Baby proofing -Crawling Lifesavers

Baby development, Baby Safety, Crawling, Life with baby
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I’m calling his part 1 as I’ll probably find more tips to share over the next few months as Baby H gets into more and more! This is a follow up to my 10 things I’ve learnt about crawling post last week. A few baby proofing tips that have been complete life savers in this crazy stage of having a movie  baby!

So how have we coped with Baby H’s crawling? Here are some tips I’ve learnt recently:

Baby proofing & crawling lifesavers

  1. Tape cabinets shut: Baby H appears to love our TV unit (probably more than we do!) – she will open the doors and will hit things off the glass, while squealing and laughing at her reflection. Ours is now taped shut using insulation tape. She did try and try to pull the doors open (using the handle!), and then would get bored. In fact it’s been about a week now and she’s generally not interested anymore. (I’m sure you can get proper door-keeper-shutters, but we didn’t really have time for that. It was a ‘we need this NOW’ moment).?
  2. Creating barriers: We’re moving next month, so we plan to get some protectors like this. But, in the meantime I’ve used my old pregnancy pillow along the front of the fireplace. She does try to climb over it, but is much more interested in waving and shouting at herself in the reflection. I have put some pillows on the hearth so if she does faceplant, its onto the pillows.
  3. Concealing untouchables!: Our main problem were the plugs and wires behind the TV – I’ve blocked off the sides with toy boxes, and a nappy box jammed in the gap where she used to move the toy box over to get to the wires/plugs behind! She’s just too clever! Well, much more clever than I initially giver her credit for. However, there was a problem with this method, she now leans on the nappy box and pulls it over, so make sure there’s only light, soft toys in the boxes! Our nappy box now stays on it’s side so she can pull toys out of it easily (a good game!)??
  4. Keeping baby in one place (hey, I need to go to the toilet every so often!): ?I found that I could literally run upstairs to grab something or run to the toilet and Baby H was nowhere near where I left her. Being paranoid at the rate of things I was discovering were not baby safe (I really NEVER would have known she’d be moving so quickly). We decided it was time for a baby ball pit! We had some issues with the way friends have done this though, Baby H could climb over the standard baby paddling pool and I’m not sure I trust her in the ball pits like this one or those that just use a paddling pool like the one Baby H has; she’d just lean on the side or climb out. So in anticipation on moving house, I wanted a room divider so we can just cut off the area with the TV and fire place and the majority of plugs so that Baby H has free roam most of the living room (aka I can’t bear to see her constrained and me miss out on the cute-ness of her crawling over to me mmmmm-ing for milk or just to play with my feet!). So, this is what we have got:??It’s very useful now as a playpen. I never thought I’d use a playpen, it always sounded cruel. But, she absolutely, completely and utterly LOVES it! She sits bashing her toys, bashing the balls, and, then holds onto the bars pulling herself up. She’s really good at bouncing on her knees when she’s excited and its just SO cute to watch.
  5. Another ‘sit still’ method is the Bumbo: I wasn’t really a fan until the last few weeks. I always thought she was just trying to get out, and why did she need to sit in it when she can sit perfectly well without the support. But constrained sitting for 15 minutes here and there does us both the world of good. I can sterilise, clean, wash toys, make food, eat lunch and she sits watching me and bashing her toys! Note. we have one that does not have the straps (we were given it) but I’m always watching her in it, she’s never on a high surface, and always has the tray on so she’s rather well held in. Actually it’s a struggle to get her into it most of the time!
  6. Standard baby objects that become dangerous!: We have a fairly open plan living/diningroom. So Baby H likes to come and find me in the kitchen. This involves crawling from the living room, through the dining room to the kitchen. We deliberately bought a high chair that folded to save space. However, this is not safe for a crawling baby. H crawled over to the folded high chair and started pulling on the bottom bar and leg. I immediately grabbed her. Now, we keep the high chair up. I would not trust her strength, she is very strong and I can see exactly how she could pull it over. Beware!
  7. Shoes: Baby H LOVES shoes, we now keep them all in a box. She will eat the laces otherwise!

 

Right, that’s most of my baby proofing tips so far. I hope these help someone (if they do please let me know, I love reading your comments!)

Oh and why not follow me by subscribing or following through bloglovin’ 🙂

I’m sure I’ll have some more tips next week!!! This is a VERY steep learning curve – eeeek!

