Baby monitor
A baby monitor alerts you to sounds from a distance. Many parents find a monitor allows them to relax, knowing they'll hear their baby when it needs them. It doesn't pick up other dangers such as a fire, so don't be tempted to go out and rely on the monitor to alert you if there's a problem.

Safety harness
A baby who can sit up or be propped up in the pram needs a safety harness so they don't fall over the side or topple out when you take the pram down a steep curb. Pushchairswith a safety harness which goes over the shoulders as well as around the waist and between the legs should also be used from the beginning (many pushchairs have a built in safety harness). Use a safety harness fixed to a highchair all the time, so you automatically put it on when you put your baby in the highchair. Also use a harness when you put your baby in the seat of a supermarket trolley.

Reins
For a toddler, a harness and set of walking reins or a wrist link will keep them safe when out and about.

Babies' skin is very sensitive and hot water and hot drinks can scald badly so take great care with anything hot.

• use fireguards designed to protect children.
  
• don't drink hot liquids with a baby on your lap or in your arms, or have a baby within grasping or knocking distance of anything hot.
  
• radiators can burn a baby's skin. You may need to turn the heating down or use a radiator guard.
  
• hot water from the tap can scald. Turn the hot water system down to 54°C/130°F.
  
• the inside of a freezer can cause an ice burn. Use a freezer lock so your baby or toddler cannot open the door.
  
• the dangling cord from an iron on an ironing board is very tempting to a crawling baby. Do the ironing when your baby is in bed, or pop him in a highchair with some toys so he can watch but can't reach the iron.
  
• swap flexes on kettles and appliances for curly ones that don't tempt a crawling baby to pull on them by dangling over the edge of a worktop
  
• use a cooker guard and use the back burners or plates on the cooker rather than the front ones. Turn pan handles towards the back of the cooker.
  
• at a temperature which may feel only hot to an adult, an oven door can burn a baby's skin badly. Fit an oven door guard
  
• always put cold water in the bath first. Adding cold water after hot is potentially unsafe; you could forget to add the cold or an older child could climb in, thinking the bath is ready.
  
• the bath water should feel warm to your elbow - the traditional way of checking (your hand is too accustomed to hot temperatures). A bath thermometer removes any doubt.
  
• wrap a towel around taps to prevent hot water from dripping and to avoid the baby bumping their head on them.

Many parents are caught out by a baby suddenly learning to roll over from the bed on which their nappy is being changed onto the floor. Or the baby who manages to tummy-shuffle to the top of the staircase. Try to anticipate the next stage of development and add extra safety precautions before they are needed

• after the first few weeks, change your baby's nappy at floor level. Babies learn to roll months before they can crawl. Never leave a baby unattended on a changing mat on a bed or changing table.
• never put a baby's bouncing chair on a raised surface. The gentle kicking movements of even the smallest baby can move the chair towards the edge.
  
• fit a safety gate at the top and bottom of the stairs before your baby learns to crawl.
  
• use a removable gate to block off rooms temporarily when necessary
• use safety locks or catches for windows as son as your baby can crawl, as he will learn to climb at about the same time and may be able to reach the window handle. Windows that open by pushing outwards at the bottom are especially dangerous as they can open them by leaning against them and topple out.
  
• use a non-slip mat in the bath so your baby doesn't slip over and never leave a baby or toddler unattended in the bath, even for a minute.

If your baby or toddler swallows tablets, vitamin pills or any other medicines or pills, ring your doctor or hospital for advice or take him straight to hospital, along with the remains of the substance he has swallowed. This makes identification easier and may help speed up treatment.

Babies and toddlers will try to eat the most amazing things and even everyday objects can poison them. The following household items can be dangerous and babies and toddlers have been known to try to eat them:

• vitamin pills look like sweets and can be very dangerous in quantity
  
• fluoride tablets
  
• alcohol (even small amounts can make babies very ill or kill them)
  
• cigarettes
  
• face cream and make up
  
• contraceptive pills left beside the bed
  
• pills found in mum's or a visitor's handbag left on the floor
  
• flowers, house plants, the soil in the plant pot
  
• toilet freshener blocks
  
• toilet cleaner tucked behind the toilet
  
• washing up liquid
  
• dog and cat food left on the floor
  
• dishwasher powder which can burn a baby's mouth and tongue

Your baby will put anything small enough into his or her mouth to explore the shape, size and texture of things. Baby toys are designed with this in mind and care is taken to ensure that they cannot be swallowed. This is why many toys are marked 'not suitable for under 36 months' .

• choose toys that are designed for babies.
  
• take extra care if you have an older child in the house. Small parts of toys lying around can be very dangerous to a crawling baby.
  
• avoid leaving coins, keys or other small items in reach of your baby.
  
• never leave a baby alone while eating as he could choke on lumps of food. Usually he will cough and splutter until the food is out, but you may have to reach into his mouth with your finger and hook it out. If it doesn't work, put him on your knee facing downwards and give a very firm pat on the back.
  
• some foods are not suitable for babies and toddlers because of their size and texture. Peanuts are particularly dangerous as they can be easily inhaled and can cause damage to the tissues of the lungs once inside the child's body.

Once your baby begins to crawl, baby-proofing the home is essential. The best way to spot dangers is to get on your hands and knees and crawl around, looking at your house from the baby's eye view. Do this before your baby starts to crawl so you have enough time to get organised. Your baby will then very quickly learn to climb. The dangers are that they may try to climb things that cannot take his weight and will collapse under them or bring new dangers within reach.

