Are Childgates Really Necessary?

We only use them because we have stairs and Little One thinks climbing them is great fun! otherwise we just child proofed the kitchen cabinets and let her explore. We keep the door to the bathrooms closed and every other room is child proofed so if she gets into them when we are doing something else there not much damage she can do.

I have found that you can use other things than gates. My sister found a piece of plywood that she cut, sanded and painted to block her stairway when my kids and I visit. It ended up working very nicely and was decorative!

With items like that, I always wait to buy them until I see if I can get by without them. Sure, it's nice to be prepared in advance, but I have lots of stuff I never used. For some things I buy in advance but save reciepts and don't open packages so I can return if I need to. Our house is small but fairly open, and I chose to babyproof cabinets as opposed to whole areas. We don't have stairs or anything else that would be a safety issue. We have a gate on his bedroom door which was more about keeping cats out than anything else (which still turned out to be a waste, I should've done something different there), and a gate on the laundry room door because that is where the litter box is. Anything else I can reach him before he gets into it. My son isn't really unattended much, and if he is I am right around a corner. So I would wait and see. You might find you have to have it. But I think it is better to wait and see if you can't live without it.

We moved a lot when kiddo was young. We found gates to be absolutely necessary in some of our apts for blocking stairs (or in doorframes if we were leaving a door open, to -say- let a breeze in or schlep groceries)... but completely unnecessary in other apts that didn't have stairs and DID have air con.

Note: Check out dog gates. They're sturdier, cheaper, safer, and come in more sizes. We got great dane sized gates (that could withstand over 100lbs of pressure EASY without falling) that even let us walk through a little door, the latch of which we could lock.

The added bene: You can resell dog gates and have buyers snap them up in a heartbeat, while most people are leary of buying used baby stuff... especially used SAFTEY baby stuff.

They are a must-have for stairs, but since you're in an apartment, maybe you don't have stairs? If that's the case I would wait until you really think you need it before you buy a gate. If you're baby isn't crawling yet then wait til he is and see where he goes. Yes you can try to keep him out of the kitchen but if he has his mind set on it he will go in there over and over and over and you'll go crazy.

On the other hand, kitchens aren't necessarily bad for babies. When my daughter started crawling I tried to keep her out of the kitchen thinking her little knees would hurt on the hard tile. Well there was no way to keep her out since my living room and kitchen are wide open. So she used to just crawl all over the house and hard surfaces didn't stop her, she just had red knees. Just keep your floor clean.

Definitely wait until you need it, I can't tell you how many baby items I purchased thinking I would need them in the future and just didn't use. I have a gate for outside that is collecting dust as we speak.

I agree with the other posters that baby gates are pretty much a necessity if you have stairs, and more of a convenience if you're just trying to keep your child in or out of certain living spaces.

Definitely wait until your baby is on the verge of crawling before you shell out a ton of money for the gates. You never know, you might even end up moving to another apartment or house before you need the gates.

Pet gates and baby gates are pretty much identical. If you notice the boxes on these things, you will see both babies and pets on the picture. They are the same product, but are just marketed a little differently. Pet gates are slightly cheaper. You can check with craigslist or baby resale shops for a good used gate. If you buy it used, you can probably sell it for the same price that you paid for it.

One more thing to keep in mind is that "babyproofing" doesn't work for all babies. One of my friends has a son who figured out how to open baby gates and door knob covers shortly after he learned how to walk. All of that babyproofing stuff is useless in his house. So definitely base your babyproofing necessities on your own child's abilities and personality. Good luck and welcome to motherhood!

You will NEVER be quick enough to catch a crawling/ walking baby every second! lol! If you have areas that you want restricted and not use a gate, make sure that everything is baby-proofed to the max. My 2 1/2 year old has learned to break the child locks and open the oven. :( At least she's old enough to know "hot".
Gates are really handy too when you're trying to clean and you want them OUT! Mopping, sweeping, vacuming, etc.
I'd say invest in at least one. That way you can use it where you need it, when you need it. And look on Craigslist for a used one. You can find it alot cheaper!

i didnt think they were a must have when we just had one child, but after the second it was almost necessary. with 11 months between them it was really hard for me to keep #1 out of the kitchen/bathroom/litter box with trying to nurse/change diapers for #2. we also have stairs and while im all for kids exploring when they can, i didnt want to risk #1 falling down the stairs while trying to go up. we got an extra wide gate from babies r us and i believe it was $70... http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2333090 is the one.

Accidents happen... you cannot predict that.
Sure, the parents will always be in the same room as the baby... but there will be times when you are not. And yes... kids/babies DO wander... and like a magician.
And there are many situations... in which a child moves SO fast... right before your eyes as you glance elsewhere... and then you do not know where they went.

I have "lost" my kids in my own home. And, as a child gets hits certain age stages... they can get very hard to keep track of e.v.e.r.y single second of the day... and I am not a careless Mom myself.

No, it is not that simple.

I say, they are necessary and worth the expense. And yes, as Riley said... pet gates are also a very good option.

