What to Expect the First Year (86 page)

Fireplaces, heaters, stoves, furnaces, and radiators.
Put up protective grills, covers, or other barriers to keep small fingers away from fire and hot surfaces. Remember, too, that most of these surfaces stay hot long after the heat has been turned off or the fire has died down.

Ashtrays.
There are multiple reasons not to allow smoking in your home, ever. Here's another one: A baby who reaches into a used ashtray can get hold of a hot butt or sample a mouthful of ashes and butts. Always keep ashtrays out of a baby's reach.

Trash containers.
Switch from open wastebaskets and recycling containers to ones that are covered and inaccessible to curious little hands.

Exercise equipment.
Great for getting in shape, but potentially dangerous for your baby. Don't let your baby anywhere near bikes, elliptical machines, rowing machines, treadmills, weights, and weight machines, and if possible keep rooms that store them inaccessible. Every piece of equipment comes with its own safety risks, and all (especially those with moving parts) are extremely tempting to curious babies. Keep equipment unplugged when not in use by an adult (and make sure to keep the plug out of reach). Be sure, too, that any safety straps or other long straps on exercise equipment are tied up and completely out of reach for a baby (they could pose a strangulation risk). Ditto if you exercise with a jump rope or strap—always store it out of baby's reach.

Tablecloths.
Best to leave your table bare when there's a baby afoot and crawling around. Plan B: Use short tablecloths with little or no overhang so your baby can't pull them (and everything on the table) down. Or hold longer tablecloths securely in place with clasps that are designed to keep outdoor tablecloths from blowing away in windy weather (though an intrepid baby can reach even a short or secured tablecloth to pull it down). Placemats can be a good alternative to long tablecloths, but remember that a curious baby can pull down a placemat, too—so if it's set (with china or hot coffee, for instance), be sure your baby is carefully supervised and kept away from the table.

Houseplants.
Keep them out of reach, where your child can't pull them down or sample the leaves or dirt. Best to keep poisonous plants out of your home entirely (see
box
).

Hazardous objects.
Keep all hazardous household objects out of the reach of your baby by storing them in drawers, cabinets, chests, or closets with
childproof latches, on absolutely out-of-reach shelves, or behind closed doors your baby absolutely can't open. When you're using hazardous items, be sure your child can't get at them when you turn your back, and always put away these dangerous items as soon as you've finished with them:

• Pens, pencils, and other pointed writing implements. When it's time for scribbling, use chunky nontoxic crayons or washable markers.

• Assorted small items, including thimbles, buttons, marbles, or pebbles (like the ones often used in potted plants and flower arrangements), coins, safety pins, and anything else a child might possibly swallow or choke on.

• Jewelry. Most risky: beads and pearls (which can be pulled off the strand and swallowed), and small items like rings, earrings, and pins. Some inexpensive imported children's jewelry may also contain toxic metals, which means mouthing them could be dangerous.

• Strings, cords, ribbons, belts, ties, scarves, measuring tapes, or anything else that could get wrapped around a child's neck.

• Sharp implements such as knives, scissors, needles and pins, knitting needles, letter openers, wire hangers, and razors and razor blades (don't leave these on the side of the tub or sink or dispose of them in a wastebasket your baby could get into).

• Matches and matchbooks, lighters, cigarettes, anything that can light a fire.

• Toys meant for older kids. Keep out of the reach of babies: building sets with small pieces or dolls with small accessories; large trikes, bikes, and scooters; miniature cars and trucks; and anything with sharp corners, small or breakable parts, or electrical connections. Whistles can also be a hazard—a young child could choke on a tiny toy whistle and on the small ball inside any whistle if it comes loose.

• Button batteries. The disk-shaped type used in watches, calculators, hearing aids, and cameras are easy to swallow and can release hazardous chemicals into a child's esophagus or stomach. Store new, unused batteries in an inaccessible place in their original packaging rather than loose. Keep in mind that “dead” batteries are as hazardous as fresh ones; dispose of them promptly and safely. Know what kind of batteries you are using. If your baby swallows one, call the National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline at 202-625-3333 or Poison Control (800-222-1222) immediately. Keep regular batteries inaccessible to your baby as well.

