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5 Ways to Keep Your Baby Safe When They Learn to Crawl
After several months of the frustration of wanting to play and not being able to move much, my youngest is on the move. Although I have been through this stage five times before, I always have to remind myself of all the ways that crawling can be a challenge for a busy family. Since keeping our babies safe is our number one priority as mothers, I have created this post sharing my tips for ‘crawling proof’ your home.
Picking Up
If you have older children, and maybe even if you don’t, you will notice lots of little pieces get left on the floor. For us it is Lego. My older children can be reminded that it is a danger and a choking hazard for the baby now that he is on the move, but my toddlers are not as aware. When I put the baby down on the ground for a crawl, I make sure to scan the floor of the whole room. Be sure to check under chairs, around couches and under tables. If there is a piece of lego to be found, my 6-month-old will find it.
Keep the Germs Away
Cleaning up choking hazards is important, but also keep in mind that your babies hands will be going directly from your floors into their mouths. I shared this post on keeping your floors cleaner. Libman Tornado Mop and the Wonder Mop, as well as a Precision Angle Broom and Dustbin are now available at Home Depot Canada. I highly recommend these products. Check out the bottom of this post to enter to win your own cleaning package from Libman.
Beware of Stairs
Depending on the layout of your home, this might be a no-brainer, but also consider when you are visiting others. Do not rely on the baby not moving quickly, not noticing the stairs, or using a make-shift stair blocker. Get proper gates and secure the stairs in a way that is easy for you to still access, but completely prevents a tumbling baby. I do however recommend sitting on the stairs with the baby and regularly practicing going up and down. My third son (aka “the firecracker”) was walking up and down stairs holding the railing at 10 months old. Although not all children will be able to do this safely that young, they should learn to crawl up and down them around 8-10 months.
Cords and Electronics
Likely one of the first things you did when you had your baby was to add safety plugs to your electrical outlets. Brilliant. There is also a huge risk however with cords that are plugged in. Not only could your baby be tangled in them, but they can also use them as a method to pull equipment (stereos, TVs, air conditioners) down on themselves. Floor length curtains are also a risk. Do not underestimate your baby’s strength and determination. Secure all devices and keep cords hidden or blocked.
Prepare the Crib
Cribs with multiple height settings should be lowered as soon as baby is rolling front to back or back to front. So if you haven’t done it by the time they are crawling, do it now! Once a baby knows how to crawl, it will not take much for them to pull themselves up and over the edge of a crib or bassinet with a higher mattress. Read your crib or bassinet’s instruction manual for their recommendations and instructions. Also take this time to read my post on How to Prevent SIDS. Every sleep matters.
If you find this article useful, Check out! our other articles; Potty Training your Big Kid with Huggies Pull-Ups, 10 Tips for Safe Co-Sleeping and Why Do eBay Members Keep Their Feedback Private?
I would love to hear your thoughts on keeping your crawling baby safe. What did I miss?
This post was sponsored by Libman, all thoughts are my own.
Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a great cleaning set. We will have 4 winners, one per week. Products will be shipped directly from Libman to the winner. Open to residents of Canada, over the age of majority, except where prohibited.
i use and unmatched sock to dust with, put over my hand and run along crown mouldings, banisters, door frames ect.. you can just throw in washer afterwards and reuse.
viniger eats calcium deposits
clean one room a day
Me too.
Keep things organized and sweep daily!
My best cleaning tip?.. Keep everyone out of the house Haha.
My best cleaning tip is to keep on top of it, and not to wait and do it all at once!
Teach your children to help you clean as soon as they are old enough – make it fun!
Keep on top of it so it’s just a little to clean always, not a huge amount.
I use baby wipes to clean my ceiling fan and baseboards. LOL
SPEND 5 MINUTES PER DAY IN EACH ROOM TIDYING OR A QUICK DUST YOU WOULD BE AMAZED HOW QUICK A BIG CLEAN IS
The thing that has worked for me and would be my best cleaning tip is to clean as you go so you don’t get overwhelmed!
cleaning while listening to music 🙂
If you have pets – vacuum daily. Helps with the hair
clean as you go
I use old dryer sheets to polish up my chrome faucets!
