There is a lot to consider when a new baby, or babies, start to become mobile! Here are the top 10 baby safety products we used in our home to keep our three kids safe.
We ended up moving when our oldest was 2 and our twins were 6 months old so we had to baby proof all over again! We used a lot of the same things such as the magnetic locks on the cabinet doors and baby gates but with a bigger home we needed even MORE baby gates AND bigger ones!
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First, Create an Amazon Baby Registry!
Before you go further, if you haven’t yet, create a baby registry on Amazon first. That way, as you’re going through this post and others, you can easily just add things to your registry that you’d like with the click of a button!
Baby Safety Products: Outlets
Outlet Covers
One of the first things I think of when I think baby-proofing is covering all outlets with outlet covers. Even if you don’t think your baby will be able to reach them, let me tell you, babies are crafty and crawl all over the place!
Child Safety – Covers unused receptacles to help babyproof living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and playrooms by preventing objects from being inserted into outlets
Outlet Covers for Used Outlets
Here is something I wish I had when my kids were little, we honestly didn’t know this existed! The outlet covers above are great for empty outlets but what about those that you have to use for things such as lamps or other electronics? That’s where products like the Safety Innovations Twin Door Baby Safety Outlet Cover Box come in handy. With this safety outlet cover box you don’t have to try and hide all of your used outlets with couches or bookcases, you can have them out in the open and easily install the outlet cover box so you can keep electronics plugged in yet safe from little, curious hands.
BETTER SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR TOTS- Our double locking system (top and bottom buttons) requires two hands to open for better safety. Easy for adults to operate but difficult for babies and toddlers. PLEASE WATCH OUR INSTALLATION VIDEO.
Baby Safety Products: Locks
All Purpose Locks
Another area of baby-proofing that will need attention sooner than you think is using All-Purpose Locks for freezer drawers, toilets, and oven drawers. We have also had experience taking them on and off since we moved when our twins were just 6 months old and had to babyproof a new house. These use a sticky adhesive that is easier to get off of some surfaces than others. Using a command strip would probably work as well but I haven’t tested that so far.
- One-time snap lets you customize strap length for your needs
- Helps keep curious children out of refrigerators, cabinets, dishwashers, and more
- Easy, adhesive attachment – no drilling required
Magnet Cabinet Locks
When we had our first child we invested in the traditional cabinet locks that have the little arm and ‘hook’ in them but soon realized they didn’t work that well and were really frustrating. We didn’t like having to drill into the cabinets either, even though it was inside of them. We soon decided to try out magnet locks and are glad that we did.
Magnetic cabinet locks work well and are easy to switch ‘on’ and ‘off’ as needed. These are great for the house with the little kids and for places such as grandparents’ houses because they can have the locks installed at all times but turn them ‘off’ when the grandchildren aren’t around and back ‘on’ when the grandchildren come for a visit.
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What You Get: 12 locks (2 keys) that come with the highest-grade 3M adhesive. The key works through up to 2 inch thick woods (density: 85 lb/ft3), meaning it can be used on any of home appliances and furniture.
Lazy Susan Lock
We have a Lazy Susan door in the corner of our kitchen that could prove to easily be dangerous for little hands. The Safety First Lazy Susan lock worked well for us. The only downsides are that you can only swing the Lazy Susan one way so decide before you drill into the cabinet which way you want to be able to open the Lazy Susan. The other downside is you have to drill into the cabinet but once it’s removed, you don’t see the holes anymore.
- Helps keep children out of corner cabinets without handles
- Child-resistant dual-press release
- Hardware-mounted with screws (included) for the most secure install
Baby Safety Products: Baby Gates
When considering baby gates, keep in mind that you want them to be easy to use. You don’t want to have to walk over them or constantly be removing them to walk through and then putting them back. The cheaper ones are often more difficult to use, in this case, it’s really worth it to buy something that will last. We had 3 kids within 3 years, due to having twins, so we used gates for years. We tend to be frugal but we’re both glad that we weren’t when it came to baby gates.
Being able to just simply unlock and walk through a door within the gate is so much easier than having to step over one or remove it every time you want to go to the next room. It’s also easy to leave open for pets that may wander around the house.
Baby Gates for Top or Bottom of Stairs
There are two really important things to keep in mind when using a baby gate at the top of the stairs: ensure it is screwed into the wall and/or banister AND it’s best to not to have a support bar along the bottom that you have to step over.
We really didn’t want to have anything screwed into our wall but we knew it was essential for by the stairs. This was further reinforced when our strong little first child was shaking the gate like it was a jail cell and had it not been screwed into the wall and attached to the banister he would have gone tumbling down the stairs. We used the gate below though instead of both being attached to banisters, we had one side screwed into a wall and the other attached to the banister. It was really great to find one that we didn’t have to screw into the banister for it to be secure, as it’s a lot harder to make wood look new again than a wall.
The second point of ensuring that there isn’t a bar that remains when you open the gate is so that you don’t accidentally trip over that small bar at the top of the stairs and go tumbling down. This is important for you and for your child as they grow. It was hard to find a gate that didn’t have the little bar on the bottom, but the gate below was a winner because it screwed into the wall, could hold onto a banister securely, AND didn’t have that pesky bar.
The gate below, the Summer Banister and Stair Kit with Dual Installation Kit served us well at our first home and then when we moved to our forever home.
