By Sarah Veda As your baby starts to move around the house, it is extremely important that you protect her from the poisons routinely kept in the home. Here are some tips to help keep your child safe. Go through what you have and throw out what you dont need.
Have an old box of lye around? Youre probably not ever going to use it, and its terribly dangerous, so get rid of it. Keep only the products you really use, so that there are fewer things to have to keep locked up. Keep things locked up Assemble all your cleaning supplies, and put them in locked cabinets. Dont assume that putting them in a higher cabinet keeps your child safe. Sometimes babies seem to learn to climb overnight, so simply storing items on a higher shelf might not be enough. Dont store poisons in old food containers Your baby will learn early on to recognize things like a juice container or baby food jar so dont use empty ones to store hazardous products. Throw empty containers away outside Dont put the empty bleach container in the kitchen trash can rinse it and take it to the outside trash can immediately. Check your plants There are many common houseplants that are poisonous, including philodendron, English ivy, holly, mistletoe, and hyacinths, so its best to remove these or keep them well out of reach. Some things you might not think of as poisonous Your cosmetics, over the counter medicines, vitamins, and mothballs can all be poisonous, so keep these locked up or out of the way. Get used to reading labels, so that you can keep tabs on new things that come into the house. If youve never had children before, keeping up with products that can be poisonous can be a challenge at first. But, take some time, preferably before the baby is born, to sort through your items and store them properly. Then, be diligent about buying the safest items you can. For instance, non-chlorine bleach is safer than chlorine. And, always look for child-proof caps on products you plan to buy. Learn to substitute. Did you know you can use olive oil to polish furniture and vinegar to clean your hardwood floors? These kinds of substitutions can make your home safer, and give you fewer items to look up. And, finally, dont forget to post your local poison control phone number right by the phone. It could save your childs life. Sarah is a 41 year old wife and mother of two boys and one girl. She spent many years as a manager in the corporate world, and gave it up to be a stay at home mom.
