I started thinking about window safety, now that we are expecting our first baby. I was going through many safety issues and checklists for the nursery. There are a lot of things to consider when baby-proofing your home. I was going through crib safety when I started considering the window cord safety thing.
Obviously you want your crib to be up to the most current safety standards, such as secure screws and bolts, checking that it has not been recalled, having slats that are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart, and ensuring a tight fit with a firm mattress that you cannot fit two fingers between the mattress and crib on all sides. Your crib should be new. You never know what recalls happened, if you have all of the correct parts, if it contains lead paint, or if a hand-me-down/ used crib is up to the most recent safety codes. I've seen cribs on the cheap (seriously $99 at Ikea), but if you still cannot afford a new crib, find a way to afford a new crib. Also, your crib should contain nothing besides your mattress protector pad with a tight fitting, fitted sheet over it. Everything must fit properly and securely, another must-have new item - your fitted crib sheets. The elastic will wear after washes and uses, plus you never know what size, plushness, or protector pad size someone else used on their mattress and how much that may have stretched the fitted sheet, therefore another item to seriously avoid getting used.
Your crib should not be so close to a window that treatment cords pose a strangulation hazard. Which is what brought me to think of cord safety, a baby-proofing item that many people do not realize must be paid close attention to.
Your baby will come in contact with windows. Be sure to keep them secure. I've heard stories where babies have fell through window screens. Babies will climb and explore, so keep your eye on your baby always. The cord of your window blinds and other window treatments can pose a danger. Therefore, window guards and cordless window coverings exist. There is also a great service provided by the Window Covering Safety Council, in which they will provide you with free repair kits that will baby-proof your existing window treatments. I ordered two kits that will take care of my 8 blinded windows. The kit includes information and the website is a wealth of knowledge on cord and window safety. The website will tell you how many windows each kit will safeguard.
There are so many baby-safety topics. This is only touching on one because of this wonderful free service, and slightly covering some crib safety. This is not even close to all that you should know about child safety, so be diligent and do your research on every topic imaginable. There are so many useful websites out there where you can get all the information that you need in order to ensure that your nursery is as safe as can be. Also, use any free resources that are available to you. You can always ask the hospital or your doctor for information, advice, and brochures. If you are getting information from books and other literature, be sure that it is current and up-to-date. So if you need a free window repair kit to ensure the safety of your baby or child of any age, definitely utilize the service provided by the Window Covering Safety Council. They ship free kits to United States and Canadian addresses. Keep those babies safe, happy, and healthy, Everyone!
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