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PSA: Keep your unsolicited baby safety advice – we don't need to be worried about covering plug points at 33 weeks pregnant

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We know you mean well when you give baby safety advice. But if your bestie has yet to give birth to her bundle of joy, take it easy on her. The power outlets can wait.
We know you mean well when you give baby safety advice. But if your bestie has yet to give birth to her bundle of joy, take it easy on her. The power outlets can wait.

Have you installed a baby safety gate at the foot of the stairs yet?

What about the cleaning detergents? Are they stacked on the highest shelf?

And have you covered all the power outlets and sockets with those plastic covers?

When you first moved in and turned your house into a home, you may have chosen to furnish it according to a modern aesthetic, perhaps you wanted a more cozy feel or you modeled it according to the home you grew up in. Even so, babyproofing was probably the last thing on your mind. But then you fell pregnant.

Before long you feel the need to turn your once neat and tidy house into one with buffers on the edges of every table corner and drawers shut so tight with safety latches it felt you had people-proofed it. Before you’d even given birth. Because everyone keeps ramming it down your throat. 

We’ve got a wealth of articles on babyproofing and child-safety in the home, and we’ve listed them below for your perusal:


When did you start babyproofing your house? What did you feel was absolutely necessary and which precautions were a complete waste? Tell us by emailing chatback@parent24.com and we may publish your comments. 

So yes, ensuring baby’s safety is undoubtedly very important, but we’re here to tell you, on behalf of all expecting parents, to keep your unsolicited baby safety advice. 

A user recently posted the following on the subreddit BabyBumps, understandably annoyed at the uncalled for baby safety advice, and on the smallest of things:

Anybody else bother by uncalled comments with safety advice? from r/BabyBumps

“I recently noticed so many comments on pictures of nurseries, which instantly point out all the things which in a smallest way go against safety guidelines. There is a Rock & Play in a corner? Somebody will for sure mention that they are not approved for sleeping. There is an uncovered power socket or long curtains? Danger!!! Even though baby is not even born and it will be months before they're mobile,” she says.

It’s made her overly cautious, she says. “Makes me hesitant to post pictures of my own set up for the baby, because I don't want to hear how I'm trying to kill my baby with it.

“I think it's rather infantilising and often outright shaming. There is so much information about safe sleep and baby proofing on this sub. Why can we not assume that the poster is familiar with it and made their own decisions? If you have a Rock & Play or a baby nest, because your elder kid refused to sleep at all and this was a life and sanity saver, or if you decide to babyproof your house on a needed basis and not before the baby is born, you probably know what you're doing.

“I just hate unsolicited advice I'm getting in real life from relatives and strangers alike,” she says. “It just rubs me the wrong way. But maybe it's just my issue and I'm oversensitive.”

You’re not!

In fact, other users felt the exact same pressure, but didn’t go ahead and babyproof until much later.  

Card Card Card Card Card Card Card

Many users pointed out that it just isn’t necessary to worry yourself with all that babyproofing when your little one isn’t even born yet and, to be honest, for the first few months will only really be eating, sleeping and pooping.

So by consensus: At 5 to 6 months, you can and should start babyproofing the house, and simply because your little one will start moving around and become a lot more curious.

via GIPHY

So take it easy on the expecting moms and soon-to-be dads – they’ve got time.

Thing is, just like nobody needs you criticising their parenting techniques, nobody needs you bombarding them with advice before their little ones can walk and talk, definitely not before they’re even born.

So a quick PSA: Unless you see a child in imminent danger, please refrain from giving a soon-to-be mom and new parent, who is doing the best they can, unsolicited baby safety advice. They don't need to be worried about covering outlets at 33 weeks pregnant. Or shamed if they haven't yet.

Practise what you preach to your 4-year-olds: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

When did you start babyproofing your house? What did you feel was absolutely necessary and which precautions were a complete waste? Tell us by emailing chatback@parent24.com and we may publish your comments. 

Read more about baby and child safety here:

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