Babyproofing Your Home from Top to Bottom

What will your baby get into once he's crawling? Walking? Able to climb? It's hard to tell -- and that's why it's important to babyproof your home. Making a house baby-safe means ensuring that whatever he might try to open, pull on, or play with won't hurt him. It also means making sure you have all the safety basics covered, such as confirming that all your smoke alarms have batteries (and that they work!) and that you have emergency phone numbers posted near all your phones.

Put aside one weekend to secure your house, room by room, to make it safe. It may only take you several hours total, and getting it out of the way will give you peace of mind, even though you'll need to update your efforts as your child grows.

Consider how generally safe your house is. Your hot-water heater should be set below 120 degrees F so you won't scald your baby at bathtime. You'll need a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. You'll also want smoke detectors and carbon-monoxide detectors on each floor of your home. Be sure to place safety gates at the head and foot of your stairs, and cover electrical outlets with plastic caps. (Keep track of the supplies you'll need on a master shopping list.)

Another smart step is to check your basement, especially if you're down there often. Make sure paint and other hazardous substances are stored in airtight containers on high shelves in a cool, dry area.