afety is a top priority for all parents.

While a newborn baby comes with their own challenges, once a child is mobile you enter a new phase of parenthood and it’s time to baby proof.

While there are the obvious items to invest in, there are now some innovative and handy products on the market to help protect your baby. Of course, baby proofing goes beyond safety - and you may also want to think about taking some measures to protect your home from the chaos that a small person on the move can bring.

Baby proofing can seem overwhelming - especially as the modern home is full of potential hazards. There are plenty of lists and guides online to help you, while online sessions such as the Baby Academy UK’s baby safety course can really help new parents get to grips with necessary adjustments needed around the house. This course will also inform you about what to do if an accident does happen.

While taking measures such as securing furniture to walls, baby proofing sharp corners on furniture, removing toxic and hazardous products such as cleaning goods, batteries and alcohol from reach, and ensuring blinds and curtains are not a strangulation risk, are all sensible, here’s some excellent products to help keep your baby safe and your home happy.

A great place to start on your baby proofing journey is with this Fred home safety pack, which includes seven items to help make your home secure.

In the pack are a top and lower catch to secure drawers, two different types of blocks for doors and drawers, four corner protectors, a door slam stopper, socket covers and even a gadget to check if items are small enough to be a choke hazard. A pretty comprehensive pack to get you started.

Every home needs a first aid kit, and this option is both extensive in its contents and cute to look at.

It comprehensively includes Sudocrem (25g), scissors, tweezers, forehead thermometer, vinyl gloves, nappy sacks, micropore tape, antiseptic wipes, medium and small eyepad dressings, low adherent dressing, fabric dressing strip, wound closure strips, gauze swabs, plasters, woven crepe bandages, triangular bandage, safety pins, burn gels, eye wash and ‘little star’ stickers.

Buy one for the home and one for the car.

Doorstops are great pieces of baby proofing kit as they’ll help stop tiny fingers from getting stuck in slamming doors. These Jamm doorstops work on tile, carpet, wood, laminate, stone, and marble floors. They are great value, and have a sleek and minimal design.

This little gadget will not only tidy up any unsightly wires, it will keep them out of the way of any small hands. Comes with an easy click top lid for super easy assembly.

Stairgates are a baby proofing essential. Fred is the market leader in child safety products, and has some of the most robust, best looking and easy to use stairgates on the market. The brand has its screw fit wooden stairgate (from £170) suitable for the top of the stairs as it doesn’t have a low bar along the floor which could be a trip risk. Its counterpart for the bottom is the pressure fit (£62.50). Both are nice and tall - 77cm - and include a magnetic two way lock. The gates are made of lick proof and bite proof materials.

Quite obviously, an oven can be very dangerous for a curious child. This nifty self adhesive oven safety lock, which is easily attached to your appliance with tape, is compatible with most ovens and microwaves. Each lock has been manufactured using heat resistant PC materials to withstand extreme temperatures.

Baby proofing goes beyond safety and also includes items that protect your home. This splash mat is a great pick if your child is weaning. Weaning is a messy business - and this means you don’t have to clean the entire kitchen floor everytime your baby eats. It is easy to roll up and put away and could also be used for other messy situations - like craft time.

While we’re on the topic of weaning... the high chair is probably your biggest investment and making sure your child is safe while eating is paramount. You want something sturdy and supportive for your child (especially as they will probably have only just have learnt to sit up), while not being too restrictive to impede their ability to eat.

The classic Stokke Tripp Trapp, which turned 50 this summer, is one of the safest chairs on the market, thanks to its solid structure, and five point safety harness. It’s also wallet proof - this chair is suitable for babies throughout their childhood and can even be used by adults.

Similar to the general Fred kit but this Dreambaby collection is specific for the bathroom. As well as drawer catches, plug covers and a door stopper, the kit also includes non-slip bath attachments, a toilet lock, a bath spout soft cover and a thermometer for bath time. This kit will pretty much have you covered.

This fun tap guard is a cute accessory for bathtime. Made from neoprene, it attaches to hot metal taps to help protect little hands from being scalded or heads from being hit. The flexible strap means it fits all taps including those with diverters. It is also semi educational - with colourful numbers on the end of its tentacles. Who knew safety could be so cute and fun?

Another big life stage for a little person is moving in to a big bed from their cot. Without cot sides, some children fall out of bed in the night. This wooden bed guard, which clicks easily on/off a bed frame (no tools needed), should help ease your baby through this tricky period. It is compaitble with all beds other than upper bunks. Suitable for children aged 18 months.

Baby proofing is also about making your life easier as a parent. This size-adjustable blackout blind from Tommee Tippee is a must buy for parents of good and bad sleepers alike, and is especially useful around the sleep regressions. This goes up simply, attaching directly to the glass using suction cups and fits any window up to 130 x 198cm. Weighing ony 200g, it comes with a travel bag so can be used at home or when on holiday or staying with family. Also machine washable.

Another must for baby proofing is ensuring heavy furniture like book cases, wardrobes, televisions and draws, are attached to the walls just in case a little person decides to climb them. These staps help anchor furniture to the walls in five minutes. One pack includes 8 straps and all the screws, washers and wall plugs needed.

One of the best things to do when you are baby proofing is to crouch down to toddler height and see your home as they will see it - and you will be surprised at how many sharp edges you’ll encounter when you are a couple of feet tall. Corner protectors are another baby essential - and this good value eight pack should have you covered for a fair few sharp edges in your home. Especially good for coffee tables.

Sometimes it is easier to create a safe space for your children and this Happy Home Playpen by Koo-di is a great option. It simply unfolds and clicks together, so it can go up in a matter of seconds. It also has a squidgy, water resistant bottom so can be used outside in summer months. A play pen is great to encourage independent play with young children - and is especially useful for homes with pets.