When Is the Best Time to Babyproof My House, and How Do I Do It?

If you’re looking for the ideal time to babyproof your house, rest assured that this important task doesn’t have to be completed before your baby arrives. But though you don’t have to do everything at once, it might be worth buying and installing some babyproofing supplies when the nesting instinct kicks in a few months before you meet your baby.

You can predict and arrange your schedule more easily at that time than in the newborn phase, so we’d recommend at least planning your babyproofing priorities a little ahead of your baby’s due date.

These divisions are just rough estimates. If you have a particularly curious crawler, you may want to prioritize some of the items in the section for young toddlers, for instance.

• Make sure the pull cords on your window blinds don’t pose a strangulation or choking hazard. Some cords are specifically designed to avoid this risk, but if needed, you can also buy small wind-up attachments to make them safe.
• If you use a changing table for diapering, make sure it’s outfitted with a safety buckle to keep your child from rolling off.
• Ensure your baby’s sleeping area doesn’t contain any choking or suffocation hazards, including plush toys.

• Secure heavy furniture and appliances with wall anchors and safety straps. Floor lamps, large decorative vases, and similar items that could tip over should be moved to other rooms.
• Unplug and stash small appliances when they’re not in use. It’s all too easy for a crawling kid to grab the cord of an iron or hair dryer and pull it down to the floor.
• Fasten long cords to walls or in an out-of-reach place.
• Store medicine in a cabinet well out of your child’s grasp. Lock it as an extra precaution.
• Use childproof outlet covers or cover all electrical outlets with heavy pieces of furniture.
• Take safety precautions at bath time by installing non-slip mats in the bathtub and a soft cover on the faucet.
• Position safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, as well as in doorways to rooms you don’t want your baby to enter alone.

• Consider child-safe window screens or window guards to prevent your child from falling out of open windows. 
• Think about what’s stored in kitchen/bathroom drawers and add safety latches to keep your child from accessing hair products, razors, kitchen utensils, etc.
• Attach lid locks to your toilets; this will keep your wandering toddler from getting into the toilet water or having their fingers hurt by a falling lid.
• Keep any hazardous chemicals and small appliances away from your child, either by storing them on a high shelf or using safety latches on cabinet doors.

Baby proofing will eventually become child proofing, and as your child grows up, the process of making your home a safe place for them continues.

To prepare for a taller, smarter, and more curious child, think about adding child-safe doorknob covers and table edge covers, keeping your countertops clear, and designating certain drawers or shelves for items they can play with safely.

Parents in the midst of baby proofing may be particularly interested in our guides for baby monitors, baby proofing locks, and baby gates.

• How Much Will It Cost to Baby Proof My Home?
• Hospital Checklist for Baby and Mom
• Do I Need to Sterilize Bottles and Pacifiers After Every Use?
• Can Radio Waves from Baby Monitoring Devices Harm My Child?
• Is Baby Powder Safe?
• What Is a Child Safety Kit?