I use a glass cleaner with the sponge attached in my shower filled with vinager and dawn dish soap. I leave it in the shower hanging on a hook. I scrub the shower doors after each shower . No soap scum build up shower doors 4 years old they look brand new!
I always use a clothes basket for each room to place items in that need to be placed in other room’s , I can just carry it thru the house and replace items easy
Do a little bit every day.
Keep things tidy so when you do clean it is much more faster. Also get your kids to help you!
My tip if “LET IT SOAK” for baking dishes, baking pans and baking sheets.
My best cleaning tip is to use baking soda to clean stuck on pans, sinks and oven. If you have stuck on pans, pour baking soda at the bottom, and add some water so it becomes a paste, let it sit overnight and the next morning it wipes off clean!
My best cleaning tip is to deal with messes right away when they happen. Leaving it just makes it tougher to clean!
I use vinegar and water in a spray bottle to get spills out of carpets.
Have a cleaning schedule, one room per day.
Never go up and down stairs empty handed.
I use Avon bubblebath to clean my windows for a streak free and super clean finish. works better than any other product I’ve tried and more d=natural for my little ones always looking out the windows and blowing kisses 😉
Sprinkle baking soda on carpet before vacuuming to help freshen up the room.
put music on while cleaning
use vinegar
My best cleaning tip is to tackle one area at a time.
My tip would be start from top and work your way down, one area at a time.
My best cleaning tip is to clean up one mess before moving on to another task.
Never leave a room empty handed. Always bring out dirty dishes, etc. on your way out of the room.
Clean a little bit at a time!
clean daily and it will stay cleaner.
Clean as you go
Use Lysol wipes to clean stainless steel.
I have a handy cleaning basket that I can grab easily to deal with quick messes or to do a all over clean
My best cleaning tip is to clean when the kids go to sleep. Only the immediate must take care of messes I do right away for safety reasons but give yourself a break and clean up once they sleep. Less stress for you bc lets face it , kids dont let you clean and you get the luxury to sit in quiet and a clean room .
Every time you leave a room, or go upstairs, bring something with you. This keeps clutter from building up, and reduces tidy up time at the end of the day.
Do light housework everyday and it will be a lot easier to keep your house clean.
I thoroughly clean 1 room a week and get rid of clutter so there is never so much to do at one time
Do daily cleaning so it will never be too much to do
Keep a decorative basket in each area of the house to catch clutter then empty the baskets once a day or week depending on how quickly they fill up
Microwave a cup of lemon juice, the steam created makes all the inside gunk just wipe off easily & smells good, too.
just do a little bit at a time
I do a room at a time, a little each day
My tip is to set a date each month to change the sheets and do a full house cleaning. That way it gets done and doesnt build up
SPEND 10 MINUTES A DAY TIDYING EACH RUN AND WHEN YOU DO A BIT CLEAN YOU WILL BE AMAZED HOW QUICK IT GOES
Pick up each night before bed. It’s easier to start cleaning when there isn’t stuff everywhere.
I start cleaning from the top and work my way down.
clean a bit every day,don`t let things pile up!
My best cleaning tip is to do one entire room at a time!
my best cleaning tip is to use newspaper to clean windows. Leaves no streaks like paper towels or a cloth
Clean a little at a time, do it over a few days instead of doing it all at once
Clean as you go is my MOTTO….a little at a time & before you know it, the place is nice & tidy
Put on some great tunes and have fun cleaning, dancing and singing. I get all my kids to pitch in. Even my 2 year old love helping. He sees his older siblings doing chores and he feels like a big boy when I give him a little chore. Start them out early.
My best cleaning tip is don’t get behind in cleaning. Do a little at a time so it won’t be a big chore.
I deep clean every Saturday.
Make cleaning a habit. Do something small everyday so that things don’t pile up and seem overwhelming. Very people enjoy cleaning, you just kind of have to do it 😉
I like to clean as I go. I try and bring something back to the room I’m heading to and that always helps.
Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
Try to always do 1 load of laundry a day so it doesn’t pile up…and make it a complete load – wash, dry, fold, put away 🙂
Run the shower while you clean the bathroom, the warm temperature makes your products work better
My best cleaning tip is to have everyone in the family have a few chores each so that one person isn’t doing all the work. It makes it easier for me when I’m doing a deep clean when there are a few things that are done already.
vacuum before you dust
clean one room a day
I like to clean as I go — saves on having a really big mess to clean all at once. Sharing the chores is also huge! When little ones are around, everyone just has to be aware of the dangers for them and keep the small, harmful things out of their reach.
Tackle one project at a time.
Do some cleaning each day so it doesn’t become overwhelming.
I use vinegar diluted in a spray bottle to clean. The smell disipates quickly.
Take 15 minutes or more everyday to clean around the house.
Always pick up at the end of the day, and make sure no dishes are left – it makes for a nice start to the day
One room at a time.
Cleaning and tidying up every day so it’s not overwhelming.
Clean as you go, don’t leave a mess..
I clean an area or thing everyday to keep on track. I use microfibre clothes for a quick touch up dusting between heavy cleaning.
Keep things organized daily
Cleaning is way easier when you keep a regular schedule. I do all dishes in the morning, then I pick up toys. I sweep and mop when the kids take a nap
My best cleaning tip is to work your way down. Do ceiling fans and upper areas of the bathroom and kitchen before you start cleaning shelves and then ultimately the floor.
I mix white vinegar with water, it cleans almost anything with ease!
My best cleaning tip is to tackle at least one job a day.Get organized and stay organized by putting things back where they belong.
Try to clean as you go instead of letting things pile up, makes it easier!
My best cleaning tip is to mix up equal parts of Dawn Dishsoap, lemon juice & vinegar in a spray bottle & shake well. Use this to clean your faucets, sinks, showers & tubs. After you spray it on, let it sit for a short period then rinse with HOT water.
My best cleaning tip is to clean as you go…always do something before you leave a room to make it cleaner and tidier than it was before.
Baking soda is a wonderful cleaning aid.
vinegar = good as windex
my best tip is having someone else do it 🙂 but I try to do a bit of cleaning everyday so it’s not a huge chore
Tidy up as you go so you don’t have a huge mess to clean up when you’re finished!
To clean the microwave, I put a bowl of vinegar inside it and cook for a minute, then the micrwave wipes clean very easily! 🙂
Make lists to stay organized
My best cleaning tip is to clean as you go. Pick up things, as you’re walking through the room. Multi-task.
Use vinegar and water to clean your windows.
always tidy up after yourself/kids immediately
clean one room at a time!
we use vinegar to disinfect and baking soda to scrub almost everything much safer then chemicals
I best cleaning tip is to own less stuff!!! Then you have less to pick up and clean!! lol
Try to clean as you go!Also get someone to help if you can makes it lot funner and faster!
Great tips. I like using vinegar for cleaning.
I am always amazed about the list of DO NOTs for babies. When I was growing up, the baby was kept in the playpen if the mother could not supervise the child’s activities. My parents did not block the electrical outlets, lock the kitchen cabinets, remove the long drapes, etc. They simply used common sense.
My best cleaning tip is to do at least 15 minutes of cleaning a day, and then the mess never seems to turn into a massive job. It’s actually amazing how much you can get done in 15 minutes, and it helps to keep the house so much tidier and cleaner!
Put on some upbeat music to get you going!
Every morning or evening ….. I wipe done the bathroom sink and toilet. Keeps things fresh.
Do a little every day and it won’t seem like such a huge task.
Use products with natural ingredients if you have pets
I try to straighten up each day so it doesn’t get ahead of me.
I sweep the floor daily and no clutters!
Keep up with it and it won’t get to be too much to handle!
Set aside 15 minutes per day to clean in one room
use white vinegar – it cleans windows well and is not harmful for the environment.
best cleaning tip i can give is keeping organized and daily pick ups helps
Slow and steady as the day goes on.
Dust and vacuum once a week to avoid allergy attacks!
My sister has a robot vacuum. This piece of equipment is on my want list.
my tip is to clean one room at a time, start with the ceiling and work your way down to the floors
wow
I clean with vinegar and water. Works well and doesn’t have all those chemicals we all breath in.
Use a swiffer for quick clean up.
Let bath tubs soak in a mixture of half dawn dish soap and half vinegar for an hour before wiping with a cloth
One load of laundry per day. Leaves your weekends free!