• remove all fragile items and lightweight free-standing objects like plants.
  
• avoid using tablecloths on a dining or coffee table as baby may use it to stand up and drag everything down on top of them.
• fit covers to electrical sockets.
• cover video and TV controls with safety panels.
  
• fit corner protectors to sharp corners of tables.
  
• check glass-surfaced furniture is toughened or covered with safety film.
  
• check that internal glass doors are made from safety glass. If in doubt add a layer of safety film or get a glazier to identify the type of glass and if necessary replace it.
  
• fit and use stair gates, cupboard and drawer locks - especially on cupboards containing cleaning products, china and glass, plastic bags, anything breakable or precious.
• fit fridge and freezer locks and, where necessary, window locks and devices to prevent doors slamming on tiny fingers.
  
• be careful with washing machines and tumble dryers. Toddlers can open the door and get in and then be unable to get out again.

When visiting friends or family with your baby or toddler, ask if dangerous (or expensive) items could be removed for your visit. Most people will be relieved that you've brought up the subject yourself.

Handbags at floor level, cups or glasses on coffee tables, picture frames within easy reach and open fires are just some of the dangers that other people's houses hold for a mobile baby. You will need to be extra vigilant and may have to keep visits short while your baby is mobile but too young to understand that there are things they cannot touch.

Car safety

• choose a seat according to the weight not the age of your child,
  
• use a child seat every time.
  
• don't buy a second-hand car seat unless you know for certain, that it has never been in any sort of accident - there may be defects and cracks on the frame and/or bodywork which you can't see.
  
• if an airbag is fitted do not put the baby on the front passenger seat. There have been cases of babies being killed by an airbag.
  
• it is illegal to place a baby in the front seat of a car without a suitable car restraint.

Toddlers are fascinated by the garden and though it's a place of adventure, there are lots of potential dangers. The top eight risks are

• dirty hands
  
• water
  
• barbecues
  
• insecure fencing
  
• dangerous tools
  
• poisonous plants
  
• garden toys
  
• household hazards
  

Never leave your child unattended outdoors and take particular care when visiting friends who may not be as safety-conscious as you.

Toddlers love putting anything in their mouths and this includes dirt from the garden. Garden soil may contain cat or dog faeces that may then be ingested. Cat faeces can contain toxoplasmosis, a parasite that is relatively harmless, but can cause birth defects if passed on to a pregnant woman. Dog faeces can contain toxocariasis, an infection present in worm eggs, which can cause flu-like symptoms.

Clear up after your own cat or dog if they mess in the garden and make sure your child washes their hands after playing outside.

Drowning is the third largest cause of accidental death in the home for under fives and the majority of cases happen during the summer months of July and August. It only takes moments for a child to drown - and it can happen in less than 3cm of water.

Never leave your child unattended near any kind of water, whether a paddling pool or a filled bucket. Fill and empty the pool each day so that you can make a point of being present whenever your children play. Fill in your garden pond or securely cover and fence it off.

Even if your garden is child-friendly, small children can wriggle through the smallest space in a broken fence or hedge to explore further afield. Exposed nails can also cause damage and may necessitate a tetanus injection.

Make sure your garden fence is secure, and that there is no way your toddler can climb on something to get up it - around eight children under the age of four die in falls every year.

Many harmless-looking plants can cause skin irritation when touched and can be poisonous if the leaves, flowers, berries or bulbs are eaten. Some of the more common ones to watch out for include: azalea, daffodil bulbs, deadly nightshade, delphinium, foxglove, hyacinth, lily of the valley, privet, rhododendron, rhubarb leaves, yew and laburnum.

Encourage your child not to pick plants or flowers. Keep poisonous plants towards the back of the flowerbed or better still pull them out.

Toddlers are fascinated by barbecues so it's important that they learn not to go near them. Lit barbecues become very hot very quickly and if your child touches the main cooking area or even the lid, he may burn his hands.

There are two main types of barbecue: coal and gas - both are dangerous. Even when no longer alight, coal stays hot for hours and must not be touched.

Be vigilant at all times. Do not leave children alone near the barbecue and explain very carefully that they must not go near it because it is very hot - even when you have finished cooking. Keep lids, grills and cooking utensils out of reach and don't leave matches or a lighter lying around. If your child does badly burn himself, go the emergency room. Placing the area that has been burned under a cold running tap for several minutes first can also help.

Tools and equipment like lawnmowers, secateurs, strimmers and hammers are fascinating to toddlers, especially boys who want to 'be like dad'. Garden sheds are like adventure playgrounds to children but they are completely oblivious to the dangers. Rotary or 'umbrella' washing lines can also be a hazard when they are closed as children may play with the line, with a risk of strangling. Keep your washing line erect at all times to avoid accidents.

Put equipment and tools in a locked shed. Store chemicals like weed killer out of reach on shelves. Never pour chemicals into another container, such as an old lemonade bottle and make sure child-proof tops are screwed on properly. Garden products such as fertilisers and slug pellets can also be dangerous, so lock those away too.

Make sure any toys in the garden are suitable for your child's age. Toddlers copy older children and don't understand that they shouldn't put small objects in their mouth. Children can also hurt themselves if equipment isn't secure or safely placed in the garden.

Ensure outdoor toys are weather-proof and won't warp or deteriorate if left outside. Make sure they are assembled properly and check regularly that no screws or fittings have worked loose. Place apparatus such as slides in a safe place and make sure nothing obstructs your child's descent and that they can't hurt themselves when they reach the bottom. The toys should conform to BS 5665 or EN71 safety standards.