CRIB

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Even though used cribs might seem like a convenient solution, it's better to get a new one. Your baby will probably spend a lot of time sleeping in it, so you want to be sure it's safe.

Cribs with a drop down side used to be popular but they're not used anymore because they proved to be dangerous occasionally. If you are getting a used crib, make sure it's not one with the drop down side.

Cribs have to be sturdy and not wobble when you try to shake them. The space between crib rails can be no wider than 2 inches to secure child safety. Corner posts should be less than 1/16 inch high, or higher than 16 inches if they support the canopy.

Bumper pads should fit around the entire crib and tie securely into place. They are to be used until child can pull up to a standing position. Then remove them to prevent the child using them to climb out of the crib.

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 MATTRESS

Nearly all mattresses are manufactured in a standard 52-by-27-inch size, most are 6 inches thick and typically come with a white or off-white cover.

Mattress should be firm and fit snugly into the crib ? when you can place two fingers between the mattress and the crib side, it means the mattress is too small. Not only can the baby roll in that gap and have an accident, but the bedding can escape and pose a threat, too.

You should be able to adjust the height of the mattress. As the baby grows and can sit or stand up in the crib, the mattress has to be lowered so the child wouldn't fall out of the crib.

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 BEDDING

Bedding should be lightweight and the proper size. Fitted sheets are a great choice because they're not likely to come out and cause accidents. Using adult size is not recommended.

Clothing the baby warm and using lightweight bedding helps keep the baby warm enough during the night without making him or her overheat. Actually, most people think the nursery should be warmer than it really should. Ideal temperatures are 60-70F/15-18°C through the night.

The best placement for the crib is away from windows, blinds and blinds cords, any electrical appliances and cables, sources of warmth and direct light. Also, to be extra safe, install window guards and buy cordless window coverings if possible.

Soft covers, bumper pads, toys, pillows of any kind and shape any anything else that might obstruct baby's airways should be removed from the crib to make it safer. The only thing the crib needs to have when your baby is sleeping is the bedding and your baby, nothing more.

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 CHANGING TABLE

Changing tables are elevated platforms with shelves or drawers where you can store diapers, ointments, wipes, and so on. Not only do they offer great storage space, but they are also great for parents who have back problems and can't really spend much time slouched over the bed or kneeling next to it when changing the baby's diaper.

They can be dangerous if you don't pay attention ? but the general rule about everything concerning the babies is to keep your eye on them. Since changing tables are elevated, a child can easily roll and fall off of them if you're not paying attention the whole time. Most changing tables have a belt, a concave surface and elevated sides that should prevent falls, but everyone will tell you that nothing can replace parent's attention. The trick is to keep one hand on the baby the whole time when changing a diaper to prevent the baby from rolling.

If you have to hold one hand on the baby the whole time, it means that you have to prepare everything you need to change a diaper in advance. Everything should be at your arm's reach, but not the baby's. They love putting things in their mouth, and baby powder isn't exactly the healthiest thing to consume.

Changing tables are a bit bulky, so if you place them in the nursery or the bedroom if the baby is in the same room as the parents, you lose a lot of space.

When it comes to security, consider a stand-alone changing table which is more stable than other tray-like models you attach to the dressers. Also, keep in mind that changing tables shouldn't last for more than a couple of years.

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 CHANGING PADS

Changing pads, on the other hand, are padded, cushioned, and portable mats, so you can place them almost anywhere ? on the bed, on the floor, even on a table. If you place them on the floor, even if your baby rolls, nothing bad will happen. If you place the mat on a table or a dresser, changing tables' safety rules apply here ? keep one hand on the baby at all times.

The advantage of changing pads isn't only security, but also their longer life span, and the fact that you can use them wherever you want, not only in the nursery. The bad side of the changing mats is that you will have to bring diapers, wipes, ointments, and so on with you. Some parents solve this problem by placing these necessities strategically around the house.

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 TOYS

Sure they are cute and fluffy, and your child's eyes beg you to give him or her that stuffed bunny over there by the dresser. However, before granting the wish, make sure all toys are safe for your child to play with.

