Kimber is a girl on the go, go, go.
The 2-and-a-half-year-old toddles all over her Tampa domain -- a lovely house her parents have thoroughly baby-proofed.
Or so they thought.
"[Baby-proofing] is definitely overwhelming," says Daniel Leeds, owner of Full House Baby-proofing. "As a new parent, I've been there. You don't know where to start."
Baby gates, cabinet locks, outlet safety plugs -- those are the major ones. But Leeds says there's always more to do to keep your child safe. After all, every 8 minutes, a child under 3 ends up in the ER because of a nursery related injury. Lately, recalls have become a major problem, especially with some parents buying baby gear on Facebook and Craigslist. Experts say you should always register a product so you get those recall alerts.
Leeds took us through Kimber's house -- the kitchen, the living room, the baby's room -- and pointed out a few oft-overlooked trouble spots.
"Towels hanging off the oven handle," Leeds says. "A child can use [them] to grab hold...get leverage and pull down, injuring herself with the oven door."
Also, beware of gaudily package dishwasher soaps under the sink -- if a few drop on the floor unbeknownst to parents, young children could mistake them for candies. (In Kimber's house, the dishwasher soap looks like mini Three Musketeer bars. Even I wanted to eat one.) Leeds urges parents to use powders and liquids when it comes to dishwashers and washing machines.
"One of the big concerns in the living room is going to be large pieces of furniture -- we're always concerned with tip-overs," says Leeds, adding that parents should always mount furniture to the walls, especially tall bulky pieces. This includes the television. "Can the TV tip over? Yes, it can."
In Kimber's adorable room, Leeds finds trouble immediately. The doorstops have rubber ends -- easy to remove, easy to put in tiny mouths.
And finally, Leeds sees that Kimber still sleeps in a crib -- even though she's trying to escape. "It's really time to commit to a toddler bed," he says. "That's a pretty long way to fall."
RECALLS YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF:
- Gerber issues a recall of its Cheese Ravioli Pasta Pick-Ups
- Kids II recalls oball rattles due to choking hazard
- Little Tikes recalling more than half a million swings due to fall hazard
- 4moms recalls self-installing infant car seat due to detach risk
- Moose Toys recalls Little Live Pets Lil Frog plastic toys due to chemical and injury hazards
- Britax recalls more than 700K strollers due to fall hazard
