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As parents, we eagerly look forward to the day when our little one begins to crawl or take their first baby steps. It’s a joy to witness our baby successfully conquering each milestone. However, this joy comes with a critical task at hand that you need to address — babyproofing. When your baby starts to crawl or walk, it becomes increasingly important for you to set up certain barricades around the house to prevent any accidents. There can be untoward instances where your baby walks or crawls out of the house or accidentally falls off the stairs. To avoid any such mishaps, it is best to invest in the right kind of baby gate.
Also known as a child safety gate, baby gates are barriers that are made of wood, mesh, plastic, or even metal, to prevent your little one from accessing certain parts of your home, be it stairways or the kitchen.
The Different Types Of Baby Gates
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There are plenty of baby gates in the market, leaving you spoilt for choice. We’ve listed down the different types of baby gates. Opt for one that is best suited for your child’s needs:
- Baby Gates For Stairs
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Baby gates for stairs are mainly designed to be fitted at the end and/or beginning of the staircase. This is to prevent your little one from climbing up or climbing down the stairs. In most cases, baby gates that are fixed on stairs are hardware-mounted. If you think that the stairway in your house needs babyproofing, then you should consider investing in baby gates for stairs.
- Pressure-Mounted Baby Gates
These baby gates are designed in such a way that it depends on the pressure that is created between the walls and the baby gate — hence, the name. If the idea is to place this barrier on doorways, it will work great for you. However, it is not the best option for stairways.
- Hardware-Mounted Baby Gates
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This type of baby gate is perhaps the most secure. It is installed into the building, be it doorways or stairways. Although it is fixed, it can be uninstalled once your baby’s vulnerable days are over! These gates might leave marks as they are permanently installed.
- Step-Over Baby Gates
The step-over baby gate is best used for your baby’s crawling stages. It is short enough for you to step over but high enough to block your crawling baby. This isn’t very useful if your baby starts walking. It is usually mounted to prevent the child from crawling out of the house or crawling into potentially hazardous areas such as the kitchen.
- Mesh Or Retractable Baby Gates
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These baby gates are primarily used for temporary purposes and are not fixed or installed. In most cases, this type of baby gate is made from mesh. It can be used when your baby is around and removed when you don’t need it, for example, if your baby is asleep.
- Extra Tall Baby Gates
Sometimes, children like to monkey around. If your little one has a habit of climbing things (and is good at it), you might want to invest in an extra tall baby gate. This also comes in handy if you think you will need this for a longer time, late into your child’s toddler years.
- Swinging Baby Gates
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As the name suggests, this type of baby gate has a hinge on one side, and the other side is left free to swing, just like a door. It allows you to pass through the baby gate with ease but does the job of blocking your baby since it has locks.
You will have to consider a few things before getting a baby safety gate. Figure out where it needs to be mounted and if you need more than one. Decide what material works best for you — they come in wood, mesh, plastic, and metal. Did you recently get baby gates for your little one? Has it helped? Let us know in the comments.