Examine the toys. First of all, use toys appropriate for your baby's age and physical skills. Also, make sure all toys' parts are securely put together and that toys are in overall good condition.

Be careful with toys that have small, removable parts, as they pose a danger for children under age 3. You can use a small parts tester to measure the size of the toy and determine if it is safe for your child to play with. Toys should also not have buttons, eyes, beads and ribbons, or have sharp edges which could harm your child.

When it comes to storing toys use chests without lids. If your chest does have a lid, make sure it has a spring-loaded mechanical arm that prevents the lid from falling. That way your children will be safe from the lid slamming onto their little fingers.

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 FURNITURE

Climbing on the furniture can be such an adventure, but can also easily end in a disaster. Anchoring the furniture, moving other heavy decorative items closer to the wall or taking them away completely, placing lamps behind the furniture helps you keep your child safe.

Securing heavy, unstable and tall freestanding furniture, such as dressers, armoires and book cases, is your first step. You can use special furniture straps to secure and prevent them from tipping onto your child. Also, kids like climbing on the furniture. Move everything away from your windows to prevent your child from using furniture to climb up and having access to the windows. Kids are full of energy, and they have to spend that energy somehow. Running around is fun, but coming to a stop instantly is not easy. And there go the head bumps, scratches and crying. Corner bumps and edge softeners are great solution to keep your child safe.

Edge softeners can look ugly, but there are solutions to minimise the negative visual impression. For example, this edge guard is perfect for wooden coffee tables. It's made from absorbent foam, and doesn't look horrifying. Or, table toppers made of soft fabric and padding they make the coffee table look like an ottoman, making it safer and more eye-pleasing than your regular edge softeners. Make sure you remove all dangerous objects away from child's reach. This can include items that are easily breakable (as lamps, vases, ceramics) or sharp objects which are especially dangerous when placed in high traffic area such as living room. Place them or a high shelf or remove them altogether.

If your child finally got tired from running, now is the time for calmer activities. Trying to open the drawers with CDs and doors on the furniture is not that tiring, and it's still fun. Well, it's fun for the baby, but not the parent who has to deal with the mess afterward. Drawer latches prevent children from opening the drawers and making a mess, or even worse, pinching their little fingers.

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 TECHNOLOGY

With modern TVs being so thin and big, they're easy to tip over. TV straps that are drilled into the wall are pretty cheap, and they make sure your child doesn't pull the TV down on himself/herself when trying to stand up, or climb somewhere.

Also, be prepared for a lot of button pushing on your video equipment as kids are particularly fond of that activity. Installing clear plastic shields prevents your child from pushing buttons, and also makes sure no items are inserted into your VCR/DVD player.

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 ELECTRICITY

Another big threat in the living areas is the electricity. It's becoming more of a problem as the time goes on you didn't have so many cables 20 years ago, for sure. Now, there are cellphone chargers, computer and laptop cables, different electrical appliances, electricity is threatening wherever you turn.

Securing the cables is not easy, but it is a necessity to keep your child safe. Cables can be taped to the floor or the wall, they can be wrapped and stored safely, but they shouldn't be forgotten when you're doing the baby proofing. Don't forget to secure the area around computer and entertainment centres by using cord control knits.

Electrical outlet covers are old news by now, and there are plenty of ways to child proof with them. Plastic plugs used to be popular, but they're losing their popularity because you always have to remember to put them back after you've used the outlet. They're still a good choice for those outlets that are not used too often.

Covers and plates are a better solution, and there are plenty of designs to choose from. Some kinds, for example, have a three button switch, and you can't remove them unless you press all three buttons at the same time. Child's tiny hands can hardly do that, so you can feel calmer.

Check for exposed outlets behind furniture that you may have overlooked.

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 FLOOR

You're almost done with baby proofing the living room, but there are still a few more things to do. Living room floors are usually wooden or covered with rugs. Either way, you have to keep the floor clean, especially when the baby is still crawling. Washing the floors can do more harm than good if you don't do it right. Using mild or natural solutions to keep the floor clean keeps the baby safe. Breathing in chemicals can trigger asthma and allergies, so you can see why this is important.

