Tips for Choosing a Baby Gate

A baby gate is an essential component that helps you to limit your baby’s access to different areas in the house. This is more like a safety feature that ensures the baby does not run into problems or places that might put them in danger. It’s a simple tool you could use when you are busy with something and want to keep your children safe. With many brands on the market, you might find it overwhelming to identify the best for your home. Here are guidelines you should consider that will assist you to choose a baby gate.

Looks and Flexibility

You can find baby gates in a variety of colors and some even in natural wood finishes. While choosing one, you should also remember your home’s decors and finishes. You want it to blend with the décor and appear part of the home. Flexibility is also something you could look at as some gates are able to expand up to 41 inches, which means they can grow with your children. Others are designed to expand lengthwise when you want to fit the gate around places like fireplaces or in areas with wider openings.

Easy for you, Difficult for Kids

If your kids can open the gate without much effort, then that’s not something you would rely on to secure their territory. While looking for baby gates for stairs, you should find a baby gate that is impossible for a toddler to open but simple for you. Mechanisms like self-closing capability are great and come in handy where households have children who are likely to forget that it’s safe only when the gate is closed.

Gate Slat Openings

Slat openings can be a safety challenge especially if you have kids able to stand while holding on objects. While buying a baby gate, you should ensure your baby cannot fit her head through space. The opening should be between 50mm and 95mm and you should check that there are no other spaces in which the baby can get their torso or head trapped. The slats should always be vertical because children love climbing and could attempt to jump over to the other side if the slats are horizontal.

Tension-mounted vs Fixed Gates

Generally, fixed gates are more reliable compared to tension-mounted counterparts. Having a fixed gate, however, does not mean you will have it forever because you can easily remove it if you would like to open the way. A tension-mounted gate is easier to install as it holds onto the surfaces with some rubber feet. This one is easy to remove when you want to shift it to another location, so you should weight priorities to know what to pick. While buying a baby gate, you need to consider a number of points. Safety of your baby should come as a top priority. This means choosing a gate that cannot pose a safety risk. Check the positioning of the slats to ensure they are vertical, and the distance between them should not allow the baby to squeeze their head or torso through. Also, ensure that the gate blends with the décor within the home.