Poisons in the home
As your baby starts to move around the house, it is extremely
important that you protect her from the poisons routinely kept
in the home. Here are some tips to help keep your child safe.
Go through what you have and throw out what you don't need Have
an old box of lye around? You're probably not ever going to use
it, and it's terribly dangerous, so get rid of it. Keep only the
products you really use, so that there are fewer things to have
to keep locked up.
Keep things locked up Assemble all your cleaning supplies, and
put them in locked cabinets. Don't assume that putting them in a
higher cabinet keeps your child safe. Sometimes babies seem to
learn to climb overnight, so simply storing items on a higher
shelf might not be enough.
Don't store poisons in old food containers Your baby will learn
early on to recognize things like a juice container or baby food
jar so don't use empty ones to store hazardous products.
Throw empty containers away outside Don't put the empty bleach
container in the kitchen trash can - rinse it and take it to the
outside trash can immediately.
Check your plants There are many common houseplants that are
poisonous, including philodendron, English ivy, holly,
mistletoe, and hyacinths, so it's best to remove these or keep
them well out of reach.
Some things you might not think of as poisonous Your cosmetics,
over the counter medicines, vitamins, and mothballs can all be
poisonous, so keep these locked up or out of the way. Get used
to reading labels, so that you can keep tabs on new things that
come into the house.
If you've never had children before, keeping up with products
that can be poisonous can be a challenge at first. But, take
some time, preferably before the baby is born, to sort through
your items and store them properly. Then, be diligent about
buying the safest items you can. For instance, non-chlorine
bleach is safer than chlorine. And, always look for child-proof
caps on products you plan to buy. Learn to substitute. Did you
know you can use olive oil to polish furniture and vinegar to
clean your hardwood floors? These kinds of substitutions can
make your home safer, and give you fewer items to look up. And,
finally, don't forget to post your local poison control phone
number right by the phone. It could save your child's life.