When the baby starts walking and running, rugs become your enemies. Putting non-slip mats under the rugs helps you fight against the falls and bumps.

Also, remember to check floors constantly for small objects that a baby might swallow, such as buttons, coins, beads and other.

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 FIREPLACE

Lots of homes have fireplaces. Fireplace hearths can be quite dangerous, and if you are actively using your fireplace, make sure to keep a fireplace grill in place when a fire is burning. Keep stow logs, matches and fireplace tools stored at a secured place your child can't access.

If you're only using the fireplace for decorative purposes, you can fill it up with books, toys, or even cover it with a chalkboard painted panel.

To prevent bumps, you can use bumper guards, quilts, or, if you don't care about the aesthetics, pool noodles. Some parents even used bubble wrap and taped it down.

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 STOVE & OVEN

The most important thing to remember is never to hold the baby in your arms while you're cooking as he or she can grab food or a sharp object and end up getting hurt. Yes, it seems like common sense, but when parents are in a hurry and stressed, it's easy to forget something like this.

Using back burners when cooking and turning the pan handles inwards prevents burns and scalds. Children are curious and will want to see what that is up there on the stove. This way, they won't be able to reach for the danger.

Knob covers or locks on the stove are also important if the child can reach them and start the burners, injuries are inevitable.

Ovens are another cause of burns. Putting latches on the oven doors not only prevents burns, but also doesn't allow children to open the oven door when the oven is not working, and climbing on top of them a sure way to accidents.

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 FRIDGE

Just like the hot items; stove and oven, the fridge can also be dangerous. Kids love exploring and discovering new tasty things. A fridge might seem a great place to start. Sometimes the food that looks yummy won't be healthy for the toddler, so locking the fridge door is a good idea.

There is one other danger hiding when it comes to fridges magnets. We love putting memos, cards, and other interesting and cool stuff on the fridge using magnets, but if those magnets fall down or the child reaches them by himself, they become a hazard, so be sure to remove them.

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 APPLIANCES

Securing stove, oven and fridge is just a start. Other electrical appliances in your kitchen, such as dishwasher or a microwave, need to be secured as well, using guards, latches and straps. Small appliances, such as toasters and can openers, should be placed far back on the counter, so the child can't reach them. When doing so, make sure all cords are secured as well and not dangling over the edge. Also, consider unplugging the appliances when not in use.

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 UTENSILS

Usually, when you're baby proofing, you remove all dangerous items to a higher shelf so the baby can't reach them. Moving cutlery and knives to a higher position isn't such a good idea because you could hurt yourself trying to reach for it. Installing latches on the kitchen drawers keeps both you and the baby safe. Treat peelers, graters and other sharp utensils the same as knives.

Also, make sure all drawers have stops, so that your child can't pull the drawer out on top of himself or herself.

When putting forks and knives in the dishwasher, be sure to place them with the handles up and points down to prevent any possible injuries.

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 TABLE & CHAIRS

Make sure your table and chairs are placed away from counters or stove so your child can't climb up and then take a tumble. Also, think about not using tablecloth for some time, as kids love playing with it and will certainly find a way to pull it down along with a plate of hot food on themselves.

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 CLEANING AGENTS

Dirt and cleanliness are often interchanged in the kitchen. We all know cleaning agents are poisonous chemicals when ingested, so move them to a higher shelf. Locking the door of the cleaning agents' storage place isn't enoughchildren can often find their way around it and try to drink the poisonous liquids.

If you absolutely have to keep them under the sink, use a childproof lock on cabinet doors to prevent child's access.

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 GARBAGE

The same goes for the garbage . There is a reason why nobody likes the garbage. It smells, it's dirty, and it's meant for disposal. Children don't know that yet, though. Find a safe place for garbage, somewhere where your kid won't have access to it. Put a lid on your trash can. It's easy to get cut on the food containers and get sick because trash is full of bacteria.

