September is Baby Safety Month: Good and Bad Baby Safety Products

September is Baby Safety Month, is your home ready for baby? New parents can spend a lot of time and money making their home safe the baby, but how much is necessary and which "safety" products and tips are gateways to other problems? If you're taking an infant home form the hospital, you don't need to install a gate yet. Which baby safety products are must-haves and which ones can you skip?

Outlet Covers - Must-have

Outlet covers can be hard to give up after you've started using them. When baby starts crawling around, it's time to start using them. They are affordable and can help protect baby from a shock or electrocution. Get on your hands and knees and count all of the available plugs and outlets.
* Buy enough to use everywhere in the house, even in places baby can't reach yet.
* Keep extras on hand for last-minute or emergency travel. A baby who has never had access to outlets will find them in a hotel room.

The outlet covers are also handy to use in the kitchen where you may have visible outlets on the back splash under the cabinets and over the countertop. The kitchen looks neater when you keep these plugged in.

Door Knob Covers - Proceed with caution

These may seem like a good way to keep toddlers out of rooms, basements or attics, but they are not the best when it comes to fire safety. They can be safely used on closet door handles or to block access to rooms without an exit. When my son went to preschool the fire department made the preschool staff remove all door knob covers, which is something to consider when you place them in your own home.

Combination Carbon Monoxide/Smoke Alarm - Must-have

These should be installed outside every bedroom in the home, not just in baby's room. Test them twice a year and change batteries as needed.

Bumpers and Corner Edge Protectors - Skip and save money

Before you spend money on bumpers and edge protectors for all the tables, desk and dressers in your home, evaluate which ones you even need. When baby comes home, the center of your living room where your favorite glass coffee table was may become baby central. We removed a pair of small table with glass tops from the living room rather than try to add edge protectors.

When they start crawling and walking, evaluate the height of different furniture pieces in your home and see what can be moved. Don't store any baby items or toys near items of questionable height.

Sources

Baby Safety Month, http://www.jpma.org/content/parents/baby-safety-month
Personal Experience