# Baby-proofing

**How much baby-proofing do we need?**

How thoroughly you childproof the home: gates, locks and anchors everywhere, only the most dangerous hazards, or minimal changes with teaching and watching.

In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Comprehensive (gates, locks, anchors everywhere); Targeted at lethal hazards; Minimal, teach and supervise. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: 0–6 months.

- Area: Safety, risk and independence
- Evidence: Your call
- Best settled: 0–6 months
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/safety-risk-and-independence--baby-proofing

## Baby-proofing: what are the options?

1. **Comprehensive (gates, locks, anchors everywhere)**: You fit gates, cupboard locks and furniture anchors throughout the home.
2. **Targeted at lethal hazards**: You deal with the things that can kill, such as stairs, water, medicines and heavy furniture.
3. **Minimal, teach and supervise**: You change little and rely on watching and teaching.

## Baby-proofing: what does the evidence say?

**Your call.** No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. (Values above a floor)

No injury data sourced; baby walkers are banned for sale in Canada and the AAP wants a US ban

Sources:

- [HealthyChildren.org](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Baby-Walkers-A-Dangerous-Choice.aspx)

## What else is worth knowing?

Babies start to move and reach before they can understand danger. The most serious home hazards are falls, water, medicines, small objects and furniture that can tip. How far beyond those you go is a matter of preference and of how your home is laid out.

## Questions to ask each other

- What hazards worry us most in our home?
- How much do we want to change versus teach?
- Who will check other homes the baby visits?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=safety-risk-and-independence&topic=safety-risk-and-independence--baby-proofing