Lynne x

 

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21 Comments

  • Reply
    10 things I've learnt about crawling - New Mummy Blog
    July 30, 2015 at 8:40 am

    […] post some of my lifesavers to crawling in the next post (here), so, to make sure you get any more follow up posts, do sign up for email alerts to follow my blog […]

  • Reply
    Becky, Cuddle Fairy
    July 30, 2015 at 9:52 am

    Crawling is wonderful in the way that baby isn’t frustrated with staying in one place but there’s a lot more work for mommy. My house is baby proofed, it makes life much easier. You definitely need a holding pen for going to the bathroom or hanging out laundry etc. Yours looks great! x

    • Reply
      newmummy
      July 30, 2015 at 11:24 am

      Thank you for reading and commenting, Becky. You’re right crawling is wonderful, seeing her happy little face going wherever she wants to makes my day and now with baby-proofing I place it’s that bit earlier too! X

  • Reply
    Mummuddlingthrough
    July 31, 2015 at 9:44 am

    Aargh our youngest is literally days, minutes, away from crawling. Unlike her sister she is a grabber, into everything. We are going to have our work cut out!! Your post has made me realise we should cherish the last few days of parenting a non mover 🙂 x MMT

    • Reply
      Mummuddlingthrough
      July 31, 2015 at 9:44 am

      Ps #picknmix
      Mummuddlingthrough recently posted…ROAD TRIP!…..My Profile

      • Reply
        newmummy
        July 31, 2015 at 5:21 pm

        Loving the #picknmix today ?

    • Reply
      newmummy
      July 31, 2015 at 5:20 pm

      Cherish them and don’t encourage crawling ? x

  • Reply
    casey
    August 1, 2015 at 3:13 am

    This is hilarious. We have a 51 week old (SHE’S NOT ONE YET, BY GOLLY) and I can relate!! I hope you can stop by the blog on Monday and share a post–I have a link party that runs Monday through Friday!
    casey recently posted…First Baby vs. Third Baby.My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 1, 2015 at 12:40 pm

      I’m impressed you’re still in weeks, I think I’ll be saying she’s 11months!
      Of course I’ll stop by 🙂 Thank you for such a lovely comment X

  • Reply
    A Cornish Mum
    August 1, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    I love that you taped things shut, I used to have to do this with mine and to be honest the ‘proper’ things you can buy to lock things often seem to lock the parents out as well, so I think tape is just fine!

    Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix
    Stevie x
    A Cornish Mum recently posted…My Monthly Bucket List – August 2015My Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 1, 2015 at 7:53 pm

      Glad we’re not missing out by using tape 🙂
      Thank you for hosting – I read so many fab blogs xx

  • Reply
    Emily
    August 1, 2015 at 6:56 pm

    I remember the crawling days so well! My girls are three now – time flies. Thanks for linking up to the #BinkyLinky
    Emily recently posted…Stressful toddler meal timesMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 1, 2015 at 7:54 pm

      Awww I’ve noticed time flying by already. Thank you for hosting #binkylinky – loads of fab blogs x

  • Reply
    Nige higgins
    August 1, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    Great tips it’s so difficult keeping them safe when they are crawling good luck thanks for linking to the Binkylinky

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 1, 2015 at 7:55 pm

      Thank you! And thanks for a brilliant linky 🙂

  • Reply
    Sarah Norris
    August 2, 2015 at 9:16 am

    Hi Lynne, I love this post so much it brings back so many lovely (and terrifying) memories.
    You are right….until they start to crawl you never actually know just how clever and how fast they are !!
    It sounds like you are doing a pretty good job of babyproofing until you move but it is always a case of playing catch-up as they progress ridiculously quickly.
    I love the comment someone put about child proofing just locks adults out. I was with a new baby a few days ago and came downstairs with baby in 1 arm and laundry in the other, to find they had put a child gate across and it took me 5 mins of trying, in vain, to open the damn thing before I had to admit defeat and call for someone to let me through lol
    Lovely post and I will be back when I have finished linky comments to read more 🙂
    #binkylinky x
    Sarah Norris recently posted…Newborn Baby Skin care- Babyfriend Quick TipMy Profile

  • Reply
    Sarah Norris
    August 2, 2015 at 9:25 am

    very confused as to how your blog knew I had posted a skin care blog post until I saw the commentluv thing so did some research and added it to my own blog.
    I am learning so much from you more experienced bloggers…thank you 🙂
    Sarah x
    Sarah Norris recently posted…Newborn Baby Skin care- Babyfriend Quick TipMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 2, 2015 at 3:17 pm

      Hi Sarah, thank you for your lovely comments, yes that’s exactly how I’d describe it, playing catch up! And yes, terrifying!
      I haven’t been blogging long, but I did spot comment luv very quickly and found it for my blog. It’s so useful! Xx

  • Reply
    You Baby Me Mummy
    August 5, 2015 at 11:10 pm

    Great tips, we wouldn’t have coped with our huge playpen. Thanks for linking up to #TheList x
    You Baby Me Mummy recently posted…The Best of JulyMy Profile

    • Reply
      newmummy
      August 6, 2015 at 10:15 am

      Glad to know it will keep working! ? x

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