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 PLASTIC BAGS

Kitchen and groceries go hand in hand. Even though everyone knows how dangerous plastic bags are, they're still widely used. If you can't avoid using plastic bags, there's a cool way to store them safely without losing much space.

Here's a YouTube tutorial where you can see how to fold plastic bags into little triangles to store them so they won't take up too much space. It's in French, but you can easily the process of folding them.

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 BATHTUB

The biggest threat in the bathroom is water. Whether you had a bath, or you used water in the bucket to clean something, making sure no water is left is an easy step in preventing accidents. Another way to prevent kids' water-related accidents is placing non-slip mats in the tub and in front of it. This way, there are less chances of a child slipping and falling, either into water, or simply bumping himself or herself on hard surfaces.

Besides the water splashing around, hot water is also a possible threat. Spout covers on the faucets help you protect the child from hot water gusts. Spout covers are great for the time when the child starts having baths in the adult tub, too. Not only do they block hot water, they are also a good softener, so when the child bumps the head, it's not as painful as it would be if nothing protective was placed on the faucet. An even better way to prevent scalds is setting the water heater to no more than 120F/48¡C. This temperature is hot enough to allow you to have a hot shower, but it's still not too hot to quickly cause the scalds if the baby has an accident.

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 TOILET

Install toilet latches on all toilets to make sure the toilet bowl stays closed and safe. Children are curious by nature and easily loose balance, which can be dangerous. With them peering into the toilet, accident is just waiting to happen.

Latches keep the lid from slamming on your child's little hands. They also minimise the risk of the child touching inside the bowl and then putting that hand into his mouth. You know that no matter how hard you clean, there will always be bacteria in there.

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 APPLIANCES & UTENSILS

Drying the hair can be fun we all love the feel of a warm breeze on our skin. However, when combined with the bathroom conditions, it's an accident waiting to happen. Make sure nothing is plugged in near the sink or bathtub. Electricity plus water is never a good combination, so store electrical appliances safely in the bathroom.

Also, when done using, unplug your blow-dryer, curling iron and other appliances that create heat, and put them away to prevent your child from touching them and getting burned.

Keep all sharp objects that could endanger your child out of reach. Razors, scissors, nail clippers, tweezers and such should be kept in a locked cabinet or on a high shelf, so kids can't easily find them.

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 MEDICINES & CLEANING SUPPLIES

Bathroom is usually full of medicine, vitamins, toiletries, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies. Medicine and cleaning supplies should be stored in containers with safety caps and placed in a locked cabinet, or on a high shelf. Everything should be out of child's reach.

Clothes softeners are usually available in tasty-looking pastel colours, and they can look delicious to a baby. Baby proofing is more about prevention than anything else, and storing cleaning agents safely does just that.

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 WINDOWS

Windows can be particularly alluring to kids as they absolutely need to know everything that goes on outside. To make sure your child never has access to an open window, install window guards or adjust windows so they can't open more than six inches. Also, move furniture away from windows, so your child will not have anything to climb onto.

Cords from window blinds can be quite tricky as well. Remember not to place your child's crib, bed or highchair near cords at any time. You should keep them out of child's reach by tying them up to blinds or removing them altogether so your child doesn't get tangled up in them. There are even cordless window covering you can install that are perfectly safe for your child.

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 DOORS

You want to secure your doors to keep your children from cruising freely around your house and ending up in dangerous zone, like a balcony or near a swimming pool. To do so, you need to lock your doors or install doorknob covers on the doors you don't want your child to open.

Also, to protect your child's fingers from getting accidentally pinched, use doorstops and door holders. If you already have rubber-tipped door stops installed, remove and replace them with soft door jambs, as they are safer for children.

Children are little explorers and love running around the house. If you combine that with your sling-glass doors you get an accident waiting to happen. Consider putting decals on your doors so your child won't run into them. Also, it would be a good idea to install safety glass, so even if your child falls into the glass doors, they won't shatter and hurt him or her.

