Would you babygate 5 stairs?

Molly Jean

Help settle this discussion between me and DH.

LJ is learning to navigate the stairs.  We live in a three level house where the bottom level is sunken by five steps (this isn't the basement, this is just another living room area). 

The dog roams freely from the other levels down to this one (which happens to be the most used family/play room).  If I gate the five steps, the dog can't get through.  Yes, this is me being purely lazy but I don't want to open a gate for him every time.  Plus the area is 'weird' and a gate doesn't fit easily (I tried earlier today).

So, long story short... would you gate the 5 steps?  Obviously I'm not going to let LJ have free reign quite yet, but would 5 ungated steps make you super nervous?  Like if he's playing in that area and I go up the steps to get something off the dining room table, etc?

Thanks.

klovesd

My sister has the same layout as yours and has never had an accident. I don't think it should be a problem since LJ will be down in the room most often and will be climbing up the stairs more than anything, right?

 

 

Borst-Plotz

I agree with you, I wouldn't! But that's just me. 

Mrs.Wallace

We have a 4 level split- 5 stairs go down to the family room. To me, it's not worth it. We've never had an issue with R and she got the hang of the stairs pretty quickly. HTH!

lucylea

We have a traditional two story and still didn't use gates.  I never left Sophia unattended at the top of the steps so it didn't worry me at all.  I left her on the main floor to run upstairs plenty of times, though.  

Mrs.Reem

Since I have two, I did with our full flight of stairs just because I don't have 4 eyes, legs,and arms, but with one kid you are usually pretty sure of where they are at all times. I will say that Ana has fallen down the first flight of our grand staircase (stairs - landing, turn - stairs) because she insists on walking down them upright instead of scooting down on her belly. She was okay but I wondered what would happen if she fell wrong on an arm or twisted her neck. I'm a worry wart though and it didn't worry me enough to gate it. I just keep better watch.

I think probably the best thing to do, and what we did right away with Katen in our other house, was just to work on going up and down stairs with her, actually letting her get wobbly but catching her every time, so that she respected the stairs but learned how to navigate very quickly. 

J.Johnson-Smith

Nope... he'll figure out stairs really well soonish anyway and 5 is no biggie.  Hudson just fell down our entire flight..proud? um no... but I can't gate the top of the stairs with Brogan because he'll scale it and I think that him scaling it and it possibly toppling down with him is no good especially since Hudson is always right there with him...I am just going to watch more closely..though I watched him tumble..sigh  wait my post some how turned to telling you not to worry about it, to disclosing how much I suck..sigh

Molly Jean

You gals make me feel so, so much better.

Although, I'm still terrified.  I've only let him climb them when I'm right behind.  We've worked on scooting back down which has gone well... except that last step.  I think his depth perception makes him think it's okay to just crawl because if I wasn't there it would have been a nasty faceplant.  Like Mrs.Reem, I am a worrywart and terrified of a neck injury, etc.

Please remind me kids are malleable and do this all the time?

Mrs_JR

I don't think I would bother with 5.  I know you keep a close eye on him, so I think you'll be good to go