Help me with my baby gate dilemma

JenD1018

Here is a pic of the bottom of our stairs.  I don't know if I should just put a gate at the top of the first landing or attempt some contraption to go around the entire lower portion.  Suggestions?

 

HeatherWain

On the bottom 3 steps, can you put a gate on the 2nd step (middle of the 3) and then you can attach it to your wall on the left and the banister rail on the right?

 

I don't know if I'm explaining that well. Let me know if you don't know what I mean. You would just have to worry about the 1 bottom step being exposed for him. 

JenD1018

I know what you mean, HW.  There is a lip on the edge of each step that I think will prevent us from securing the gate there as the trim isn't wide enough.  But something to look at!  Thanks!

letranger

Retractable to wrap around? 

HeatherWain

JenD1018:

I know what you mean, HW.  There is a lip on the edge of each step that I think will prevent us from securing the gate there as the trim isn't wide enough.  But something to look at!  Thanks!

 

I see what you mean and it's hard to see exactly how much room you have at the end of the lip, but I have a Safety 1st natural bamboo pressure-mounted gate that is maybe one inch thick. It looks like it would totally fit on the 2nd step there between the end of your step and the end of the banister.

HeatherWain

I also wanted to say I'm having this issue with my fireplace. We are severely overdue in baby proofing it. The bottom of our fireplace has a 'step' if you will just like your bottom step there where it has 3 sides and I need something to go around all 3 sides of it. Danica uses it as a little seat as well as a stage for dancing currently. (parents of the year)

erbur78

Wrap the kiddo in bubble wrap?  That works, right? 

JenD1018

erbur78:

Wrap the kiddo in bubble wrap?  That works, right? 

I know, right.  I'm not trying to be overly cautious about things because I know he's going to fall.  I just don't want him to fall from very high.

Mr.D's uncle said we should just train him how to use the steps properly and then we won't have to use a gate (like they did for their kids).  Um, ok, you come talk to my 10 month old and show him how not to take a header down the steps.

MsKellDel

my friend has a similar set up and she has something like this and keeps it open and just puts it around the steps with a chair up against it. Not ideal but it is an akward space.

http://www.target.com/p/friendly-toys-little-playzone-with-sounds-and-lights/-/A-680886?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C680886&CPNG=baby&ci_sku=680886&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=

Honestly, I would probably just do a gate on top of the second step or the landing if you can, you will still have the bottom one or two steps to worry about but fall won't be as great.

And another tip of advice, my mom's house has a sunken living room so just three little steps, we taught Anna how to go up and down those steps. Seems crazy to teach them the thing you don't want them to do but I wanted her to know how to go up and down correctly rather than just barreling forward like she was doing. So now she knows how to go up them holding on and down them on her butt. Of course, she wants to go up and down every set of steps she sees because she thinks she can but that is another battle.

HeatherWain

Kell we totally have a baby jail similar to that (it was Hunter's back in the day) and it doesn't work anymore for our fireplace. Danica now knows that she can move it around to wherever to get around it. These damn kids are outsmarting us!

mzovoce

JenD1018:

erbur78:

Wrap the kiddo in bubble wrap?  That works, right? 

I know, right.  I'm not trying to be overly cautious about things because I know he's going to fall.  I just don't want him to fall from very high.

Mr.D's uncle said we should just train him how to use the steps properly and then we won't have to use a gate (like they did for their kids).  Um, ok, you come talk to my 10 month old and show him how not to take a header down the steps.

This is what we did. We showed him how to get off the bed and go up and down the stairs. We still have gates though, because I wouldn't let him do it without help/watchful eye. And he has fallen down the stairs and we ended up in the ER, but only once. I've lived there for three years and fallen down them too.  

letranger

I don't have the time or energy to constantly watch my child go up and down stairs. We have no railing and he will not go down on anything but like a big person do it requires holding our hands. 

 

That being said one step has asymmetrical  fence in the catalog meant for stairways and hallways. 

Shannon1110

Could you do one on the third step and block the landing?  We have a gate to stop Tommy from going in the kitchen and it is one the you pop the handle and walk through it.  More expensive than a regular gate but worth every penny.

Amerbutt81

we have a landing with open stairs as well, and we ended up getting one of those baby cage fighting contraptions and stretched it across the entire room

 

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/547147_10151112843777347_2133284535_n.jpg 

HeatherWain

Amy, that is one serious baby cage fighting cage!

Amerbutt81

HeatherWain:

Amy, that is one serious baby cage fighting cage!

hahah  I know!  It turns out between the fireplace, stairs, tv and access to the kitchen, our living room is a death trap.   

HeatherWain

Amerbutt81:

HeatherWain:

Amy, that is one serious baby cage fighting cage!

hahah  I know!  It turns out between the fireplace, stairs, tv and access to the kitchen, our living room is a death trap.   

I hear you. In our house the living room and kitchen are in the same exact room. So I've got kitchen cabinets in the same room as the fireplace. Our house is a death trap as well.

JenD1018

It's amazing how we all survived!