As for whether gates are needed only for homes with stairs... I disagree. My friend, who has no stairs in her home... had lost her boy once. Because he had managed to open the knob of a main door... and got out of the house. Yes, scary. Luckily, he did not stray far before she found him.

All the best,
Susan

We have a side split house, so we have stairs to get everywhere. But, the way the stairs are set up, we were not able to put a gate at any point (top or bottom) of either set due to having a railing here, or slanted walls there. We did just fine without the gates. Just shut doors when needed to keep the little one in or out and have something for them to play with in the area you would like for them to be in. Also, our kitchen cabinet handles were too close together to use the safetylocks, so we just put ruberbands on the cabinet with the cleaning products and let him explore the tupperware cabinet all he wants. Have FUN!

We live in an apartment and have enough space for a play pen that can convert into a long gate. We got it from Babies R Us, but we paid around $100 for it. Well worth the money since it is metal and doesn't move anywhere. Our son out grew his jumperoo so we needed an alternative. We love it. Our son takes naps in it and keeps himself busy and it's in our living room which makes it such a convenience when you have things to get done around the house. Kitchens are very easy to baby proof, but our son is very active and clever so running after him all of the time can get exhausting. I think because we're working parents with crazy schedules we get great use out of it. It's a good idea to see how long you can live without one, but you'll invest in one when you believe you could use it.

If you don't have stairs, you don't need them.

If you don't want to put in gates, childproof your bottom cabinets and later drawers, so you child can't get to the contents. Drawer and cabinet locks are a lot cheaper than long gates and easy to install.

If you are going to be with the baby at all times then no you don't need them unless you have stairs. I have a child who is now walking and she doesn't even go near the stairs right now but I have them for when she does. I don't block off any part of my house to my child. She can go anywhere she pleases. One of us is always with her.

We never needed them. But we did not have stairs, large pets or a fireplace either. We always just kept a really good eye on her.. She walked at 6 months, yes really, so if we had to step away for a moment we placed her in a walker. I guess now it would be an exercisaucer

We needed them at the top of the stairs and at the doors to the kitchen. Think of it as part of baby proofing. Besides keep kids in safer areas (or out of dangerous areas), there are cleaning products to keep up high out of reach (put pots in lower cupboards), electric outlets to keep them from putting their fingers in, etc. I don't know what floor your apartment is on but PLEASE be careful about windows and screens. Every year you read in the news about toddlers who pushed through a screen and fall to their death. If gates are not practical, then there are door / drawer locks, and gadgets to make the buttons on the oven/stove and dishwasher inoperable. Babies/toddlers on the move are just exploring, but they can get into a world of trouble in the blink of an eye, and you have to sleep sometime. You can't be too careful.

No, its not a must have, but I used my baby gates often. But gates or not I trained my son to stay out of kitchen when Im cooking! He had to stay at the carpet line and wait for me to get done. Well actually my dog is not allowed in there too, lol. I think if its a DANGER area, then its worth it!

I never used a baby gate in this house coz we don't have stairs, I just made sure that if I went out of the room, there was nothing she could get at, if I was cooking I would cook on the back rings, and turn over the chairs so she couldn't climb. or take her with me, she always has followed me everywhere anyway!

i wouldn't say they are a must have, by any means. just like a lot of things, they don't guarantee anything, just lower the odds lol. some kids will still find trouble even with them. you don't mention how old your little one is, but we used the pack n play a lot until we got our baby gates. we also looked online and ended up ordering them that way, we found them somewhat reasonable.

I wouldn't say a must have, but a necessary convenience. As the baby becomes mobile, they are QUICK! The gate provides a deterrence for the baby to enter certain areas of your home. Without it, every few seconds you'll be chasing the baby and bringing them back to a safe are. I never leave my baby unattended, but the gate allows me to do other activities like folding clothes and cooking without having to constantly stopping to chase the baby. I know this is your first child, but I have 4. For me the gate not only keeps the baby in, but it keeps her 4 and 6 year old brothers out of her space. Good luck and enjoy your baby!

Need, no you don't need them, but it is nice when you have to go the restroom and there are no worries baby will end up in the wrong place. You can check into a circular gate that will make a large playpen.

Sometimes you may go into another room while baby is sleeping and they wake up and move quickly. Little guys are stealth!!!

we have a couch that is two separate long pieces, meant to be an L shape. We put them in front of the kitchen opening with a removable, or should I say with a step over ability audamin. I do not know the size you are covering. I keep doors closed, clean well and let mine go anywhere else but kitchen, I have one gate for our stairs.

I'd say you def need then at the top of stairs , so dangerous if baby fell down them and although you think you can watch them at all times the reality is that you can't and they can move so quickly , my 3rd child fell down the stairs when she was a year old , we had gates but it was left open by mistake and she fell down wooden stairs onto a tile floor at the bottom , it was awful!! I also have gates to stop her getting into the kitchen (she is 22 months now) and she pulls chairs across the room and get's up to the counters where knives are , also if you are cooking and have pans on the cooker top it is so easy for them to reach up and pull something down.

As this is your firsr child I would get the gates and extentions you need now , you will use them for quite some time yet and if you plan on more kids then you already have the things you need.