Parent and Baby

By the time that your baby starts to crawl, use a walker and explore his surrounding, your best friend is the safety gates. This will prevent your baby from potential hazards because let’s face it, we can’t always give our baby our 100% attention. Safety gates can be installed at the top and bottom of the stairs, in between rooms and even outdoors. In buying safety gates, there are things to be considered before you rush to your nearest home depot store.

Types of Gates

There are three kinds of gates. The first one is the pressure-mounted gates. This gate is composed of two sliding panels which adjust to the dimensions of the doorway. The locking mechanism powers the force to wedge the gate in place. This kind of gate can only be used in between rooms and is not recommended for placing at the top and bottom of the stairs. The wall-mounted gates are mounted directly into the wall or stair banister with screws. This type of gate can withstand more pressure than the pressure-mounted ones. Wall-mounted gates can be installed at the top and bottom of the stairs, between rooms and window openings. The third type is the yard gate. This type of gate have expandable panels that form a fairly large area that encloses the place where your baby can play, crawl and explore. This gate is perfect for use outdoors but it can also be used indoors. Every other panel in this type of gate opens for easy access.

There are features that you should look for when you buy safety gates.

• Choose one that can be easily opened and locked with one hand. This feature is useful when for example, you are carrying your baby.
• Make sure that the gate is dual-direction. This means that the gates can be opened away and towards you.
• Expandable gates are very useful different sizes of doorways. Most gates have extension kits.
• Choose gates that are see-through so that you can have a full view of your baby.
• Make sure that the gates that you have purchased have installation kits that will allow you to install it on various surfaces.
• Gates can be made of wood, plastic, plastic-coated steel and soft mesh.
• Gates should never be less than 3/4 of your baby’s height. Discontinue using gates when your child reaches two years old or his height is already 36 inches.