Do you remember seeing your child stand up or crawl for the first time?  Of course you do!  It was probably one of those amazing moments in your life where you felt time itself stop.  A milestone for your baby, indeed!  But with every milestone there are adjustments that need to be make.  Now that your baby can crawl (sometimes faster than you can keep up) it becomes imperative to "child proof" your home.  You are no longer dealing with an infant who stays put!  So, make sure your home is safe to play and to explore (as children love to explore) while your child learns to walk and even run.  There is a greater chance now that your child will keep falling.  So, try to make sure that it does not turn out to be too injurious for him/her.

• Electricity - Make sure all the plug holes in your walls are proofed and that your child cannot put his finger into any of them. Ideally, no plug holes should be under 4 feet on your wall.  Also, be sure to keep all electrical wires (plugged or otherwise) away from your baby's reach, as teething babies love to chew on cords.  Electrical burns are very scary.  Very scary!
• Sharp objects - All sharp instruments should be kept out of reach or in locked places.  Pens, pencils, scissors, knives, anything with a point (sharp or dull) has the potential for damage.
• Medicine - All medicines should be kept out of reach of your child.  Children love small colorful objects and cannot differentiate between candy and medicine.  Also, for the adults in your home, be conscientious of the medicines you take.  Don't be careless and leave dropped medicines on the floor.  Also remember that children tend to place anything and everything in their mouths.  Medicines found on the floor can not only be harmful when swallowed but children can also choke on them!  Do not take this lightly.
• Poisons - This is quite obvious, but rat killers, mosquito coils or anything not meant for human consumption, should be kept away from your child.
• The kitchen - Fire is a huge hazard and ideally your kitchen should not be accessible to your baby.  Lit stoves, hot stoves, hot pots and pans, hot oils, hot foods; we can go on!  Do not allow your baby in the kitchen.  Also, match sticks are not toys and children must not be allowed to play with them.  Children playing with match sticks have caused houses to burn!  This is a serious matter.  It's your duty to protect your babies and your homes from a fire.
• Stairs - Falls down stairs can sometimes be fatal.  And babies love to try and tackle stairs!  If you have stairs at home install baby gates at both ends.  The one at the top of the stairs should be stronger and should be able to withstand not only the weight of the baby but also a baby trying to push it hard to force it open.
• Paint - If you have paint peeling off your walls - repaint!  Paint swallowing is a very common cause of lead poisoning in children and is very difficult to detect early as it causes problems on accumulation.  If you can afford it, before your baby is born, repaint (with lead-free paint) to be sure.  You cannot always be around to check on your baby, so protect the walls.  Also, your baby can aspirate paint powder and needless to say, that's not good either.
• Objects in general - Make sure that your children's toys do not have lead or lead based paint.  Toys with sharp edges are not to be used as toys!  And toys with small parts are not safe because of the risk of choking.
• Keep all plastic bags out of reach of your child.  Plastic bags are not to be used as toys.  Plastic bags when played with can lead to fatal suffocation.  Make sure ALL plastics bags are disposed off, even the small ones that the toys or food come wrapped in!
• Windows - Never place a baby near a window unattended.  Babies can fall over before you even realize it.
• Toilets - Toilet seats should be locked as toilets are a common place for babies to fall into.
• Cords - Keep your baby away from any and all cords. These include chains, jewelry, drape cords etc.  Babies can entangle and strangle themselves inadvertently.
• Quilts - Keep quilts away from babies. Very soft bedding can also lead to suffocation.