Your baby wants to move, climb, open things and poke into small spaces. She does not understand how dangerous things can be. There are many reasons to baby proof your house. It helps your baby avoid accidents and injuries. It gives your baby a large area to safely explore, which helps her learn. You won’t have to keep saying “NO”. It keeps your valued items safe. How to Baby Proof: Get down and crawl around. Look carefully at everything in the rooms where your baby goes. Create a safe area for your baby to play. Cover all electrical outlets. Move cleaning products to high shelves. Put small items such as matches, nails, tiny beads out of sight. Move chemicals such as cleaning products and bug killers to high shelves. Keep all medicines out of reach. Install child-proof locks on cabinets that hold items that you don’t want your baby to have. Use new gates to make off limits stairs and other places you don’t want your baby to play. Old-fashioned accordion gates are dangerous. Your baby can be trapped in the “V’s” in the gate. Until you have a safe play area, borrow or buy a playpen or safe gate. Playpens work well with some babies, and others cry the minute they’re put into one. If you do use a playpen, be sure it is safe and has a spring lock and no hinges or joints that can pinch tiny fingers. Do not keep your baby in the play pen very long; she will get tired of it and it keeps her from safely exploring and learning.