Safety Tips for Buying Baby Gate for Active Toddlers

November 30, 2009 by Cathy Ribble
Filed under: News, Product News, Tips

The Nemours Foundation and HealthDay offer the following suggestions to help you make wise decisions when purchasing a baby gate.

Any toddler parent will tell you that a baby gate is essential equipment for maintaining your toddler’s safety — and your sanity — when a toddler is underfoot.

Choose a gate that mounts to a door frame with hardware. There must not be any gaps where tiny fingers could get stuck.
Do not use a gate that mounts to the door frame with pressure. A child could push it open and fall down a flights of stairs, for example.
Never use a gate that swings out at the top of a staircase.
Make sure there is a maximum gap of 2 inches between the bottom of the gate and the floor.
Any non-flexible barriers should have a gap of no more than 2-3/8 inches between them.
Make sure the gate does not have any sharp parts that could hurt a child.
The gate should not have any areas that a child could stick a foot into and attempt to climb.
When the gate reaches about three-quarters of the infant’s height (at about two years of age), stop using the gate.

Baby-proofing your house once your child reaches that crawling and toddler stage involves many decisions. New gadgets and devices are constantly introduced on the market for new parents to consider. Avoid impulse purchases of safety gear and do your homework. Your child’s safety — and indeed, your child’s life — are in your hands.