More sleep for new moms: the kid-safe room

When you first have a baby and begin the cycle of sleeplessness people will tell you "just nap when he/she does". Easier said than done.

It is good advice - an hour or two here and there during the day helps a lot but pulling it off can be tricky. That's why I suggest the kid-safe room.

Choose 1 room in your house, with a door, to kid-safe, then add a pillow and blanket tucked away for you in the corner. Either while your baby/toddler sleeps, or plays independently you can pull out the pillow and blanket and have a snooze. The key is feeling sure that the room is safe for your little one without your awake supervision.

It starts with a door or baby gate. Next make sure furniture is extremely secure or screw it to the wall. Vacuum up every last crumb and re-do it often. In fact, get on all fours and inspect the floor from a baby's perspective.

Plug the electrical outlets.

Do the door stops have small plastic plugs on the end? If they aren't secure they could be a choking hazard.

Are all diapers, wipes, creams, etc safely away far enough?

Is the cord that pulls the blinds up within touching distance? Kids can get in trouble with those.

Once you feel good about letting your little one play you'll have the peace of mind to take a well deserved nap - everyone's happy!