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 STAIRS

Depending on the design of your home, you might have stairs in your house. You don’t really find them that threatening until you find out you’re going to have a baby. Stairs can be dangerous, though, and should not be taken lightly when it comes to baby proofing. Here is what you can do to make them safer.

Installing handrails is necessary when the baby is still very small. When you carry your child in your hands, it’s easy to trip or slip. Handrails can give you support and make using the stairs while carrying your baby safer. Imagine what can happen if you don’t have support – you’ll either drop your baby when you instinctively reach out, or you will fall down with the baby. Either way, it’s not something you would want to happen. In case you have wooden stairs, avoid climbing them in your socks – it’s asking for trouble because you can slip very easily. You should install carpet runners to ensure security. Also, make sure the stairs are always clear and free of obstacles. You don't want shoes, toys or other objects there that you could easily trip over when carrying your child.

When the child becomes more mobile, safety gates are a must. The ones at the top of the stairs should be very sturdy to stop the baby from tumbling down if he or she is running around and crashes into them full force. The ones at the bottom don’t need to be as sturdy, but should still be firm enough to prevent the child from opening them, going up the stairs, and then falling down by accident. Make sure you place the safety gate bar latch on the side away from your child's reach.

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 BASEMENT / GARAGE

Children should be restricted access to the basement at all time. Not only could they slip on the stairs and hurt themselves, but they could also be exposed to electricity, wiring and other dangers. Basement and garage are often used for storage, and they contain tools and chemicals which are dangerous for your child. You certainly don't want him or her around unplugged power tools, paint, cleaning supplies or gardening tools.

Also, inspect your garage doors to see if they work properly. Make sure their openers automatically reverse direction upon contact with an object to ensure your child doesn't get trapped. Keep automatic garage door openers away from child's reach.

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 BASIC GUIDELINES

Your child can be safe around your pets. It’s up to you, really. If you train your pet on time when you find out you are going to have a baby, it will welcome a new addition to your family and not pose a threat. However, keep in mind that no matter how trustworthy your pet is, it needs to be supervised when your child is around.

When your baby arrives in your house, make sure you introduce your pets gently to a new baby. Pets often feel jealous because of lack of attention, so make sure you don’t forget them when the child arrives so they would know you still care about them.

Also, you should keep all pet food out of child’s reach. Children often find it interesting to touch the food and put it in their mouth. Not only it is not healthy for your child, but it can also put him or her in a dangerous situation as animals are known to be protective of their food and can react aggressively.

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 DOGS

You might think training the dog is easy, but you have to start doing it on time and see if it works. If you can’t train the dog yourself, you should seek professional help.

Smaller children like to explore, so you’ll have to get your dog used to being touched inside the ear lobes, between the paws, its tail being pulled, and so on. Play with your dog like a child would, and award it with a treat when it shows the desired behaviour – not biting, pushing, and so on.

Or, just teach your dog to go away from the one who’s bothering it – your baby. Train the dog to go to its safe place, a place in the house where it won’t be bothered if it’s stressed.

Before the baby arrives, bring a piece of child’s clothes that has his or her scent on it, so the dog could be introduced to the baby in a safe way. Remember – the sense of smell is a primary sense for dogs. You should also teach your baby to respect the dog and not bother it this way when the child is old enough to understand. Don’t start ignoring your pet once the baby arrives – undesired behaviour might appear if you do this.

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 CATS

Cat lovers know even cats can be trained not to do certain things. Cats love cozy places to sleep in, and they’ll probably try to claim the crib for themselves. You should start training your cat not to do it before the baby comes.

Putting small pieces of adhesive tape with the sticky side up inside the crib will prevent cats from coming into the crib. They won’t like getting the sticky tape on them and will learn not to go into the crib. This type of training has to be done before the baby is born, of course.

There are other dangers of having a cat in your home. Toxoplasmosis is something that poses a danger to you during your pregnancy, as well as your child when you bring it home. It’s a parasite in cat’s poop, so always make sure to keep the litter box clean, to wash hands thoroughly, and keep all surfaces where the cat goes clean. The best thing you can do is consult a veterinarian and the paediatrician who will help you with expert advice on how to deal with this problem.

