If you're
traveling with your baby for the holidays there's a good chance wherever you go won't be baby proofed well. AND even if you ask ahead of time you can't expect family or friends to follow through. For example, when my son was a baby we went to visit his paternal grandparents. I asked them to make sure it was safe before we arrived. When we got there the situation included...
- Breakables within easy reach.
- A HUGE flight of stairs with no baby gate - and once we put one up, grandma and grandpa kept leaving it open.
- No toilet or bathroom cupboard safety locks.
- An uncovered kitchen garbage can.
- And more.
You cannot expect other people to baby proof. My son's paternal grandparents had four kids, yet years later had apparently forgotten any baby safety issues, plus people didn't used to baby proof as well, so it's just safer to plan for some baby proofing strategies of your own when visiting relatives for the holidays.
Come prepared: Bring a safety gate or two for stairs or bathrooms and attempt to enforce a keeping doors shut rule while you're there. Make sure you bring a
play yard or have family pick one up. It's lame if your baby has to spend a lot of his holiday in a play yard, but safety first. Bonus; a play yard can double as a sleeping space. Note that you do need a safe place to sleep. Air mattresses for example are
totally unsafe for babies. Bring a sling or
baby carrier so you can carry your babe around without having to worry about what he's getting into. Look out for crafty grandma. My own grandma was crafty, which was great as I got older, but for a baby crafty gear can be a safety nightmare. Open sewing machines with sharp needles, baskets with pins and buttons, craft glue, and more all pose a danger. Look out for meds. If you're visiting older relatives there's a good chance there are daily medications of some sort around. Be aware as these can
poison your baby. Bring your own
car seat. If you fly into town bring your own car seat. Renting or buying an extra is ok, but it's better to have a seat you know how to install. Do the swoop check. When you first arrive do a couple of quick swoop visual checks. Look for breakables, small objects (like lower placed fridge magnets) and any other dangers. Ask your family to put danger items away for the duration of your visit.
NOTHING is better than your watchful eye. At another person's home, you need to be extra diligent about giving your baby your full attention.
