Renovating your home is an exciting event. You can finally have the images of your home come to life. This, however, isn’t so easy when you have a baby in the house. Renovating your home will only fuel your baby’s curiosity to explore the space which is new to them. The challenge is to make the space safe for your baby as many hazards include swallowing small renovating equipment, tripping and having objects fall on them. Here are eight tips to keep your baby safe while renovating:
Photo by Collov Home Design on Unsplash
- Baby Gate
You can have a baby gate installed to keep them in the designated safe space. A baby gate avoids the baby from encroaching in the space that you rather they wouldn’t, and gives you peace of mind. You can either purchase a baby gate or make one.
Making a baby gate requires you to have equipment such as wood or fabric, depending on the type of baby gate you wish to build. You need to make sure that the height of the gate is accurate. Depending on your baby’s height and motor skills, they could climb over the gate, which then makes the gate unsafe. You should also make sure that the material you use is safe enough when the baby comes into contact with it. Babies topple over and chew at any material or surface that interests them. If you decide to build a fabric gate, make sure that it doesn’t contain any chemicals for instance.
The safety of the gate also depends on how accurately you screw the parts together. Make sure to closely follow instructions of the guide you will be following. You will need to do some research to find out more about how to build baby gates to ensure your baby’s safety.
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- Close Off Renovation Area
Depending on the area that you are renovating, you can close off that area in such a way that your baby won’t have access to it. For example, if you are painting a room, you can make sure that the room is locked during the times that there is no working traffic. This does, however, mean that you will have to keep a close eye on your baby during the times that the room has to be open for access.
- Set Up Outdoor Play Pen
You can take your baby’s playpen and station it outside away from the renovating space. This only works if you have space in the garden or yard and if the weather is ideal. The outdoor playpen will distract your baby from wanting to explore the spaces under renovation. Make sure to fill the pen with toys that your baby will be fascinated with for some time. Also, be sure your baby is in the shade to avoid over-heating.
- Temporarily Move Out
If you aren’t actively involved in the renovation process, you can move out for that period. Depending on the type of renovations, this may be the only option that you may have, such as during mold removal—your baby can get exposed to dangerous particles and become ill if you both stayed in the home as this was happening. Moving to a clean and safe space will give you peace of mind that your baby’s health won’t be affected and by the time you move back in, the quality of air will be approved by the professional mould removers.
Photo by Collov Home Design on Unsplash
- Ask for Babysitting Help
Giving your baby to someone you trust to look after them in their home is another option that you can explore. You can then pick up your baby at the end of the day when you are finished and take them back the next day. Having your baby away from the renovation site and in the home or a trusted person may reassure you in that they will be safe from harm.
- Schedule Around Baby
If your baby leaves the house for example to attend day-care, swimming lessons, or to a baby group, you can organise for the renovations to be done during those times. This may mean that the renovating may be extended over a longer period, but you know that your baby will be safe away from the space.
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- Set-Up Work Stations
Babies reach a stage where they enjoy to mimic what they see and hear. If your baby comes close to the renovations, they probably want to take part in the activity. You can set up a safe workspace for your baby where they can feel a part of the renovating exercise. For example, a whiteboard and baby-safe paint mimics the activity of painting a room. Your baby will enjoy themselves while you make progress in your renovations. Keep in mind babies may easily get bored so you may have to set up multiple different stations.
- Sound-Proof Ear Phones
Drilling may be a part of your renovations and may have to be done with your baby in the vicinity. The loud sounds of drilling may frighten your baby which may make them fearful of the home-space. The loud sounds are also overwhelming for your precious baby’s ears. So, when it’s time to drill, you can place baby friendly soundproof ear muffs on your baby. The temporary ear-muffs on your baby may help with the over-bearing and frightening sounds. Though if the drilling is prolonged, its best to leave the area for that time with your baby.
Conclusion
When you decide to renovate your home, you need to make your baby’s safety as a priority. You can make a baby gate that stops your baby from exploring the dangerous spaces, close off the space that is being renovated, set up the playpen outdoors, move out, have trusted people take your baby for safe care. You may also want to set up work stations where your baby can feel as if he or she is also a part of the renovations. Soundproof earmuffs are an option for the times where drilling is a part of the process and you are unable to leave the area with your baby.
Make sure analyse your home space constantly from the level of your baby, so that you can spot any potential danger. You can get on your hands and knees and navigate the space as your baby would. THanks to Home Ideas for collaborating
