The good news is that, for a while at least, until she starts crawling, there is not a lot that you will need to do to prepare your home for your new baby, at least in terms of safety. While things like baby gates and cabinet locks are things that should be on your general radar as something you will need to do in the near future, for the time being it sin’t important that you take care of them before your new baby comes home.
You will need to spend some time, of course, preparing your baby’s sleeping area. Making sure that you have a sturdy and safe crib is absolutely necessary. You will want to be sure that the crib meets certain government-regulated standards. These standards indicate, among other things, that the space between slats on a crib ought to be no greater than 2 3/8 inches apart. This distance is small enough that it will help to prevent a baby from getting his head stuck in between the slats. You should also check your crib to be certain that the corner posts are no more than 1/16 inch higher than the end panels of the crib. The top rails of the crib sides, when raised, need to go at least 26 in. over the top of the part of the crib that supports the mattress. The sides of the crib, if they are able to be dropped down, should need at least 2 separate actions, such as pulling up on the slats and stepping on a release pedal, to release. Always check your crib hardware for pieces that might be broken or loose.
You will also want to prepare your baby’s play area. If she will be placed on the floor, for example, you need to get anything small out of her reach. Babies love to put just about anything in their mouths; in fact, they can choke on anything that is smaller than the inside of a roll of toilet paper. You should also make sure there are no plastic bags lying around, as these could suffocate your baby.
With a little preparation and some common sense, you can prepare your home for your new baby.
