Once baby is mobile, you will have a lot of work to do child-proofing your home. Before baby hits that stage, your baby-proofing can concentrate on the nursery. Start with where your baby will be spending a lot of time—the crib.

Make sure that the mattress is the right fit for the crib. You shouldn’t be able to fit more than one of your fingers in between the mattress and crib. Any more than that, and baby could get caught in that space. Choose a changing table with guard rails and a safety strap. While those ubiquitous “It’s a Boy!” or “It’s a Girl!” balloons are cute, keep them out of the nursery as they are a strangulation hazard for baby.

With some planning, your nursery will be a safe place for baby to sleep and play, just as it should be.