How Safe Is Your Home?

You’ve read the books and bought and rigged up all the safety kit but chances are there’s still an accident waiting to happen in your home. M&B reveals the hidden dangers even the smartest mums miss...

You’ve fitted the stair gate and put safety locks on cupboards you barely even remembered existed, but does that make your home truly safe? Plenty of situations, unbeknown to us mums, could be hazardous for your tot. Don’t worry about every tiny thing—some key, simple measures are often all it takes. “Stay vigilant and calm,” says

Colin Morris, home injury prevention manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, UK. “Being realistic and teaching your child simple safety are the best ways to prevent accidents,” he says.

HERE’S M&B’S GUIDE TO THE MISTAKES WE SOMETIMES MAKE…

Not safeguarding babies around small amounts of water

Many of us have pets and leave their water bowl on the kitchen floor, but did you know a child could fall face down into it and drown in as little as 3cm of water? So put the bowl out of your child’s reach or ensure she’s never left unsupervised around it. “If water gets splashed from the bowl, your tot might slip on it and get injured,” says Colin. And beware if you use reusable nappies – the nappy bucket is even more of a hazard than the dog bowl, as your tot could easily climb into it. And because it has high sides, it’s hard to climb back out.

Only putting ‘dangerous’ products out of reach

You may have put known toxic substances, such as bleach, into a locked cupboard, but what about everyday items you don’t perceive as dangerous? Ishani Mullick, mum to Iman, 13 months, says, “I left the nappy cream by the sofa while I went to wash my hands after changing Iman’s nappy. When I came back, the lid was off and the cream was all around his mouth. He hadn’t actually eaten any, but I’m more careful now.”