Knowing you have to baby proof your home can be daunting, so much to think about!

When you start to prepare for the arrival of a new baby, more often than not you start to collect little bits of baby things that you lovingly wash in non-bio weeks ahead of your due date. Little vests, little sleep suits, soft blankets. People ask what you need to buy still and you list prams, moses baskets, changing bags and *ahem* your essential SnoozeShade to list just a few. But how many of us list cupboard locks, finger guards and plug socket protectors in their must- have baby essentials? These are baby tials, after all and today we're asking the question: is your house baby safe?

In the UK more than 5000 people suffer accidents in the home and many of them are children. And while the odd tumble is inevitable from time to time, its up to us as parents to do what we can to keep our little ones as safe as possible. Here's a quick guide to making your home baby safe:

Draw Up a Checklist of Each Room

Move slowly through every room in your house and try to look at it from a child’s perspective. What dangers can you see straight away? What are inside your cupboards? What gadgets do you have lying around that your child could harm themselves with? Remember that to a small child, the world is a playground and while you may know that razor blades are sharp and certainly not to be played with, your child simply sees a shiny object that looks really fun…

Most of your baby proofing needs to be done before baby is crawling, but lots of it can be done even before baby arrives:

• Install carbon monoxide detectors throughout the house
• Install and check smoke detectors throughout the house
• Agree a fire escape route with the whole family
• Make sure night lights, if you use them, are kept away from flammable materials such as curtains
• Keep a first aid kit handy and well stocked
• Keep emergency numbers by the telephone so that you and your partner know where they are at all times
• Put safety locks on all cupboards containing medicines, sharp objects and chemicals- ie, cleaning products
• Enrol on a child first aid/ CPR course

Kitchen:

• Locks on cupboard doors
• Knives out of reach
• Prevent access to hot taps
• Use an oven guard
• Don’t hold baby while you are cooking
• Turn pan handles away from the edge of the stove
• Keep kettles away from the edges of work surfaces
• Don’t carry hot food or drinks while you are holding baby
• Keep electrical items out of reach

Hallway:

• Use stair gates
• Keep plants out of reach
• secure heavy furniture
• Use corner guards on furniture

Lounge:

• Cover electrical outlets
• Secure television and other furniture
• Secure blind cords
• Keep baby from climbing on furniture
• Protect radiators and heaters

Bathroom:

• Never leave baby unattended in the bathroom, especially at bath time
• Fill tub only enough to cover baby’s legs
• Use warm water for the bath and always test first
• Use non-sip bath mats inside and outside the tub

General safety around the house

• Never leave baby alone in bouncy chairs, on beds or sofas, or any spot she could fall from
• Use door guards to prevent little fingers being trapped
• Keep matches etc out of reach
• Keep trash cans out of sight
• Block access to DVD/ CD player buttons and slots
• Always use safety fastenings on highchairs etc
• Ensure toys meet safety standards and are clean

If you're unsure about any aspect of baby safety within the home, speak to your health visitor who should be happy to discuss any issues with you. It's also a good idea to ask visitors to the house to respect your safety concerns too- so make sure everyone keeps their bags out of reach, hot drinks out of the way and teach them how to close the stair gates begind themselves too!