Childproofing checklist: before your baby crawls

crawling baby exploring an open kitchen cabinet

Photo credit: istock.com / MartinPrescott

On average, babies begin to crawl at eight months, which means many get moving even earlier. A crawling baby will soon start pulling up, too, so counters, chairs, tables and other surfaces are no longer out of reach.

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Use this checklist to help you prepare for a baby who can go from here to there in the blink of an eye. Then crawl around on your hands and knees to see if you've missed anything.

Bathing

Fill the bath to reach no higher than your baby's waist, when she's sitting. If your baby is younger than six months or isn't sitting yet, fill with about 13cm of water, or enough to cover her shoulders as you support her.

Use warm, not hot, water (do an elbow test or use a thermometer to make sure the water is 35 to 37 degrees C).

Never, ever leave your baby in the bath unsupervised, not even for a few seconds.

Put non-slip mats in the bath and on the floor next to it.

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!).

Find out more about bathing your baby safely.

Toilet

Install a toilet-seat lock to prevent drowning.

Clothing

Don't use clothing with drawstrings.

Change table

Use the safety strap on the change table and don't leave your baby unattended. If you need to turn your head away for a moment, keep your hand firmly on her so she doesn't fall off. If your back can bear it, try changing her nappy on the floor.

Keep baby wipes, nappy sacks and other toiletries within your reach, but out of your baby's.

Cot

Don't use cot bumpers, or soft, fluffy bedding such as pillows, doonas or sheepskins under your sleeping or napping baby.

Don't leave toys in the cot when your baby is sleeping.

If you use a dropside cot, keep the dropside up and locked when you're not in the room.

When your baby can get up on her hands and knees, remove mobiles and hanging toys.

Once your baby can pull up, put the mattress in the lowest position.

Learn more about safety in your baby's bedroom.

Sleep

Put your baby to sleep on her back, even for naps.

Don't put your baby to sleep on water beds, couches or other soft surfaces.

Read more about creating a safe sleep environment and preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Preventing burns

Don't carry hot food or drinks and your baby at the same time.

Keep hot food and drinks away from the edge of tables and counters.

Don't hold your baby while cooking at the stove.

Avoid sipping hot drinks while holding your baby.

Turn pan handles towards the back of the stove.

Fit an oven door guard to prevent burns.

Turn off appliances when you've finished using them.

Keep matches and lighters in a locked cupboard, away from your baby's reach.

Keep hair dryers and straighteners out of reach, and put them away once you've finished using them.

Nice to have:

Stove guard that prevents pans being pulled over.

Find out more about burns and scalds.

High chairs and hook-on chairs

Use a sturdy, stable, wide-based high chair with a five-point harness.

Clamp a hook-on chair securely onto a table that can't tip over.

Use safety straps and harnesses.

Don't leave your baby unattended.

Place the high chair away from areas where your baby can reach out to potentially dangerous items or use the surface to push against.

When the high chair isn't in use, store it out of reach so your baby doesn't try to climb on it.

Learn more about safety in the kitchen.

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Electrical outlets, cords and appliances

Switch off unused electrical outlets. Put safety plugs or outlet covers over them, or block with furniture.

Hide electrical cords behind furniture, or use a hide-a-cord device.

Keep hair dryers, toasters, kettles and other appliances unplugged and out of reach.

Doors

Use doorstops and door holders to protect your baby's fingers.

Windows

Check that your blind cords and chains are out of reach. Under Australian regulations, curtains and blinds with hanging cords or chains must be installed so that any loose cord is secured at least 1.6 metres above the floor. The cord musn't be able to form a loop 22cm or longer.

Keep your child's cot and all furniture away from the windows.

Use window guards and window stops on windows. Secure window screens to prevent your baby pushing them out when the window is open.

Mark sliding doors and other expanses of glass with colourful stickers.

Keep your baby and your furniture away from open windows.

Preventing falls

Never leave your baby alone on beds or couches, in a bouncy chair or high chair, on a change table or kitchen island, or in any other spot from which she could fall.

Install safety gates to block stairways at the bottom and top.

If railings have openings wider than 6.5cm, block them with plastic garden fencing, Plexiglas, or other material.

At the supermarket, use the safety belt on your shopping trolley (or bring one of your own) to keep your baby safely in the seat.

Forbidden territory

Keep knives, breakables, heavy pans and other dangerous items locked up or out of reach.

Control access to unsafe areas and places you don't want your baby getting into with safety gates, door locks and knob covers.

Put locks or latches on accessible cupboards and drawers that contain unsafe items.

Keep rubbish, compost and recycling bins in inaccessible cupboards, or use bins with childproof lids.

Cover or block access to radiators and floor heaters.

Secure the refrigerator with an appliance latch.

Use plastic guards to keep the buttons and slots of your CD and DVD players and other devices off-limits.

Don't use tablecloths or placemats – your baby can pull them and anything on them down.

Distract your baby from forbidden places by keeping one cupboard unlocked and filled with lightweight, baby-safe items.

Furniture

Attach corner and edge guards.

Secure furniture that can topple (bookcases, chests of drawers) to the walls.

Anchor flat-screen televisions with safety straps or mount on walls so they can't fall on your baby.

Keep heavy items that can topple on low, sturdy furniture, pushed back as far as possible.

Place tall, unstable lamps behind furniture.

Poison-proofing

Move cleaning agents, medicines, vitamins, toiletries, mothballs, hand sanitiser, dishwasher and laundry pods, and other potentially toxic items out of reach or lock them up.

Your handbag or a visitor's one can hold medicines, toiletries and other dangers, so move them out of reach.

Get rid of toxic houseplants, such as philodendron, or move them out of reach.

Never put household chemicals into unmarked containers or old food containers.

Post the number for the 24-hour Poisons Information Centre hotline (131 126) near phones or in a prominent spot.

Learn more about preventing accidental poisoning.

Toys

The 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.

Aren't 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 30cm.

Are appropriate for your baby's age and physical skills.

Can't be hung (or anything else) around your baby's neck.

Discover more about toy safety.

Fireplace

Install a fire screen and keep it in place when a fire is burning.

Move gas fireplace keys out of reach.

Store logs, matches, gas lighters and fireplace tools out of reach.

Fire prevention

Check your smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds. Replace the batteries every year (or every 10 years, if the battery is lithium).

Plan a fire escape route, and review it regularly.

Sun

Keep 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 a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF factor of 30 or more.

Get more tips on keeping your baby safe in the sun.