Along with the overwhelming love and tenderness that motherhood brings, comes an overwhelming fear and anxiety about every potential hazard which stands in your baby's way. Your baby seems so fragile and precious, that every object in every room is a potentially dangerous one.

The best cure is prevention, so child-proofing your home from top to bottom is extremely important, even before your baby can crawl. The more hazards you can remove from your baby's path the fewer accidents can potentially happen, but please don't forget that accidents still happen, especially when you least expect them.

I apologize if the following scenarios are distressing, but they happen frequently, and must be drawn attention to. Your baby's development will often surprise you, so don't rely on your idea of what your baby can do - he can probably do more than you think.

For example:

1. You may not think he can crawl yet, but he's been practising getting around in his cot, and decides to show you he can do it one day when you leave him in the middle of your bed, surrounded by pillows, as you turn around to get a clean vest. Suddenly there's a thump and your baby is face down on the floor, screaming.

2. You don't think he can pull himself up yet, so you leave him sitting on the floor with his favorite toy, just for a second while you get his bottle from the fridge. Suddenly, there's a high pitched scream, and your baby has pulled himself up on the coffee table and has poured freshly made coffee all over his chest.

3. You don't think he can climb out of his cot yet, but you've noticed that the top of the cot bars barely come up to his chest now (my, how he's grown!). One morning you hear a loud thud following by an ear-splitting scream, and rush into the nursery to find him face down on the floor beside the cot.

The best thing to do is expect your baby to be more mobile than you've seen him be. Never leave him on a raised bed or other furniture, even surrounded, as he may be able to climb over. Never leave him unattended with potentially dangerous items within reach (hot coffee, scissors, knives, pens, matches, lighters, cigarettes, small objects such as marbles, medications, etc). Remember that your baby's reach may be further than you think.

If you do find yourself in an emergency situation (and these things do happen, no matter how careful you are), you must try to remain calm. Assess the situation from a logical point of view and make your decisions quickly

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