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View Full Version : I guess I have to start babyproofing sooner or later...



Marisa6826
06-23-2003, 06:58 PM
Oh the dread...

I have a kind of open floor plan for my condo. The kitchen, dining room and living room are all kind of one big space. The master bedroom is at one end and Sophie's bedroom is off the livingroom with French doors.

I'm not really concerned about the bathrooms and laundry closet, because I can just close them off with those doorknob things.

The computer "area" and a really big Ikea (read - not the sturdiest) bookcase is in Sophie's room. We're thinking about getting one of those modular gates to just cut off this side of the room from her.

What do you do about dog food/water? I can't really fence off an area, since the dogs are roughly the same size as Sophie. I guess I will have to get cabinet locks. The oven and dishwasher have locks on them already.

What's the word on professional babyproofers?? Hype or help?

-m

egoldber
06-23-2003, 07:46 PM
I actually have NOT babyproofed the nursery yet. Sarah really doesn't spend any unsupervised time in there, so I have never felt the need. Just gating off the whole computer area is probably your best bet. I think it is pretty impossible to truly baby proof all the wires and cords, etc.

As far as dog food and water, I leave it down. My dog only gets fed at certain times so there isn't food in there at other times. And surprisingly, Sarah very seldom bothers the water dish. And it's only water, so if she does make a mess, its easy to clean.

I have never used a professional, but from what I hear they try to scare the bejeebers out of you and get you to buy WAY more than you really need.

For kitchen cabinets, I have several cabinets that I let Sarah play in. Anything valuable or breakable is somewhere she can't get to. I really like the Totlok (magnetic) locks. They really work.

HTH,

August Mom
06-23-2003, 09:36 PM
I originally thought that I needed to babyproof everything, but I really waited until DS was mobile and then looked at what he was interested in and where he wanted to be and babyproofed that. I did use the outlet covers in all the downstairs outlets, covered some accessible power strips, removed the door stop rubber covers and put up a large gate between the family room and kitchen. We also gated the stairs. However, I found that I didn't need the other gates that I bought. DS generally wants to be near me (maybe this will change in the future, but for now that's the case). So, I've found that I really don't need to gate him in the kitchen when I'm there. He'll play in some of the open cabinets or sit in his high chair and amuse himself. So, from my experience, I'd gate off the area where you spend the most time, cover the electrical outlets and then see what else you need to babyproof based on your DD's moves. I have the KidCo. Configure Gate for my large open space and really like it. Oh, and gating off the computer area is probably a good move. I'm glad we have French doors to that room and I can close them.

Marisa6826
06-24-2003, 08:50 AM
Beth-

How do those Totlok things work? Are they screwed in or just sticky back? I know it sounds really dumb, but does the installation of such stuff "devalue" your home when you try and sell? I'm hoping to get out of here in less than five years.

I wish I had the extra space in the kitchen to give Sophie her own drawer, but I'm so short on cabinet space, everything's jammed in and then some.

Also - what do you do about the drawer in the bottom of the oven?

The dogs' food is out all the time as is their water. She's REALLY fascinated with the dogs at the moment. I hope it's a passing thing and she won't start chasing them once she's mobile! They are pretty good with her, but I know they like being able to just get up and walk away. She actually cries when they leave her.

I figured the professionals would try and oversell. I thought they only provide advice, not products.

The majority of the stuff I have is pretty child proof, but I worry about stuff like fabric covering a bookcase. I know that she'll probably try and pull on it. Problem is on top of the top of the bookcase (it's only about 3-1/2' or 4' high) is one of those big wooden boxes holding silverware, some candlesticks and a big wooden Ganesh. Any of these items would be pretty destructive if they fell.

I REALLY don't want to take everything off the tables (no coffee table here) because I want her to learn some things are just no-nos. My brother and I were taught to simply not touch the crystal candlesticks on my mother's coffee table. She wanted to be able to take us to other people's homes and not have to worry we'd break stuff...

Also- the French doors leading into Sophie's room have the kind of handles that look like "scrolls". They're technically levers you push down to operate. How do you child proof them?

-m

egoldber
06-24-2003, 10:42 AM
The Totloks do screw in. Actually, the previous owners of our house had a toddler, so they had installed all the Totloks. We considered it a plus to the value of the house. :)

There are two schools of thought on removing things from the table tops. There's the "they'll learn" school and the "better safe than sorry" school. If I were you, I would definitely remove anything that would hurt her if she knocked the table and it fell on her AND anything that you would be heartbroken if it were destroyed. Other than that, it's pretty much up to you. We have been able to teach Sarah pretty easily what things are "no touch" and what isn't, but she is a pretty easy going baby. And I also removed anything that was dangerous or valuable.

HTH,