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Childproofing checklist: Before your baby crawls

On average, babies crawl at eight months, which means many get moving even earlier. A crawling baby will soon start pulling up, too, which means chairs, tables and other surfaces are no longer beyond reach. Use this checklist to help you prepare for a baby who can go from here to there in the blink of an eye (a crawling baby can cover roughly quarter of a mile in the time it takes to make a cup of tea!). Then crawl around on your hands and knees to see if you've missed anything.

For more about child safety see Before your baby arrives and Toddlers and beyond.

BathingFill the bath just enough to cover your baby's legs (5 or 7.5 centimetres, about 2 or 3 inches of water).Use warm, not hot water (do wrist test or use a thermometer to make water 35 to 37 degrees Centigrade or 96 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit).Never, ever leave your baby in the bath unsupervised, not even for a few seconds.Put a non-slip mat in the bath.Nice to have:Soft cover for bath spout.Covers for bath taps.Bath seat for your baby to sit in (not a substitute for supervision!)Preventing burnsDon't carry hot food or drink and your baby at the same time.Keep hot food and drink away from edges of tables and counters.Don't hold your baby while cooking at the stove.Turn pan handles toward the back of the stove.Fit an oven door guard to prevent burns.Nice to have:Stove guard that prevent pans being pulled over.CarKeep your baby in rear-facing car seat until at least 1 year old and 9 kilograms/ 20 pounds.Install car seat properly, in rear-facing position in middle of back seat.Changing tableUse the safety strap and don't leave your baby unattended.Keep toiletries out of your baby's reach but within yours.ClothingDon't use clothing with drawstrings.CribAvoid using soft, fluffy bedding such as pillows, comforters, or sheepskins under your sleeping or napping baby.When your baby gets up on hands and knees, remove mobiles and hanging toys.When your baby pulls up, put mattress in the lowest position.Don't leave toys in the crib when your baby is sleeping.Keep drop side of crib up and locked when you're not in the room.DoorsUse doorstops to protect your baby's fingers.Electrical socket, cords, and appliancesPut safety plugs or outlet covers in unused sockets.Hide electrical cords behind furniture.Keep blow dryers, toasters, and other appliances unplugged and out of reach.Preventing fallsNever leave your baby alone on beds or sofas, in a bouncy chair or high chair, on the changing table, or in any other spot from which she can fall.Use window guards on windows.Install safety gates to block stairways at bottom and top.If railings have openings wider than 10 centimetres / 4 inches, block with plastic garden fencing, Plexiglas, or other material.At the supermarket, use safety belts on shopping carts (or bring one of your own).FireplaceInstall a fireguard and keep it in place when a fire is burning.Move gas fireplace keys out of reach.Store logs, matches, and fireplace tools out of reach.Fire preventionCheck batteries on smoke detectors monthly.Plan a fire escape route.First aidTake an infant first-aid course.See our illustrated guide to choking .Forbidden territoryKeep knives, breakables, heavy pans, and other dangerous items locked up or out of reach.Control access to unsafe areas with safety gates, door locks, and knob covers.Put locks or latches on accessible cupbaords and drawers that house unsafe items.Keep rubbish bins in inaccessible cupboards or use ones with child-resistant covers.Cover or block access to hot radiators and floor heaters.Secure refrigerator with appliance latch.Keep small fingers out of videos with a video lock.Don't use tablecloths or placemats -- your baby will pull them and what's on them down.Distract your baby from forbidden places by keeping one cupboard unlocked and filled with lightweight, babysafe items.FurnitureAttach corner and edge guards.Secure furniture that can topple (bookcases, chests of drawers) to the walls.Keep televisions on low furniture, pushed back as far as possible.Secure tall, unstable lamps behind furniture.High chairs and hook-on chairsUse a sturdy, stable, wide-based high chair with a safety strap.Clamp hook-on chair securely onto a table that cannot tip over.Use safety straps.Don't leave your baby unattended.Poison-proofingSurvey your house and move cleaning agents, medicines, vitamins, toiletries, mothballs, and other potentially toxic items out of reach or lock them up.Remember that your handbag or a visitor's bag can hold medicines, toiletries, and other toxic substances -- move them out of reach.Get rid of toxic houseplants such as philodendron or move them out of reach.Sleep (SIDS and fire prevention measures)Put your baby to sleep on her back.Don't let your baby sleep or nap on pillows or fluffy bedding such as comforters or sheepskins.Don't put your baby to sleep on water beds or other soft surfaces.SunKeep your baby out of the sun as much as possible.When your baby is outside, protect her skin with hats, light-coloured clothing with long sleeves, and sunscreen.ToiletInstall a toilet seat lock.ToysThe safest toys:Are securely put together and in good condition.Have no buttons, eyes, beads, ribbons, or other pieces your baby could pull off and choke on.Are not too heavy (if a toy would harm your baby if it fell on her, it's too heavy).Have no strings or cords longer than 30 centimetres / 12 inches.Are appropriate for your baby's age and physical skills.Can't be hung (or anything else) around your baby's neck.WaterDon't leave your baby unattended even for a moment in or near a pool or other water.If you have a pool, erect fencing at least 1.2 metres / 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate.Don't leave even small amounts of water, cleaning solutions, or other liquids in buckets or other containers.WindowsCut off or tie up dangling cords on curtains and blinds.Mark sliding doors and other expanses of glass with colourful stickers.Keep your baby away from open windows.