Step by Step: How to Keep Your Baby Safe When They’re Learning to Walk

It's exciting to watch your child learn to walk, but it may also cause you a bit of anxiety. Keeping a child safe as they learn to walk on their own is important and takes diligence and planning. Here are a few tips to make it easier.

Keep the House Clean

A tidy home is a must for a child who is learning to walk. While it's not easy to keep things perfectly clean with a child underfoot, it's essential to have a plan for keeping the floors clear while they are learning to walk. To help reduce slipping hazards in your house, remove all throw rugs and keep pathways and floors clear of debris or any something they could trip on. Have a bin where all the toys are kept so they don't stay scattered across the floor. Scan your home often to check for any items that could cause your new walker to slip and fall.

Put Up Baby Gates

Baby gates are an important item to invest in when your little one is learning to walk. Stairs are especially dangerous for new walkers, and baby gates help reduce the risk of a fall. You should always have a baby gate that locks at the top and bottom of any stairs. It's also a good idea to put baby gates at the entrance to rooms you don't want your child to enter. If you have a room with large objects that can fall on a child's head when they are trying to pull up, you need to block that room off when your child starts exploring. It's also important to make sure your child can't get outside without your knowledge. Homeowners with pools in the backyard need to be especially cautious about this. 

Watch Out for Edges

Your child is going to fall while learning to walk. In fact, they will probably hit their head more than once and have a few bruises to show for their efforts. This is all normal, but if a child falls against a sharp-edged table, then you can go from innocuous bruising to an emergency room visit. Make sure to cover all sharp edges with bumpers or cushions. These are easy to obtain anywhere baby-proofing material can be purchased. You can also make them yourself to fit your furniture. It's also possible to opt for furniture that doesn't have sharp edges while your little one is still young.

Walking is a major accomplishment for your child. Just make sure to keep them safe while they learn how to balance and get around.