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 PLANTS

One other thing – plants. Plants are a great decorative item, and they can improve the air quality. They’re mostly kept in the living areas, but can be found in other rooms as well. Now that you are a proud parent you need to reexamine some of your green friends.

Naturally, you worry that some plants could be poisonous for your child. The good news is that most houseplants are safe, but there are a few that you don’t want near your child. See if your house plants are poisonous, and get rid of them if necessary. You can consult Poisonous Plant Database when making your decision.

Also, even if your plants are perfectly safe, there are still a couple of steps you need to take in order to completely protect your child. Remove all plants from the floor. You know how tasty the soil can look to a little child and the fertiliser found there is quite harmful. Also, make sure there are no small rocks in your pots as they present an easy choking hazard. Consider covering all your pots with mesh or plastic to ensure maximum safety.

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 CARRIERS

Lots of parents opt for baby carriers instead of strollers. They take up less space than strollers and allow more freedom for the parents to move easily and take care of daily tasks, while at the same time watching over their child. Their greatest advantage, however, lies in providing a feeling of content as the child cuddles against your body, creating a strong bond built on physical closeness between you and the child, resulting in baby being less fussy and less likely to cry.

You can choose between front/back carriers, baby slings or baby wraps, but whatever you choose, make a choice appropriate to the baby's size and weight.

Baby carriers are padded and easy to use. Slings are wrapped around the baby and one shoulder. Wraps work like slings, but distribute the weight of the child on both shoulders.

Be careful when choosing material of your carriers. If you'll be carrying your baby in the summer, choose one that is made of lighter fabrics and in light colour, to make sure it does not heat up quickly. Also, monitor your baby at all times, as lots of layers combined with the warmth of your body can easily make the baby feel hot.

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 BABY MONITORS

You will not be able to keep an eye on your child at all times. That's where baby monitor comes in. It offers parents freedom and flexibility to tackle their household chores while at the same time monitoring their sleeping baby. You can choose between audio, video, sound-and-light audio monitors or intercom ones depending on your needs.

Keep in mind that a baby monitor is not a substitution for adult supervision. You should never leave your child alone while playing or when in a bathroom, because an accident can happen and you may not get to your child on time.

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 CLOTHES SIZE

You should consider your baby's weight and length when buying clothes for your little one. Most manufacturers of baby clothing have hangtags which provide all the information you need. You can consult a baby clothes size chart to help you make the right decision, but keep in mind that the chart is based on average babies at certain ages, and some children are bigger or smaller than average. You should rely on your baby's measurements the most. Otherwise, you might end up buying the clothes that are too tight and uncomfortable for your child.

Consider the season your baby is born in. Summer clothes for newborn should be loose-fitting and breathable, while winter ones must include jacket, hats, mittens and boots.

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 FABRICS

The clothes you buy for your baby shouldn't just be cute but also breathable and keep your baby warm.

Not only that, but cotton is very soft on the skin, and therefore, comfortable to wear. The fabric allows for better air circulation, which helps remove body moisture and draw heat away from the skin. As cotton ‘‘breathes'', it will keep your child cool in summer and dry in winter.

You can choose other fabrics. Wool helps you keep the baby warm when you're taking him or her outside during winter - but you should only use it as a second layer so it doesn't irritate the gentle baby skin. Synthetic materials work great in water and wind resistant clothes - the layer you put on when you're taking the baby out when it's cold.

Children can have an equal number of layers as the adults, plus one if they're going out. If your baby's neck is sweaty, it means the baby is too hot, so feel free to remove one layer of clothes.

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 MAINTENANCE

When it comes to maintenance, be practical. You want clothes for your baby to be soft, comfy and easy to take care of. Parents don't have a lot of time on their hands and it is better to avoid buying fabrics that need to be handwashed or ironed.