• Lightbulbs. Small bulbs, such as those used in nightlights, are particularly easy for a baby to mouth and break. Use an LED nightlight (it won't get hot) or a nightlight made specifically with infants and children in mind (the bulb won't be accessible).

• Glass, china, or other breakables.

• Perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics of all kinds. They are potentially toxic.

• Vitamins, medicines, and herbal or homeopathic remedies, both topical and oral.

• Lightweight or filmy plastic bags, such as produce bags, dry-cleaning bags, and packaging on new clothing, pillows, and other items—they can suffocate a baby or young child. Remove clothing from dry-cleaning bags and new items from their plastic wrap as soon as you get them home, then safely recycle or dispose of the plastic.

• Cleaning materials and other household products, even those that are environmentally friendly or “green.”

• Shoe polish. If your little one gets into it, the results can be messy—and harmful if it's ingested.

• Mothballs. They're toxic as well as a choking hazard. Opt instead for cedar blocks (not small cedar balls, which can be popped into a curious mouth). If you do use mothballs, store them in an area not accessible to your baby, and air clothing and blankets out thoroughly (until the odor has dissipated) before using them.

• Tools of a trade or hobby: toxic paints, paint thinners, sewing and knitting supplies (including thread and yarn), woodworking equipment, and so on.

• Fake food. Apples, pears, oranges, and other food made of wax, papiermache, rubber, or any other substance that isn't safe for children tempted to taste them (a candle that smells and looks like an ice-cream sundae, a child's eraser that smells and looks like a strawberry).

• Guns (see
box
).

Since families generally spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, babies do, too. To ensure that your kitchen is babysafe, take the following precautions:

• Rearrange storage areas. Try to move anything that should be off-limits to your little one to upper cabinets and drawers. This includes glassware and dishes that are breakable, food wrap boxes with serrated edges, sharp knives, utensils with slim handles that can poke an eye, skewers, graters, peelers, bag clips, and appliances with intricate gears that can pinch little fingers (like an eggbeater, nutcracker, or can opener), cleaning products, alcoholic beverages, medicines, anything in a breakable container, or potentially dangerous foods (nuts, hot peppers, bay leaves, sticky or hard candy, jars of peanut butter). Keep child-safe pots and pans, wooden and plastic utensils, unopened food packages that would be safe if opened, and dish towels and cloths in the more accessible lower cabinets and drawers.

• Install child-guard latches on drawers or cabinets that house dangerous items or items you don't want your baby to touch, even if you believe these cabinets are inaccessible to your baby. What your baby cares to go after and to what lengths (and heights) he or she will go to get it will change over time (and depends on your baby, and eventually your toddler), so your storage arrangement may have to change as well. Reassess periodically and as needed—and always overestimate your baby's resourcefulness, strength, and skill.

• Use back burners of the range for cooking, when possible, and always turn the handles of pots toward the rear. If the burner controls are on the front of the range, snap on commercial stove-knob covers. Appliance latches can keep conventional and microwave ovens inaccessible. Remember that the outsides of some ovens (and other appliances, such as toasters, coffeemakers, and slow cookers) can get hot enough to cause burns and can stay hot long after they've been turned off—so keep them out of reach of baby.

• Keep the dishwasher locked between uses, and be careful when you're loading and unloading—it takes only a second for a baby to reach for something sharp or breakable. Keep dishwasher detergents (especially those colorful and appealing-to-baby dishwasher pods) out of reach of babies.

• Keep sponges out of reach. One bite of a sponge can turn into a choking hazard—plus used sponges can harbor plenty of bacteria.

• Keep the refrigerator off-limits to your baby by installing an appliance latch. Also avoid small refrigerator magnets: They are often appealing and—since they may be choking hazards—dangerous. By the way, all magnets are unsafe for baby and downright dangerous if swallowed, so be sure to keep them out of baby's reach.