Bringing home a new baby is super exciting, but being a new parent can be overwhelming as well. From designing the nursery to learning how to keep your baby comfortable, safe, and sound, it’s a lot to think about as a new parent. All new parents are nervous about bringing their newborn home for the first time, so you’re not alone. However, there are a few safety precautions you should take to ensure your newborn is cozy, safe, and happy in their brand new home.
Have Your HVAC System Checked
A few weeks before you have your baby, contact a reputable air conditioning company, if you don’t already have one, and schedule an appointment to have your entire HVAC system, and any gas appliances in your home checked out. HVAC systems that aren’t working properly can be fire hazards to your home, you, and your newborn baby. It’s also important that your baby be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The last thing you want is for your HVAC system to go out in the middle of a heatwave or a snowstorm, leaving you in a cold or too hot house with your baby.
Pest Control Options
Infestations can happen to anyone, even new parents. Of course, you want to take care of that infestation as soon as possible, so they don’t come in contact with your new baby. You do, however, have to be careful about what type of pest control you use. There are some pest control products that should not be used around a baby, so do your research when choosing a pest control company or use natural methods to prevent pests from entering your home, to begin with.
Do a Complete Safety Check
There are plenty of safety checklists online that will tell you how to child-proof your home at each milestone in age your child reaches. A quick safety check before you bring the baby home can save you time and grief later. Though it will be a bit before your baby is crawling, go ahead and cover outlets and put away any chemicals that might harm your baby.
Where you can, it’s a good idea to swap some cleaners for green cleaners, which will be better for the health of your baby and your entire family as well. If you live in an older home, you might want to call in someone to check for lead and asbestos before bringing the baby home to live as well.
Avoid the Stairs, Especially with the Baby
One of the most common injuries for a baby, and a mother as well, comes from falling down the stairs. It’s best to install baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs early on so they are ready when your baby starts crawling and becomes curious. It’s also best to be extremely careful when you’re going up and down stairs with your little one, as falls can happen when you least expect them.
Install Window Guards
It’s best to go ahead and invest in window guards and window locks for your home before your little one starts crawling. While it may seem silly to take this step when your baby is just coming home from the hospital, the time will go much faster than you think. It’s better to be prepared when the time comes, don’t you think?
These are just a few of the things you can do to prepare for bringing home your newborn. While some of these preparations might seem a little premature, the time for them will come quickly, and you’ll already be prepared to handle them.
