Anyone have angled corners on their brick fireplace? How do you protect little noggins from crashing into these hard corners? All of the fireplace bumpers that I have seen in baby superstores and online are made for 90 degree angles. For those of you who have lived with a baby and have fireplace hearths that look kinda like mine, what did you do to make this area safer? The fireplace is gas and we rarely use it, so I'm not wanting to gate off the entire fireplace... just protect her from hitting her head on the brick edges and corners.Below are photos of our other child safety projects from this weekend. Our home is now equipped with outlet covers, magnet activated baby locks under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, corner bumpers on the tables in the living room, and door locks making Daddy's computer room and the laundry room heading out into the garage inaccessible. I figure that it's a good idea to live like this for a little while before Hannah comes home so we can get used to it.
I'd appreciate if you could comment about the fireplace safety situation. ESPECIALLY those of you with little ones like this determined little Willa. It amazes me that some babies are so determined to get into things! Thanks.
Updated 4:35pm:
And the baby safety internet shopping award goes to Andrea for her link to Baby Safety Foam. I think we've got solution here, folks. It's not cheap, but not hugely expensive. Thanks, Andrea! I just knew that someone else could find a link to a good solution. I was thinking of trying to cut angles in the straight foam, but wasn't really happy about it, as the corners would be the most important part for cushioning... and I didn't want the padding to be lax there.
We cut the straight foam ones at the necessary angles. Does that make sense??
ReplyDeleteHmmm.. that is a tricky one. I agree with Anonymous above. I'd get the straight foamy babyproofing strips and wrap them around the angled corners. I'd then cut little triangles at the tops and undersides of the strips where the brick curves around to try to get the strips to lay flat. I've never tried this, but it might, might, might work?
ReplyDeleteOh, want to warn you that with the magnetic ones, be sure to use the magnet gently (though not sure how ya do that). ALl I know is that our cabinets slowly but surely got the finish rubbed off in the area that you put the magnet to. I really wished we had just stuck to the cheap kind that you move with your finger when the cabinet is opened a half inch..
ReplyDeleteMaybe cover the magnet key thing with a thin cloth??
Sounds like you got some good advice on the fireplace. I did a little baby proofing myself this weekend!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen this site? http://www.babysafetyfoam.com/. You could probably make one yourself too, with foam core and cover it with fabric. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAndrea
Get little Baby Crash a helmet! ;0) They hit their heads on more things than just fireplaces... Kole just did a superman off the top bunk and bounced off a mattress that was temporarily on the floor & into the wall. He dented it... the wall, not his head! Luckily, he hit a great hard-part of his forehead. Little Baby Crashes!
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no idea... the foam sounds good... maybe you can paint it to match the fireplace to avoid the interest of color contrasts... 'hmmmmm must pull this? Any color contrasts have to be pulled or pushed by monkeys... ask my husband who got his silver computer on/off button sharpied black!
Try using "noodles" that kids play with in swimming pools. They're cheap, easy to find, can be easily cut to various angles, and even come in fun colors!
ReplyDeleteYou can use massive amounts of earthquake putty to adhere them to the hearth or you can try some industrial strength velcro or double sided tape.
When my son was a baby, I simply used an oversized throw rug that draped nicely over the corners of the hearth. But you have to pay attention to it when you're actually using the fireplace (since it gets quite warm).
:)
Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!
I don't quite get that video. The baby fell off the hearth anyways. Why would you let a baby play that close to a fireplace in the first place? (Even with no fire in it, you are teaching the baby it is okay to be that near a fireplace.)
ReplyDeleteI have 4 kids and have lived in two houses with fireplaces at both houses. Never found the fireplace hearth to be a big draw to babies anyways.
Hey! I should bring Willa over and she can find all your weak spots!
ReplyDeleteI've seen foam strips that you adhere with double sided tape at Babies R Us, and I like the noodle idea even better!
I can't help with the fireplace thing (don't have one but I always want one at Christmastime). Anyway, have you checked out www.onestepahead.com ? I love that website. They have the coolest stuff that you'd never think existed!
ReplyDeleteholli
We have a rounded fireplace hearth. My girls have never had issues with it, but when they were first learning to walk, I just lined it with pillows (ours is 4 bricks high). We've never had issues with it! Glad you found something :)
ReplyDeleteWe just put a couple of quilts on ours - folded over, hanging over the edge. Does that make sense? Made the whole hearth nice and puffy soft. Also easily removable if company is coming and you want to look "normal" for a minute or two....although everyone knows that homes with kids aren't ever normal again! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm with b-squared. A big puffy quilt/comforter, folded to fit laying nicely over the hearth works like a dream, far cheaper and prettier than those silly foam corner covers. Also it's much safer. If she fall and smacks her head against the front of the brick and not the corners the corners covers do nothing. When you want to use the fireplace, you just pull it off. You're probably not going to be using it while she toddles around it. It may be one of those things you save for after Miss Hannah goes to bed!
ReplyDeleteMy boys have toys sitting on our blanketed hearth. They love to sit there and play. they are pretty wild guys, but we've never had issue with the hard stone.
I did laugh a little at how prepared you are! I'm kind of a laid back sort, other than the outlet covers I've played all the other "safety proofing" by child. Each one is so different. I didn't have to latch anything with my daughter, I just had to say "no, no, honey". With My three year old, door knob covers have been our best friends! We also had to put up a couple of cabinet locks.
Good luck! Maybe Hannah will be a "no, no, honey" kind of girl!
We bought the Baby Safety Foam also and still have it for our 3 year old now. It's so easy to put together (I did it myself) and works great!
ReplyDeleteDonna
Now that I think about that video I laugh!! (Or an semi shocked) as they totally set that baby up and were waiting for him to fall just so they could get it on tape!! I am glad they were not selling something like outlet covers and video taped a baby putting his mouth or hand in the socket!!
ReplyDeletePS Forgot to add that we did get the foam for our rounded hearth, but never ever had issue with our babies falling in it and probably did not even need the foam.
ReplyDeleteRun a line of strong velcro along the grouting of the fireplace step. Then attach the matching velcro to some foam pieces. This way you can take off easily when you entertain, but it's perfect for Hannah Claire when she's crawling around.
ReplyDeleteTry "One Step Ahead".com. They have great baby finds.
ReplyDeleteOR go to ToysRUs and by the Graco grey baby play fence and just set up a barricade around the fireplace.
Even if you put up a bumper..she can still get to the firedoors..If you barricade the whole thing, you have nothing to worry about.
4 of mine NEVER went near the fire,but 1 did every chance she got!
xoxo,
A
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI'm so behind on reading blogs! I love the pictures of HC rolling over, so cute. And I love the red dress!! She will look adorable in it!
Happy Anniversary too. :)
My favorite catalog when N was a baby is One Step Ahead. They have great stuff.
Staci
Some use a quilt for the hearth on the fireplace while I've heard others using a sheeps skin? I think that's what it is or is called. Anyway, I suggest using something that you can remove weekly and clean. Allie loves to crawl over to ours and plop herself down with her bottle or sippy cup. She also tends to shake her cup/bottle to see how much she can get out before one of us notices...
ReplyDeleteLora
i was going to suggest noodles, but someone already did. i have to say that the only babyproofing we did were socket covers and moving everything out of bottom cabinets/drawers. but i think our house was pretty kid-proof to begin with.
ReplyDeleteSarah, just as an FYI, we used those outlet covers and Brady got them off as easily as I did!! So, we went back to the ones that kill my fingernails instead. I swear these kids out smart us every chance they get!!
ReplyDelete