Baby Safety Gates:
Babies on the Move

When I was raising my children, baby safety gates were a big part of our lives! We used our baby gates all the time and all over the house. It just helps you to relax and know that your baby isn’t getting into anything you don’t want him to.

Pressure Fit Baby Safety Gates

These baby gates are less expensive than hardware mounted gates ($30 compared to maybe $75), but they are less sturdy and are easily knocked out of place.

That’s something to consider when deciding which gates you want in your home.

As your baby continues to develop, he will use the child safety gate to pull himself up. Because pressure gates are less sturdy, your baby’s weight, when they use it to stand themselves up, can knock the gate onto himself or the stairs.

**NEVER put pressure fit baby gates at the top of a staircase!**

Hardware Mounted Gates

Even though you probably don’t want to put holes in your woodwork or walls with a hardware mounted baby gate, it really is the better choice in terms of security for your baby.

Swing Gates

Whether you choose pressure fit baby safety gates or a hardware mounted gate, be sure you get a gate that swings open.

This will keep you from having to step over it. It may not seem like a big deal, but day in and day out of using that gate….you are not going to want to constantly hop over it.

It really is dangerous, as well. And, when you have a child in one hand, a million things to do, and maybe you’re even pregnant again, you do not want to be hopping over gates all day. And, if your child sees you do it…they will absolutely try to imitate you.

Play Yards


There is a baby gate that you can set up in your living room or yard that looks like a big play pen, but I don’t really suggest it.

We used that a few times and it was so easy to knock over. If my daughter crawled up to it and touched it, it fell over.

So, now she was out of the area I sectioned off or underneath a baby gate. Great. Not what I had in mind.

Balcony shields Any discussion of baby safety gates needs to include options for protecting your baby near balconies and decks. If you have a balcony with open slats, consider putting up a transparent shield. Many balconies have slats that are wide enough for your baby to put her head through. This shield is clear and yet prevents her from reaching the slats.
Deck netting
	Like balconies, decks can pose a hazard for your baby. There is a netting that you can get that rolls out to fit the length and width of your deck. Again, this will prevent your baby from going through the slats.
Barbeque or fireplace screens
Barbeque or fireplace gates are great for keeping your baby away from the fire and/or the controls on the barbeque.

Guidelines to help you choose the right child safety gates for you.

• Get a gate that swings open.

This will help you go back and forth through the baby gate without having to take the whole gate down and then put the whole thing up again every time you need to get up the stairs or into a room.



• Get a gate that was made after 1985.

  Don’t use an expandable, accordion style gate. These gates open and make diamond shape spaces that can strangle a child.

  This kinds of gate isn't made anymore, but if you are looking in second hand stores or getting a hand-me-down, you will want to pay close attention to how it opens.

  Get a new one if this is the kind you have.
  
  

• Get a gate that is safety-certified.

You want to use child safety gates that are ASTM/JPMA certified (American Society for Testing and Materials/Juvenile Products Manufacturers Administration). That means that particular gate complies with voluntary safety standards.

Buy products from companies that participate in that certification and have stamped their products with a safety-certified approval.

It is possible that a company will certify some of it’s products and not others. So look for that certification.



• Make sure the baby gate is properly constructed.

The spaces between each of the slats should not be more than 2 3/8 inches. If the space is bigger, your child can get her head caught.

Also, choose a gate made without holes so your baby can’t use them to climb over the gate. I prefer the metal gates to the wooden ones. They are sturdier and stronger.



• If you have a pet, find a gate that has self-closing pet doors on them.

  Don’t make your own pet door in the gate by cutting the bars or things like that.

  It weakens the construction of the gate as well as gives your child a step on which to climb.




• Get a gate that is age appropriate for your child.

Baby safety gates should be at least three-quarters as tall as your child. You can get taller baby gates if your child is older or able to reach over the gate to get at things that are off limits.

Child safety gates are, ideally, for children between 6 months and 2 years. Once your child is able to climb over the gate, etc, you no longer need one.



• Get a gate that will fit properly in your home.

Measure where you would like the gates to go so you are sure they will fit. Because the measurements for the top of our stairs were smaller than the ones for the bottom of the stairs, we ended up going with hardware mounted baby gates that can expand to fit the space you need.

Avoid getting a gate that “just fits.“ It will tend to wobble if it doesn’t have enough slack.



• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper installation of your baby safety gates.



• Make sure the gates are securely in place after installation.

After installing the child safety gates, I would always lean against them and really put some pressure there to make sure they wouldn’t fall over if my baby pressed against them or used them to pull himself up.



• Make sure your baby gates are securely closed every time you pass through them.

Get into the habit of always closing the gate door every time you go through even if your baby is asleep. It’s too easy to forget to close it one time when your baby is up and about.

**Baby Safety Gates are immensely helpful when baby proofing your home, but they are not a replacement for constant adult supervision.**

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