Right now, it's hard to imagine that within the next few months, baby will become more and more mobile in your home. After all, baby isn't even full-term yet! But from the moment baby starts crawling, you'll need to start moving room to room with a fresh set of eyes. The most treacherous places in your home for baby are the kitchen, the family room, and your home office — so do your best to minimize risk in each of these rooms.

Kitchen and Home Office Safety

In the kitchen, move all appliance power cords out of baby's reach, and never cook with baby in your arms (or within arm's reach of a hot stove). In the family room, keep all smaller objects and electronic devices out of baby's reach as well; items like your sewing kit or an older child's toys with small components should never be left out within baby's grasp.

Finally, keep your home office off-limits to baby, except for portable cribs or an exercise saucer. There are just too many power cords — not to mention your client files or important papers!

Keep It Clean

Finally, keep your home as clean as possible at all times. Dirt and debris can become hiding places for all kinds of vermin — both seen and unseen. Mice, rats, and ants love leftover and improperly stored food items, as well as boxes to hide in or near. Dust mites from infrequent sweeping can fill your home with nastiness that can create allergies in small children and affect your own well-being. If you've never been very tidy before, there'll never be a better time to start than before baby arrives!