At Infant care Singapore, you will get all your baby requirements, including baby gates, which are designed to ensure that, your baby will remain safe. This means that, before you decide to purchase one, you will need to put several factors into consideration. You have to, first of all, understand the importance of a baby gate and the features which come are important when getting the right one.
What does the baby gate do?
You will find baby gates in various styles but their main function tends to be the same: to be able to serve as a barrier in keeping your baby in or out of a certain area. You can be able to use it differently as your baby grows and moves from a crawling infant to walking. When your baby comes out of a crib, it might be necessary to place a baby gate across the doorway to ensure that they are safe in their room in case they happen to get up early. Other uses of baby gates include:
- Blocking stairways: The more your baby becomes mobile, it is easier for them to be able to reach a stairway before you are in a position to get hold of them. When you install a baby gate, it means that it will not be necessary to be on high alert for a potential tumble down along the stairs.
- Blocking hazards: It might be a room where you don’t want your baby to get in like near a fireplace or hazard. There are gates which are designed to block off some areas which are small.
- Enclosing rooms: There are times when your hands are full and you have the desire for the baby to be in the same room as you are like when you are doing laundry or making dinner. The baby gate will help you achieve that.
Is it necessary for you to have a baby gate at home?
While it is necessary to ensure that your baby is kept within your eyesight, baby gates will come in handy unless you will want to tag with your baby wherever you go. Kids tend to grow very fast, and it might be impossible to ensure that they are kept out of danger. If you have several kids, baby gates might be important for you.
As a childcare provider, these gates can come in handy. You don’t need to substitute your attentiveness to the baby with a baby gate though. All you have to do is to ensure that you use it alongside other baby proofing measures that you are having. The truth is that baby gates are great when it comes to preventing injuries for babies.
Stairs injuries are known to be one of the leading causes of young children hospitalization. It is estimated that a child who is under 5 years in the USA tends to be treated for injuries related to stairs in the emergency room every 6 minutes. The falls are preventable and could be avoided by the use of baby gates in a proper way.
Considerations when purchasing a baby gate
Types: In the market, you will get two types of baby gates with each of them working well as per the applications.
- Pressure mounted: They stay in place with the use of tension, which is similar to the one on the shower curtain road. They are mostly best used in the doorway. They are easy to install, more common and can be moved from one place to the next.
On the negative, it is very easy to knock them over, especially if you have not properly installed them. They are not also good for use on stairways.
- Hardware mounted: They normally securely attach to the walls with the aid of screws and tend to be used in stairways. They tend to be more secure as compared to pressure mounted, it is nearly impossible to knock them down, and they might just be the safe option to use for stairways. On the negative side, they are very difficult to install and when you do, they will leave holes in the wall.
Safety: This should be the number one consideration before you decide which type of baby gate you are going to carry home. There are things you will need to consider when you are looking for a safe baby gate which includes:
- Method of attachment: When you mount them properly, the pressure mounted gates can be the most secure ones, but it is possible that they will not be able to stand up to the pressure of a toddler who is attempting to climb on it. That is the reason why considering the hardware-mounted should be top of mind when thinking of a baby gate for the stairways or if you know your child is the type who like climbing over things.
- Small parts: Find out if your chosen baby gate has small parts which could easily come out and become a choking hazard to your baby. You have to consider this and ensure that when doing the installation, you follow all the instructions to be sure that everything is secure and safe.
- Open easily: There are baby gates, which have doors which are inbuilt to make sure that it is easy to pass through them when the need arises. In case they are easy to open, then your child will likely learn how to open.
