New parents spend nine months getting ready for their little bundle of joy. Decorating the nursery, shopping for baby clothes, and picking out names are tasks new parents enjoy doing. It’s easy to overlook an important matter- childproofing your home. There are ten easy steps you take to make your home safer for your most precious possession- your child.

1. Make sure that your smoke alarms work. Test the alarms regularly, and change the batteries twice a year.

2. Ensure that you have a fire extinguisher easily accessible in all areas of the house, and know how to use it.

3. Install carbon monoxide detectors and become familiar with the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.

4. Learn child and infant CPR and first aid. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association teach classes on cardio pulmonary resuscitation and first aid.

5. Program the number for poison control into your cell phone.

6. Install electric outlet covers on all outlets that your child can reach.

7. Keep household cleaning products, cosmetics, and alcohol locked up or out of reach.

8. Install bump protection pads on the corners of coffee tables and fireplaces.

9. Make sure you keep space heaters a safe distance from flammable items, and use a model equipped with a safety valve so it will automatically shut off if it overheats or tips over.

10. Set your hot water heater at a low enough temperature so that your child cannot accidently scald himself.

Accidents do happen, and it’s important to be prepared and know how to respond in an emergency. Take steps to ensure that your home is as safe as it can be. The hospitals in the Ann Arbor area offer classes for new and expecting parents, and are a good resource for information on how to raise a healthy child. Ann Arbor is a wonderful city to raise a child in; whether you live in a downtown Ann Arbor condominium or an Ann Arbor home in the suburbs, you have an abundance of resources nearby to assist you in keeping your child healthy and well.