Most moms are concerned with childproofing their homes before there’s even a baby in it. We all know about plugging unused outlets, putting safety locks on drawers and cabinets, and securing our pools with fences or covers.

Here are some additional safety items you may want to consider:

Animals Do you have pets in your home? Where do you store their food? Is the food bowl out and accessible to a crawling infant? What materials do you use to line your pet’s (reptiles, for example) cages? Is the material safe for children?

Furniture Many moms buy bumpers for sharp cornered tables and put safety covers on fireplaces. Don’t forget about bookshelves, tall dressers and TV armoires. A growing toddler learning to pull herself up will grab onto anything. Make sure bookshelves and other large furniture pieces are secured to the wall so they can’t be pulled over.

Medicines When our children are young and not very mobile, it is easy to keep medicines out of their reach. As children get older, many moms purchase locked containers to store medicine products. I find these containers don’t have room for all the items I want out of reach. We keep our medicine products high up and out of reach knowing that, as they get older, we will have to adjust our storage methods.

Cleaning Supplies and Other Household Items Medicine products are not the only items that should be secured out of children’s reach. Cleaning supplies should also be kept away from children. Not only that, moms should take steps to ensure that the cleaning products they use are safe for children. Other items such as fire extinguishers, rubbing alcohol, and lotions should also be kept away from children. A young child who gets into any of these things can create an unsafe situation in a matter of moments.

Plants If you have plants in your home, it is a good idea to see if they are poisonous to children. Even if they are not poisonous, it is highly likely that your children will be curious at some point and pull on the pot knocking it over or will grab a handful of dirt and shove it in their mouth before you can get to them. Consider removing plants from your home or, if you choose not to, to be constantly aware when your child is in the same room as your plants.

Children’s safety is a topic that not only consumes new moms but all moms. Safety concerns change and evolve as our children age. What remains constant is mom’s responsibility to protect her children and ensure them a safe environment from which to grow.