GUIDE
A room-by-room guide to making your home safe before your baby becomes mobile.
Start childproofing at 4-6 months — before your baby is crawling. Most items are inexpensive and take minutes to install.
Be prepared from day one
The time to childproof your home is before your baby needs it — not after the first close call. Most experts recommend starting at 4-6 months, well before most babies are crawling. Babies can roll off surfaces, grab at objects, and put everything in their mouths months before they are mobile.
You do not need to do everything at once. Start with the highest-risk items: anchor furniture to walls, install stair gates, cover outlets, and move chemicals and medications out of reach. If you are also in the third trimester, see our third trimester guide for the full list of things to do before baby arrives. Then do a room-by-room sweep using the checklists below. The entire process takes most families a weekend and costs 100-200 dollars in supplies.
Think of childproofing as an ongoing process, not a one-time project. As your baby grows and reaches new milestones, new hazards emerge. A baby who cannot walk does not need doorknob covers. A baby who cannot reach countertops does not need stove knob covers yet. Revisit your childproofing every few months as your baby's abilities change. For the items you need before baby even comes home, see our newborn essentials checklist.
The living room is where most waking hours are spent, making it the highest-priority room for childproofing.
Get down on your hands and knees and crawl through each room. You will see your home from your baby's perspective — outlets at eye level, cords within reach, table corners at head height, and small objects on the floor you never noticed. This is the single best way to identify hazards you would otherwise miss.
The kitchen contains more hazards per square foot than any other room. Cabinet locks and moving chemicals to upper cabinets are the top priorities.
Never leave a baby or toddler unattended in the bathroom, even for a moment. Drowning can happen silently in as little as one inch of water.
Furniture anchoring is the most critical step in bedrooms. A dresser with open drawers becomes a climbing ladder for toddlers.
The nursery should already be safe if you followed the setup guidelines. For a full nursery setup checklist, see our nursery guide.
If you set up the nursery following safe sleep and nursery checklist guidelines, most of the childproofing is already done. The main additions as baby grows: once your baby can pull to stand in the crib (usually 8-12 months), lower the mattress to its lowest position. Once they can climb out of the crib (usually 18-36 months), it is time to transition to a toddler bed.
Keep monitor cords, sound machine cords, and lamp cords at least 3 feet from the crib. Babies can reach farther than you expect, and cord strangulation is a serious risk. Use cord covers or route cords behind furniture where they cannot be accessed.
Use hardware-mounted gates at the top of stairs — pressure-mounted gates can be pushed out by a determined toddler.
These are whole-house safety measures that protect everyone, not just the baby.
Button batteries (the small, flat, round batteries found in remotes, key fobs, and toys) can cause fatal injuries if swallowed. A swallowed button battery can burn through a child's esophagus in as little as two hours. Secure all devices that contain button batteries with tape over the battery compartment. Keep loose batteries locked away. If you suspect your child has swallowed a battery, call 911 immediately.
Professional childproofing services exist and can be worthwhile for families who want a thorough, expert assessment. A professional will walk through your entire home, identify hazards you may have missed, and install safety devices correctly. Costs typically range from 200-500 dollars depending on the size of your home and the scope of work.
For most families, DIY childproofing is perfectly adequate. The supplies are widely available at hardware stores and online, installation is straightforward, and the checklists above cover the major hazards. Save the professional assessment for large homes, older homes with unusual layouts, or if you simply want the peace of mind of an expert eye.
Whether you DIY or hire a professional, the important thing is doing it before your baby is mobile. A weekend of childproofing now prevents emergency room visits later. Pair this with your hospital bag prep and registry planning for a comprehensive before-baby checklist.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any questions about your pregnancy.
