Sneaky Baby Hazards in Your Home

The joys of having a baby can sometimes be overshadowed by the stress of having of a baby.  Though I was really excited for my babies to finally crawl, crawling meant they could discover every little thing hidden under a chair or lying on the floor. And whatever that little thing was, it went immediately into their mouths.

For moms, baby-proofing the house is a task that evolves over the years. First, it involved addressing the easy stuff like making sure cabinets were locked and there was a baby gate at the top of the staircase. Then, when baby #2 came along, baby-proofing meant crawling on my hands and knees to make sure all of those itty bitty Lego pieces wouldn’t get swallowed by my curious little one.

If you’re the queen of mounted baby gates and tricky toilet locks, chances are you’re well aware of the potentially dangerous items in your home. But there may be a few things on the list that will surprise you.

Not just tiny toys

Are you on constant “choking hazard” alert? It’s easy to be diligent about toys with small pieces or little parts that can find their way into your baby’s wee grip. But other small things can be within your baby’s reach too like pen caps, water bottle lids, rings, earrings and coins.

Parents and siblings need to keep an eye out for little things inadvertently left in baby’s path. A quick scan of the floor before putting baby down to play is a great idea, and don’t forget to look under furniture or sofa cushions.

Remotes & video game controllers

Batteries are dangerous if ingested, and with baby’s amazing dexterity, that’s a bad combination. You may not be able to remove those tiny batteries from your remote or your gaming devices, but a baby can. Keep remotes, devices and battery-operated toys stored up high or out of baby’s reach.   

Bottom of shoes = dirty floors

Since your baby will spend lots of time on the floor, you might want to encourage family members and guests to take their shoes off before entering your home.  Why? Studies have shown that the bottoms of your shoes are dirtier than a public toilet seat. Gross!

Germs and microbes can easily be transferred from your shoes into your home and directly to your baby, who spends a lot of time on the floor. Bacteria like E.coli and C. diff, as well as toxins from treating your lawn are just a few contributors to the ick factor that can be found on the soles of your shoes.

Scented candles

Most recently, a new hazard has captured headlines that many of us hadn’t considered. Burning scented candles produces soot, which can get trapped inside your baby’s nostrils. The soot particles from scented candles is so fine, it can’t be detected in the air. However, these dangerous specks can be inhaled, and are especially harmful to baby’s developing respiratory system. If the warning on a scented candle says don’t burn the candle longer than 2-3 hours, take heed and follow instructions.

What’s your advice for first-time moms who are baby proofing at home? Let us know in the comments section on our Facebook page.