No matter how cute something is, you want to be able to wash it in your washing machine. Clothes made of cotton and other natural fabrics are durable and easy to wash. Make sure to check the labels of any baby clothes you consider to purchase for washing procedure.

Wash all purchased baby clothes before putting them on your child. Although it is unlikely your child would be seriously harmed if you didn't, some minor skin irritation or an allergy could occur and make your baby uncomfortable, and you don't want that.

When doing laundry, you have two options. You can use baby detergents which are specially designed for infant's clothes, or you can use regular detergent instead. Health experts claim that using special kind of detergent isn't necessary as long as your child doesn't have allergy or sensitive skin.

If you're concerned about using your regular detergent, do a test. Wash couple of baby items with that detergent. After wearing the clothing, check your child for signs of skin irritation. Also, observe him or her, and note if the child feels uncomfortable.

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 SAFETY

The clothes you buy for your baby shouldn't just be cute but also breathable and keep your baby warm.

Cotton is the basic fabric used for baby clothing. Baby's skin is up to 5 times thinner than adult skin, and highly susceptible to absorbing toxins, and overall more sensitive to chemicals. Organic cotton baby clothes are manufactured without the use of toxic chemicals which makes it an ideal fabric for baby clothing.

Not only that, but cotton is very soft on the skin, and therefore, comfortable to wear. The fabric allows for better air circulation, which helps remove body moisture and draw heat away from the skin. As cotton ‘‘breathes'', it will keep your child cool in summer and dry in winter.

You can choose other fabrics. Wool helps you keep the baby warm when you're taking him or her outside during winter - but you should only use it as a second layer so it doesn't irritate the gentle baby skin. Synthetic materials work great in water and wind resistant clothes - the layer you put on when you're taking the baby out when it's cold.

Children can have an equal number of layers as the adults, plus one if they're going out. If your baby's neck is sweaty, it means the baby is too hot, so feel free to remove one layer of clothes.

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 BABY SOCKS AND SHOES

Also, some parents prefer to put soft crib shoes on to keep baby socks on. Let's face it, those tiny shoes look absolutely adorable on your child. Not only that, but they also keep their little toes warm. Just make sure baby shoes are soft and have a wide top opening so your baby's feet can easily slip inside.

You can also choose ones with elastic at the ankle to prevent falling off. Just make sure they're still very flexible around the ankles, so child's movement isn't restricted.

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 CRAWLERS & WALKERS

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 PICKING THE RIGHT SHOE

There are few things to remember when buying shoes for your little walker. Let's start with shoe's flexibility. Test the shoe yourself. Take it in your hand and try to bend it in half. If it bends, it is flexible enough for your child to wear and it won't compromise his or her foot development. If not, try another pair of shoes.

Remember to choose breathable materials as well, such as leather, cloth and canvas. Also, consider buying shoes with non-skid bottoms to prevent slips and falls.

Contrary to baby clothes where some parents are inclined to buy big, shoes require buying what fits now, not later. Children outgrow their shoes quickly, but if you buy them shoes that are too big, they can fall or trip, and even have problems with improper development of their feet.

When testing the shoe for the right size, check the following:

• Do the test while your child is standing
• Your finger must be able to fit in between the top of your child's foot and inside of your shoe
• You should also be able to pull up and down on the back/heel of the shoe without the heel slipping around
• There should be about half a finger's width of room at the end of the toes
• Sides of the shoes need to be low enough not to rub against the ankle bone

If the shoes are a perfect fit, your child won't even notice wearing them. If he or she cries or whines when you put the shoes on, chances are the shoes don't fit. Maybe there is too much room around the ankle, or soles are too stiff. Maybe your child's feet are sweaty and swollen because the shoes are made out of non-breathable material. Maybe they are just too small. In any case, you need to observe your child in order to replace the shoes on time. You don't want him or her to be stuck in uncomfortable shoes for too long.

As your child grows older, you'll need a comfortable shoe that supports his or her feet well. You can find tutorials on how to pick the right size shoe and other cool tips on how to choose a great shoe for your child on our site.

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