• Man lying on the floor and playing with his baby son


15th August 2024


Four ways your relationship with energy will change when you have a baby

Becoming a new parent is an exciting yet often overwhelming time. There’s so much to think about! Making sure that your energy fits your needs, and that home is safe for your little one should be a top priority.

Having a child is both an exciting – and busy – time. From preparing for the safe arrival of your baby, like setting up a nursery, to washing your baby’s clothes, so many things in your life will change. This includes how you use energy.

Here, we explore some important things to consider when it comes to power outlets, batteries and electrical appliances.

Not a customer? Join Red Energy today.

1. You’ll review your heating and cooling so you and your baby are comfortable

With the cost of living up, it’s important to pay close attention to your energy usage so you can keep costs down. Here’s what to consider:

  • When heating your house, aim to keep the thermostat on your heater to around 18-20 degrees Celsius. If your heater is zoned, only heat the rooms
  • When cooling your house, aim to keep your house between 25-27 degrees Celsius.
  • Turn off any lights not in use, and use lamps whenever you don’t need to light an entire room.
  • Be sure to see our energy saving tips too – and see our summer and winter saving tips.

2. Baby-proofing your power outlets will be a must

From sharp corners to hot oven doors, from stairs to curtain cords, there are many risks and hazards that can safely be removed during your little one’s early years. You can find a good overview of all the ways to child-proof your home over at BetterHealth. To minimise the risks, it’s advised that you:

  • Cover up all power outlets that aren’t in use – note that individual plastic plugs aren’t recommended because they are a choking hazard. Rather, you can get plastic covers for the whole outlet that screw into the wall. Do this with caution or seek help from an electrician.
  • Try to hide power outlets with plugs in them – for example, rearrange furniture so that your couch or bookcase is in front of them.
  • Tuck electrical cords out of sight – look at the cords coming out of power outlets, too. Try to tuck them out of sight, cover them with rugs and so on. Whilst protecting them from little fingers, you’re protecting them from wear and tear, too. Also make sure there are no cords dangling down from benchtops – a toddler could pull on the cord, causing a heavy appliance to topple down and hurt them.

3. You’ll want to remove button batteries

Button batteries – the tiny batteries that are used in things like watches, calculators, keys, talking books and more – can pose a serious risk if swallowed by young children. The battery can get stuck in their throat and burn through the oesophagus in less than two hours.

Go through your house and locate all objects or items that use button batteries. You should then either:

  • Store them safely out of reach of little fingers
  • Secure the casing so that the battery cannot be removed
  • Safely dispose of the battery and/or object.

4. You’ll check your electricity circuit

Before your new bundle of joy comes along, make sure you’re happy with the configuration of your safety switch on your electricity circuit. You can test this by either tripping the switch manually and then going around the house to see where the power’s gone out or, if you’re not confident in doing this yourself, get an electrician to test it for you.

You may discover that some circuits in your home are not protected by a safety switch. If that’s the case, then you could consider getting safety switches installed on those circuits too. It just adds another layer of protection in case a dangerous leak in the circuit occurred.

The final word

As a new parent, you want to do all you can to protect your baby. Making sure that your home’s electrical appliances, power outlets and batteries are safely out of reach or covered up is an important part of child-proofing your home.

References




Some of our favourites on Appliances

Little girl lying under bed covers reading book in the dark with torch

Keeping Kids Entertained During a Power Outage

An unexpected power outage can leave the kids a little lost. Don’t despair! Here are five great ways to keep everyone entertained during a blackout.

Keep reading

Grandpa and Grandson Playing with Toys

Why Did My Energy Company Ask About Life Support?

If you or your loved one relies on life support equipment then it’s important that your energy company knows about it. Learn why here.'

Keep reading

Man sleeping in bed

The Low-Down on Electric Blankets

Electric blankets are an economical way to keep warm at night. Learn how to use them safely, their energy efficiency, and cost-saving benefits.

Keep reading