess for me to clean up.

Something else that should be common sense is to make sure all cleaners, sharp objects, medicines, etc are kept up high or locked up.

Make sure your bookshelves and dressers are secure. Chandler has a pretty light dresser in his room and Rowan pulled it over on himself one time when he started pulling up. We fixed the problem by making sure there was more weight in the dresser and then tried ourselves to pull it over.

This last tip seems funny but has worked for us. At around 8 months when Rowan started crawling and getting into things, I would tell him no in a firm voice. Although he didn't necessarily understand what no meant at first, he understands it perfectly now at 13 months. I was consistent in telling him no and gave him alternatives of things he could do or play with. We have a gas fireplace in our basement and I was really nervous when we moved into our home 2 months ago. We thought about getting something to go around it, but decided to see how Rowan acted with it. When he would go near it, we would say, "No...hot!" I would hold his hand close to the fireplace so he could feel how hot it was. He kept testing his limits and we kept telling him no in a nice but firm voice. This last month he hasn't gotten close to the fireplace as he knows he isn't supposed to. I thought it was young for him to understand this, but it's been a great way for us to baby proof.

I know some of these tips might not be what you were expecting, but from a mom's view, it is a few things that have worked for us. It is important to try different baby proofing methods and decide what works for you. I remember someone once telling me, "Take what advice you like, and use it. Whatever you don't like, just throw it out the window." Simple enough, right? Good luck with your baby proofing and watch for reviews on different products that will help baby proof your home!