Baby-Proofing
Baby-proofing guides built from CPSC and AAP guidance: furniture and TV anchors, walkers, and the hazards that send toddlers to the ER.
Explainers
Window safety: blind cords and window falls (2026)
Short answer: use cordless window coverings in rooms where young children spend time; CPSC says cordless is the only way to eliminate the strangulation hazard. Move cribs, beds and furniture away from windows. For falls, a screen won’t stop a child: use window guards or stops that limit openings to 4 inches or less, with one escape window per room.
GuideRoom-by-room baby-proofing checklist (2026)
Short answer: start before your baby crawls. The highest-impact steps are anchoring furniture and TVs, gating stairs with a screw-mounted top gate, going cordless on blinds, locking up medicines and pods, covering outlets, setting the water heater to 120°F or lower, and working smoke and CO alarms. CPSC notes no device is completely childproof, so supervision still matters.
GuideHow to anchor furniture and TVs to prevent tip-overs (2026)
Short answer: anchor every dresser, bookcase, TV and piece of furniture with drawers, doors or shelves to the wall, and mount or strap TVs. The AAP says anti-tip devices cost about $5 to $25 and take minutes; it suggests metal anchors into a stud. A newer dresser that meets the 2023 federal stability rule still needs anchoring.
GuideButton and coin battery safety: prevention and what to do if swallowed (2026)
Short answer: treat a possibly swallowed button or coin battery as an emergency. Go to the ER or call 911 right away; the AAP says a 20 mm lithium coin battery stuck in the esophagus can burn through it within 2 hours. To prevent it, know which devices use these batteries, keep them out of reach with compartments taped or screwed shut, and tape up “dead” batteries before throwing them away.
GuideSmoke and carbon monoxide alarms: where to put them and how to maintain them (2026)
Short answer: install smoke alarms inside every bedroom (including the nursery), outside each sleeping area and on every level; install CO alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect them if you can. Test monthly, replace batteries at least yearly unless they’re sealed 10-year units, and replace smoke alarms after 10 years and CO alarms per the maker or every 5 years (CDC). Infants are more likely to get sick from carbon monoxide.
GuidePool and water safety for babies and toddlers (2026)
Short answer: layer protections. Fence pools on all four sides, at least 4 feet high, separating the pool from the house, with a self-closing, self-latching gate (CDC; CPSC; AAP). Assign one adult as Water Watcher with no phone or alcohol. Consider swim lessons from about age 1 (AAP). Use life jackets, not floaties, in natural water. Learn CPR.
GuidePoison-proofing your home: cabinet locks, laundry pods and medicines (2026)
Short answer: before your baby crawls, move medicines, laundry and dishwasher pods, cleaners, nicotine and alcohol up high, out of sight, and behind a locking cabinet or latch. Child-resistant caps are not childproof. If your child swallows something, don’t make them vomit; call Poison Help at 800-222-1222, or 911 if they’re unconscious, not breathing or seizing.
GuideLead safety for babies and toddlers: paint, water, toys and testing (2026)
Short answer: if your home was built before 1978, ask your local health department about testing it, keep your child away from chipping paint, and use certified contractors for repairs (AAP; CDC). Use only cold tap water for formula and cooking, and an NSF-certified filter if lead is a concern (AAP). Wash hands, toys and pacifiers often. Ask your pediatrician about a blood lead test; most children with lead in their blood have no symptoms (CDC).
GuideHow to check baby product recalls (2026)
Short answer: find the model number and manufacture date on the product label, then search the right agency: CPSC (CPSC.gov/Recalls or SaferProducts.gov) for nursery gear, toys and furniture; NHTSA (NHTSA.gov/recalls) for car seats; and FDA for formula, baby food, teething medicines and breast pumps. Fill out the registration card that comes with cribs, strollers, high chairs and other durable baby gear so the maker can reach you directly.
GuideHigh-powered magnets and kids: why two swallowed magnets are an emergency (2026)
Short answer: the AAP urges families with children not to keep high-powered magnet sets at home. If two or more of these magnets are swallowed, they can pull together through the intestines with enough force to cause serious damage or death. If you think your child swallowed a magnet, call your pediatrician or go to the ER right away; surgery may be needed.
GuideBaby gates: top vs bottom of stairs, hardware vs pressure-mounted (2026)
Short answer: put gates at both the top and bottom of stairs once your baby starts crawling (AAP), and at the top use only a gate that screws into the wall (CPSC). Pressure-mounted gates are for doorways and the bottom of stairs. Skip accordion-style gates with V-shaped gaps and pet gates, and check any retractable gate against recent recalls.
GuideAre baby walkers safe? Walkers vs activity centers vs jumpers (2026)
Short answer: no. The AAP says wheeled baby walkers are never safe, even with an adult close by, because a baby can move more than 3 feet in a second. It has called for a ban on their manufacture and sale. Walkers don’t help babies learn to walk and can delay it. A stationary activity center (no wheels), a play yard or floor time are safer.