*This is a collaborative post*

Having a baby is one of the most life changing decisions anyone can make. If you’re pregnant or planning to have a baby in the near future, you’re going to have to put a lot of work into making sure that you’re fully prepared in every way possible. Your life is going to change as soon as they’re born, with you having a whole lot more responsibility on your hands, so doing what you are able to in advance is going to lift a huge weight from your shoulders. Now’s the time to get started. Now, there are countless areas you can focus on. So, let’s whittle things down and start focusing on a few of the key areas you need to look at!

Making Your Home Safe

First and foremost, you need to childproof your home and make sure that it is baby safe. From the moment they’re born to the moment they’re able to be safety aware for themselves, you really do need to look out for potential threats that could face your child. There are countless ways you can childproof your home. But here are a few that you might want to focus on for now.

Blind Strings

Blinds come with strings to pull them up and down. It’s absolutely essential that you tie these up and out of the way of your little ones. Too many children have experienced fatal accidents with blind strings getting wrapped around them. Be very wary of these in your home and make sure to wind the strings back up out of the way after each and every use.

Sleeping Arrangements

You need to make sure that your little one’s sleep space is entirely safe. You need a firm crib mattress and a soft fitted sheet. You also probably don’t need a pillow. You can find more information about baby pillows and safety here.

Stairs

Most people invest in a baby gate to prevent their little one from crawling or falling down the stairs. A gate will need to be placed at the bottom of any stairs to stop them from crawling up and at the top of the stairs to prevent them falling down. This really is an essential one as your little one grows!

Cupboard Locks

All sorts of belongings that are potentially dangerous get stored in cupboards. Whether that’s medication, cleaning supplies or tools. Make sure to fit cupboard locks to all of your cupboards to prevent your child from gaining access to anything that they shouldn’t.

Furniture

Any large furniture should be attached firmly to walls. This could include bookcases, cabinets and more. If rocked, these pieces of furniture could tumble and fall onto your little ones. So, it’s best to be safe and make sure that they can’t tip or fall at all! A professional will be able to fully fit furniture to a wall easily.

Hob Locks

You don’t want your little one reaching up and turning the gas on. So, make sure to consider hob locks. These go over the top of switches and knobs on your oven, so can prevent it from being turned on by anyone other than an adult. This may feel inconvenient for you, but it’s more than worth the safety it provides. Stove guards are also a great idea to keep your little one away from cooking food.

Creating Space

When your little ones arrive, chances are you’re going to need a designated space for them. Of course, when you first have your baby, you’re not going to be leaving them alone. You’re going to carry your little one from room to room with you, so that they’re always supervised. You might invest in a moses basket for your own bedroom so they can sleep safely in the same room as you and have you nearby. But there are a number of reasons why it’s a good idea to have a designated room and space for your baby as soon as they’re born. Perhaps most obviously, babies have a lot of belongings. You’re going to want a designated room to keep most of these in, rather than having baby belongings sprawled across your entire house. This could include a cot, toys, baby grows and baby clothes, bibs, changing mats, nappy supplies and much more. This will really help with organisation. You’ll know where everything is and be able to find it quickly and easily, as and when you need it. Another important reason to have a designated room for your baby ready is so that you can slowly transition into letting them play and sleep in their own room as and when the right time comes. As they grow older, they’ll definitely need their own space and having a nursery or bedroom ready for them will help with building their independence when the time is right. When designing your nursery or baby bedroom, take a look at specialist furniture. There are cribs and cots. There are wardrobes designed for holding smaller items of clothing. There are storage solutions for toys. There are baby bookcases for little kids’ books. The list goes on. You should also aim to make the space light and bright or bold and colourful. Little kids tend to love colours, so opting for something outside of the colour scheme of the rest of your home may be much better for your little one than a sophisticated or neutral tone.

These are just a few things you should consider doing to keep your child as safe as possible once they arrive and to give them a great start in life. There’s plenty more preparation to carry out. But hopefully, some of this advice should help you to get started out in the right direction!