Looking for a baby gate that is not dangerous for ADULTS walking with babies and laundry baskets?

Question

I am at the stage where we have to buy baby gates, and all the ones we have seen (or the ones we have already bought but not installed) look so dangerous to me. The door is so small I think I'm going to kill myself coming up or down with a laundry basket full of clothes... I can't even imagine trying to open or close it with my baby in my arms.

I know we need a gate, but I am terrified that I am going to fall down the stairs.

Help... thanks.

Answer 1

I love, love The First Years Hands Free Gate. You can get extensions for it if the area is wide. It's operated by a foot pedal, though, so you'd need to give yourself a little landing at the top of the stairs. Don't know if that's an option for you.

Every parent who visits loves this gate.

My daughter used to hang off of it and there was never a problem with it moving (it uses a pressure-mount system).

With a little practice, you can step on it, nudge it open with your knee, walk through, and "slam" it behind you, all without putting down your baby and your laundry basket!

Answer 2

Generally to make the latch childproof its almost impossible to open with one hand let alone no hands.  Basically you just step over the gate.

Another option is to get a door closer and a door that autolocks but then you need to carry a key around

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*lol* My son so would have been through the foot pedal/knee knock at about 16 months of age.  The only thing that stopped him taking down the gates we have now is physical strength.  And that only lasted until age 2.

Answer 3

Lindam extra tall baby gate - gets rid of the fear that the smaller ones give you that you might forget it's there and crash headlong over the top of it.

Easy to open one handed and has an alarm that you can have switched on or off so it sounds if the gate is opened.

We had this gate when Dylan was little - actually, we still have it, it's on the kitchen doorway now so we can put our naughty chewing puppy somewhere safe if we have to go out without her. She can't jump this gate.

If it's any consolation, when I fell down the stairs carrying Dylan when he was a baby, I didn't let go for a heartbeat. I arrived at the bottom of the stairs in so much pain I couldn't speak, tightly clutching my completely unharmed - but very unnerved - baby. Your reflex is to take the fall and protect the child. He didn't have a bump or scratch on him. I was a mess.

btw, looked at those bump gates - that won't work at the bottom of the stairs because you'll need it to open towards you, not away. Also, can't see that crashing your weight against something at the top of the stairs is a good idea either, forward momentum being what it is....good for rooms though I suppose. Naughty puppy would have eaten that foot pedal in a second though.

Answer 4

Honestly--you put a gate at baby's door and at the bottom of the stairs--not the top. Problem solved! Get the ones with the foot pedal so you can access it with your hands full.  

Answer 5

My friend uses a fireplace gate at the top of her stairs.  It comes away from the wall in a "U" shape so when you go through it you don't immediately have to go down a stair, there's a bit of a landing.  It's very similar, if not the same as, this one: http://www.babyearth.com/kidco-hearthgat... but she's using only 3 of the pieces instead of 5 so it doesn't come so far out into the room.  A bit pricier that a lot of other gates, but a great solution to stairs.

Answer 6

I have one from graco that you mount right to the wall, it fits an opening up to 48"

Answer 7

The ones we have blocking access the the kitchen are foot operated, so I just have to step on the pedal and push it with my knee.  As for the ones on stairs though, you don't want a gate that will swing in both directions there because having it swing out is dangerous.  Ours is only at the top of the stairs and I only close it if my son is upstairs.  If he is downstairs, it isn't necessary.  That way I never have to worry about juggling laundry trying to open it.  When I get upstairs with the laundry, I put the basket down, tell my son to move away from the stairs if he followed me up, and then I close it so that he can't go back down until I'm ready to go back down with him.

Answer 8

You might have to spend a little more of money and get the ones that open from the top.

You will be surprised how fast you will learn how to handle them and get used to it.