You are a parent and have a little explorer who has started to crawl over every corner of your house. It is natural to get worried about the safety of your kids as they might trip down the stairs, and that’s where baby gates kick in.
They are trusty guardians known for keeping your child safe. They will keep them away from the stairs and protect them from any resultant injury. You can install them either on stairways or on doorways.
However, these baby gates come with many issues, as reported by seasoned parents. These issues could greatly disturb your peace as you are naturally concerned about the safety of your child.
If you’re a new parent and want to know the top issues related to baby gates, you’re at the right place.
In this article, you will explore some of the top issues with baby gates and practical ways to navigate those issues.
Let’s jump into them straight away.
Want to learn more about problems with baby gates? Check out another post on the topic!
Issue # 1 One-Size-Fits-All is a Myth
Yes, you heard it right. It is a fake promise made by almost every baby gate manufacturing company. You might hear things like “universal fit” or “our baby gate fits seamlessly into every corner”!
However, the reality is different from such claims, as you would not find a gate that has a universal fit. Your place could have an unconventional layout, or wider opening, or uneven surfaces. Besides, what if you have to move from one place to another?
You may want to buy a baby gate that perfectly fits into your place irrespective of the shape and size of your place.
What is the solution to this problem? You can choose a baby gate with flexible extensions and width so that it could fit effectively into your place. These qualities will make the baby gate a perfect fit for your space.
Additionally, this could become handy as it has adjustable extensions and it could fit into your new place easily.
Issue # 2 You Cannot Drill Hole Into a Property
Another daunting issue you could face while installing your newly-purchased baby gate is drilling holes into the property. Some rented properties don’t allow drilling, and it becomes a problem if you’ve a baby or toddler.
You may not want to drill a hole even if you own the property. The reason could be you don’t want holes in your place (you won’t need a baby gate for a lifetime). Your baby will outgrow this certain age,but the holes will still be there. They will negatively affect your mood and your property.
However, there is a pretty simple solution available now, because many baby gates don’t require holes drilled at your place. You can easily fit them using rubber cups.
Instead of applying pressure, you rotate these rubber cups, and the gates become fixed at their position. If you would ask for a personalized tip, I would recommend you have a spare wallpaper ( In case any damage to the wall occurs).
In this way, you will not drill any holes in your property and at the same time, you can fix a baby gate.
Issue # 3 Too Narrow Gaps
Another significant issue with baby gates is the gaps could be too narrow, and you might find yourself in a difficult situation. Why? Because you may not find a baby gate that fits into a small space.
Usually, small places contain narrow gaps, and require smaller baby gates. It becomes challenging to find a small-sized gate.
However, you can find narrow baby gates these days in the market. All you need to do is research and buy the baby gate that is true size to your doorway or stairs.
There are gates available in the market that fold into themselves and occupy small spaces. They have folding extensions which you could fix as per the demand of space.
They are a good option for narrow as well as broad spaces because of their folding capacity.
Issue # 4 Too Wide Doorways/Stairways
If your place has a wide doorway or stairway, this could become problematic for you. Almost every baby gate has a standard width which may not fit perfectly into a wider stairway. The standard size comes into the market because most of the properties have regular-sized doorways.
However, if you’re experiencing this problem, you can find stair gates designed to fit into wider widths. They will make a nicer fit into your doorway or stairway.
Your other option could be retractable gates which are similar to roller blinds. They can be easily fixed by rolling up the barrier on one side and fixing the lock on the other side. They have proven effective in recent times as they are designed to adjust to any space.
Flexible baby gates such as the Dreambaby Newport Adapta Gate can also prove handy in a situation like this.
Issue # 5 Moving To A New Place
If you are living in a rented place, there are chances for you to move to a new place after some time. Now you may not want to spend a hefty amount on a baby gate that might not fit into another place. It could either be too narrow or too wide, who knows?
Your common sense would suggest you buy a cheaper baby gate. But, it could be a risk when it comes to your baby’s safety as the cheaper gates are less likely to be of good quality.
In any case, cheap quality is not recommended as the safety of your baby will depend on it.
What should you do then? Well, you can buy an adjustable baby gate.
Honestly, adjustable baby gates are the most viable option as they can fit in any sized space. They live up to their prices and provide an instant solution to your problem.
Issue # 6 Durability of The Baby Gate
Many parents put a lot of thought into the quality of the baby gate before making a decision. It’s natural to get worried as they will have to invest a good amount. Besides, the safety of their baby would depend on the durability of the baby gate.
Besides, what if you want to put the baby gate in your garage where rust could damage your baby gate?
This worry can be addressed by choosing a baby gate that has a powder-coat finish. A powder-coated baby gate would bear any temperature and weather.
A high-quality baby gate like Momcozy safety gate will take away most of your worries. The durability of the baby gate will make your child feel protected.
Therefore, choosing a high-quality baby gate is always a great idea.
Issue # 7 Pets Hijacking the Baby Gate
You are a pet owner and constantly worried about them jumping over the baby gate on your stairways. Pets mostly love taking over baby gates and using them as toys or jumping surfaces.
This situation is bothering you, and you want to stop them from doing so. But how?
Well, we have a solution to this problem as well.
To stop your pets from jumping over the baby gate, you can choose a baby gate with high stands. They are usually known as pet gates and are good at keeping away both babies and pets (pets are babies too).
So, you must say goodbye to worry and buy extra tall gates for the safety of your kids and pets.
Issue # 8 A Fully Detached Gate Disturbs Your Aesthetics
You have put your heart into furnishing your home, and you don’t want to see an attached baby gate all the time.
There could be times when guests are coming over, and you want to detach the baby gate to put it someplace else.
In such scenarios, you can choose a baby gate that is easy to detach when needed. For instance, a pressure-mounted gate or integrated tuning system is installed. They could be easily adjusted and detached anytime.
There are also many other options available in the market that could prove effective and help you to save your aesthetics.
Top Issues with Baby Gates – Conclusion
Being a parent means taking responsibility for your child in any possible way. Modern houses are mostly built with stairs, and your baby will always want to climb them. Here comes the thought of protecting them with the help of stair gates.
The selection of the baby gate is a crucial step as there are a lot of issues with baby gates these days. The issues could be related to the size, place, or quality of the baby gate. So, you must be careful while selecting this important safety gear for your baby’s safety.
You can beat these top issues with baby gates with thorough research and analysis. If you know all the ins and outs of your space and are aware of the different types of baby gates, the chances for a better selection are high. Otherwise, you could find yourself among various other worried parents. Therefore, you should take your time and come up with a better selection for your child.
