The joy of pregnancy is one of the most beautiful times in a mother’s life, this is often increased upon the discovery that she is carrying multiples, be they twins, triplets, quadruplets or more. It can also be more overwhelming when you consider that one baby can be quite a handful on his own, but when you add a sibling counterpart at the same time, all of sudden there is twice as much to deal with. For this reason, childproofing for multiple infant siblings is even more important than for a singleton; this is because now you have two creative kids with which to contend and when a baby is caught up in the moment of exploration, they depend on you to make sure they stay safe and sound. Fortunately, there are many different kinds of baby products on the shelves today that can help you keep your children safe and avoid an awful trip to the emergency room, or worse. By using the following simple tips to childproof your home, you can help your kids learn about the world around them whilst minimizing the hazards they face.

For starters, having children is going to change your life forever, and until your kids are older and understand how their behavior affects their surroundings, they need you for guidance. So, if there is something you hold near and dear to your heart – something breakable, non-replaceable, sentimental – then pack it up and put it in your attic or basement. This, of course, is only a temporary situation, but it will absolutely protect your valuables from curious little hands and mouths who are learning about their environment at every turn. Additionally, you need to make sure any cleaning products or other toxic items are well out of the reach of your twins. Accidental poisoning is one of the most common dangers youngsters face and one that can be avoided with a bit of diligence on your part – use cabinet and door locks to keep things secure and store chemicals on upper shelves out of the view of curious toddlers. You should also use drawer locks to make sure things like knives and scissors are secure will not accidentally find their way in to the hands of your kids. Next step: household electronics and furniture.

Kids love to climb. For this reason, make sure that your electronic equipment – TVs, stereos, computers – are located on sturdy pieces of furniture that will not topple over onto your twins should they try to pull themselves up on the furniture. Too, considering that little kids are often unsteady on their feet, you should use furniture guards to cushion sharp edges and corners that can be potentially deadly if your child loses his or her balance falling upon them. This is especially important for fireplace hearths where the brick can do incredible damage in the event of a fall. Too, you should make sure bookcases are secure by attaching a piece of burlap to the back and then screwing that in to a wall stud. This will help hold the bookcase upright should your twins decide to scale it like Mount Rushmore. Nothing would be worse than rounding the corner, seeing your toddler halfway up the bookcase shelves and then watching in horror as the bookcase falls over with your toddler underneath. Additionally, try to keep furniture backs away from the windows, in the event your child manages to climb up on the couch, they are less likely to fall through the window if it is not right there.

Once you have the more obvious childproofing taken care of, then sit down and look around. Get down on the floor and look at things from the perspective of your twins, it is likely you will see other hazards that can cause serious injury from this angle. For example, the wires of your electronic equipment. These can pose potential choking hazards as well as electrocution dangers. Fortunately, you can get wraps that will house the wires and help keep them out of the reach of your children. Coupled with socket plugs, you can dramatically minimize this danger. Purchase locks for your toilets, ovens and refrigerators to keep curious kids out of these potentially dangerous situations. Finally, learn infant and child CPR – not being prepared in the event of an emergency is one of the worst things you can do as a parent. With a little bit of diligence on your part, however, you can make sure you provide a safe, secure environment whilst minimizing childhood bumps, bruises and cuts.

Content guidance provided by Amy Hall, M.O.M (Mom of Multiples)