The Summer Banister and Stair Dog and Baby Gate fits openings 32” to 48” wide and is 33" tall; please measure opening prior to purchase to ensure proper fit
With the dual installation kit, the wood gate can be attached to a wall or to most single and double square and round banisters; no drilling required on square banisters
Baby Gates for Hallway Between Rooms and Doorways
Gates between rooms are often essential to keep kids corralled in one area and out of dangerous places such as the bathroom or laundry room. These gates often have the bar along the bottom but aren’t as much of a concern as it is at the top of the stairs. They also tend to be pressure mounted which also isn’t as much of an issue when stairs aren’t involved. Here is an example of one like we used, a simple pressure-mounted gate with a swinging door and lock.
EXTRA WIDE: Expands to fit openings between 29-34 and 35-38.5 inches wide. Stands 30 inches tall. Please be sure measure your opening prior to purchase to ensure proper fit.
EASY TO USE AND SET UP: Pressure mount design that is quick to set up. Please note, before installation there will be a gap between the gate latch and the frame which is NOT a defect and it is NOT bent. This gap will be eliminated once installed.
ADJUSTABLE: Includes a 6-inch wide extension kit and 4 pressure mount spindle rods. Perfect for doorway, hallway and bottom of stair use. Gate can quickly be removed out of the opening for easy storage. Additional extensions sold separately.
Something to keep in mind with pressure-mounted gates is you may want something to go between the pressure mount and your wall, to protect your walls. We didn’t do this at first and regretted it. My husband is great with woodworking so he came up with a solution of his own for us but I’ve seen some great wall protectors on Amazon as well, such as the Wall Nanny below.
The Only Guard that Works Safely on Bottom Spindles! - Our innovative, patented baby gate wall protector was designed based on YOUR feedback and is the only one in the market that works on bottom spindles!
Extremely Versatile, Can Fit Almost Anywhere - The new designed pad's compact size allows it to be extremely versatile. It is small enough to fit in almost all dog gate supported areas for optimal safety results!
Keep Your Walls Damage Free! - Your child and pet’s protection are your first priority, but your walls need to be protected as well! That’s why our Wall Nanny’s soft rubber backing prevents any scuff, scratch or ding to your wall/trim! swing baby gate
Wide Hallway or Fireplace
We used the Regalo 76-inch Super Wide Baby Gate with 3 panels for our wide hallway. This could also be used around a fireplace. We have a living room and a front sitting room. Most of the toys were in the living room and our older son’s ‘big boy toys’ including those with small pieces, were in the front room so we needed to keep the twins out of that room. This was wonderful. It was easy enough to operate that our older son was able to get through it as needed but complex enough that the twins couldn’t figure it out. It did need to mount to the wall, with the included wall mounting brackets and screws, but it was worth it to have a sturdy gate.
The three adjustable panels were nice because you can either have it be flat across an opening or bowed out somewhat, which is what we did.
SUPERWIDE: Includes 3 - 24-inch wide configurable panels. Can fit openings from 28-76 inches wide. Stands 30 inches tall. Wall mounting brackets add 2” to each side, 4” total. Closure Type: Latch
EASY TO USE: Designed with a walk-through door with safety locking feature. Wipes clean
Other Baby Safety Products
Door Finger Pinch Guard
We didn’t need these door pinch guards with our first child but once we went from 1 to 3 kids, these became essential. For whatever reason, they all love running around and slamming doors if they’re upstairs. I put these toward the top of their door so they couldn’t reach and they could no longer slam doors which was great because it was quieter and no one would have their little fingers pinched, or slammed in the door.
WITTLE FINGER PINCH GUARD ➡️ Made from soft EVA foam and is perfect for protecting the little hands and fingers of your baby, toddler, or child from getting pinched or jammed due to a door closing.
Rail Net
This safety rail net is great for split entry homes with a lot of railings, balconies, and outdoor decks. It is 10 feet long and two feet high. It comes with ropes to tie to the railings and hooks for use outside. We used ours on our split entry home to keep toys from getting thrown through the railing and onto the stairs.
- KIDS SAFETY RAILNET: Includes One durable 10 foot mesh railnet, railing ties, and screws
- VERSATILE: Use for indoor balconies or outdoor decks. Great for both small children and pets.
- KEEP CHILDREN & PETS SAFE: Railnet provides protection against small children and pets getting caught between rails.
- GREAT QUALITY: Features a durable mesh railnet that is long lasting, weatherproof, and waterproof; perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.
- SIZE: 10 Feet wide.
Blinds Cord Wraps
It’s important to ensure all cords are out of your child’s reach, especially when it comes to those for blinds. A simple way to do this is get a cord wind up for each window. This doesn’t require any drilling into your walls or sticky adhesive and is easily removable for when your child is past this stage.
- HELP KEEP CHILDREN SAFER: Help keep dangling cords and bead chains out of reach of children
- COMPATIBLE FOR MOST BLINDS: Whether its blinds or curtains, Dreambaby Blind Cord Wind-Ups were designed to fit most needs
- EASY TO USE & INSTALL: Simply open the Wind-Up, insert the cord through the center slot, snap closed and rotate to the top to wind up excess length
- PACKAGE CONTAINS: 2 CORDS WIND UPS
Additional Safety Tips
- Ensure all cords are not able to be reached from the baby’s crib. Taping them down near the crib isn’t good enough, they will get curious and end up wrapped in them.
- It’s safest for babies under 1-year-old to be alone in a bassinet or crib with only a flat sheet under them to reduce the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Click here to learn more about how to prevent SIDS.
- Complete baby proofing before your baby is mobile. It happens quick and can catch you by surprise, then leaving you to scramble to baby proof everything or leaving a dangerous situation for your child.
As a mom of identical twins and a son two years older, I have gained invaluable experience in the realm, and chaos, of parenting. With a Master's Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology, I spent years as a school psychologist, helping children navigate through their educational and emotional challenges. Now as a stay at home mom and professional blogger, I combine my areas of expertise to help you in your parenting journey.