toddler opens cabinet door smiling
Health

A Pediatrician’s 9-Step Guide to Baby Proofing Your Home

words by By Dr. Kristin Weidert | Pediatrician | Sage Mother Co.
FOLLOW THESE DOCTOR-APPROVED STEPS FOR BABY PROOFING

Baby proofing your home isn’t about perfection—it’s about protection. While you can’t prevent every bump and tumble, you can take practical steps to make your home a safer space as your baby grows and learns. Here’s a Sage Mother guide to simplifying safety, reducing stress, and knowing what matters most.

At a Glance

  • Start baby proofing before your child is mobile to take the pressure off and increase your peace of mind.
  • Focus on the big four hazards: falls, water, chemicals, and weapons.
  • Store all medicines and cleaning products out of sight, preferably behind a locked door.
  • Take a CPR and first aid course so you can be ready for emergencies at home.

A Pediatrician’s Tips for Baby Proofing Your Home

1. Start Early, But Stay Flexible

Take some of the pressure off, and help yourself feel prepared, by baby proofing your home before your child becomes mobile. Aim to begin when your child is around 4 months old. Don’t feel pressured to do everything at once. You can work in stages based on your child’s development (rolling, crawling, walking, climbing).

2. Focus on The Big 4

Pay attention to these four hazards as you think about creating a safe home for your baby. 

  • Falls: Anchor furniture, install stair gates (preferably screw-mounted), and never leave babies unattended on high surfaces.
  • Water: Never leave babies or toddlers alone in the bath, kiddie pool, or near any standing water.
  • Chemicals: Store medications, cleaners, and other toxic items out of reach or in locked cabinets.
  • Weapons: Safely store firearms with a lock, separate from ammunition.

3. Supervision & Lifestyle Matter

Peace of mind is as much a part of baby proofing as safety. Your approach to baby proofing at home may depend on whether your child is always supervised by a parent or if you have other caregivers coming in and out of your house. If your child is with other caregivers, you may feel more comfortable with more extensive baby proofing than you would need if you were always home. 

Know your child, know your home, and adjust as needed.

Child playing behind safety gates in front of stairs at home

4. Baby Gates 101

Baby gates are useful both on stairs and if you need to limit the rooms that your child can get into. Use wall-mounted gates whenever possible. They’re more secure than pressure-mounted styles, especially at the top of stairs.

5. Build Resilience Through Safe Risk

The goal of baby proofing isn’t to remove any and all risk from your child’s life. Kids, even young babies, need to learn how to manage risk in a safe environment. Letting them explore their environment and take small, safe risks helps build coordination, independence, and confidence. 

Safe risks that you can let your child explore with supervision include:

  • Crawling backward down stairs or off low furniture
  • Climbing soft structures, such as sofas or cushions
  • Exploring spaces in the house, such as a bedroom, a playroom, or a kitchen cabinet 

6. Medicine & Cleaner Storage

Kids often mistake colorful pills for candy. Store all medications and cleaning products out of sight and reach, preferably locked.

7. Safety Gear Considerations

Outlet covers, doorknob covers, corner bumpers, and cabinet locks are all forms of baby proofing that can make your home safer. But they are less urgent than addressing major safety hazards. Choose what works best for your home and comfort level. 

You can also pay attention to how your child plays and interacts with their environment. A cautious child who moves slowly, for example, might not need corner bumpers on furniture. But if you have a toddler who is constantly running around without looking where they are going, bumpers might give you a lot of peace of mind.

8. Know Emergency Signs After Falls

Safety isn’t just about preventing risks. It’s also about how you react when something happens.

Active children have tumbles and falls. Most of these aren’t dangerous, but some of them can be. Watch for red flags like:

  • Vomiting
  • Being inconsolable
  • Falling from a height greater than their own

If any of those happen, check pupils to see if they react to light, monitor your child’s sleep, and don’t hesitate to seek medical care. When in doubt, call your pediatrician.

9. Take a CPR Class

Being prepared for emergencies like choking or head injuries is one of the best ways to ‘baby proof’ your parenting. Consider courses from local hospitals, the Red Cross, or a local YMCA.

When you are prepared for an emergency, you’ll be a calmer and more confident parent, with or without extensive baby proofing in the home.

Sage mother co.

This article is summarized from episode 42 of The Sage Mother Podcast. Follow along as we dig deeper into what actually shapes our motherhood experiences, helping one another along the way. Stay Connected with Sage Mother Podcast on Spotify & Apple Podcasts and @sagemotherco on Instagram.

Referenced Resources & Studies on Baby Proofing Your Home

Shan Tripp – Infant CPR & Emergency Preparedness:
https://www.shantripp.com

Safe Kids Worldwide – Baby Proofing Tips:
https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_venues/home

HealthyChildren.org – Preventing Falls:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Prevention-of-Falls.aspx

Resources To Guide You Through Pregnancy & Beyond:

Life with little ones keeps changing, and we love supporting Cville kids at every stage. Find resources on introducing siblings (with bonus fun printables!), how baby learns, finding a daycare or preschool, choosing a support network, choosing a pediatrician, and fun first outings with your infant in Central Virginia. 

Sign up for our free e-Mag to get weekly family-friendly ideas delivered right to your inbox. And whenever possible, support our community by choosing local businesses—you can meet our partners here.

DR. KRISTIN WEIDERT is a board-certified pediatrician and co-founder of Sage Mother Co. With a deep passion for blending medical expertise with holistic wellness, Dr. Weidert empowers families with practical, evidence-based guidance for raising healthy, happy children. As a dedicated pediatrician and entrepreneur, she brings years of clinical experience and a nuanced understanding of family dynamics to her work at Sage Mother Co., offering resources and support that help parents navigate the joys and challenges of modern parenting.