Best Baby Gate For Stairs To Avoid Accidents

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Once your baby reaches nine months, you need to pay even more attention to them as they will probably start climbing on things. It is during this period that a baby would discover that they have muscles that allow them to move around, so of course, they would want to flex them! It’s a wonderful development for your little one, but it could also lead to harm! They will most likely try to climb the stairs on their own if you are not looking, so before an accident occurs, consider installing and buying a baby gate for the stairs.

Why Buy a Baby Gate for Stairs?

No sensible parent would want their baby to get hurt. Unfortunately, the reality is you will have to juggle babysitting with household chores and work. Getting help from friends and family may be an option, but you can’t always rely on them being available. Eventually, you will have no choice but to leave your baby in the crib or on the play mat while you are busy with other things. Now, what about when they start to crawl and climb? Don’t leave your baby on their own unless you already have baby gates installed around the house.

Prioritize installing your baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs as this is where it will be most dangerous for babies. Thousands of children and babies are rushed to the hospital due to stair-related injuries (such as broken bones and head trauma). Thankfully, many baby gates are durable enough to act as barriers to prevent the little adventurers from falling down the stair.

Types of Baby Gate

There are two types of baby gates for stairs. Understanding the difference between the two is vital to ensure maximum protection for your baby. Keep reading to find out more about what type of baby gate should go at the top or bottom of the stairs.

Hardware-mounted

This is the most popular type of baby gate for stairs because it is more stable and secure than a pressure-mounted gate. It comes with a complete set of hardware that requires one to install and drill the gate brackets into a wall or door frame. This is best used at the top of the stairs, where your baby is most likely to fall from. Just avoid mounting this on drywall or plaster because they are not sturdy enough to hold the baby gate.

Pressure-mounted

Although a pressure-mounted gate is not as secure as a hardware-mounted gate, it is still useful for discouraging babies to climb the stairs on their own. Thus, it is best installed at the bottom of the stairs. Pressure-mounted gates are also more convenient to assemble and install as they don’t require drilling. Instead, they have tension rods that are squeezed in between two walls or a door frame.

Best Baby Gates for Stairs

Whether you have a modern staircase or a traditional one, these safe and highly functional baby gates can help protect your little ones from stair-related accidents.

Read more: How To Block Stairs Without A Gate

1. [Regalo] Easy Swing Stairway Gate

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When buying a baby gate for the top of the stairs, choose hardware-mounted gates made from steel. It is the most durable material, thus ensuring your baby’s safety. Luckily, the Regalo Easy Swing Stairway Gate has an all-steel design, which guarantees protection from falls and other stair-related injuries. In addition, it has a safety-lock feature, preventing your baby from accidentally opening the gate when you are not around.

This baby gate for stairs is not only useful for your little one, but you could benefit from it as well. It has a rotating latch that allows you to open the gate easily, and lock it securely when closed.

2. [Regalo] Easy Fit Baby Gate

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Yes, adding a gate at the top of the stairs is critical to prevent stair-related accidents, but the bottom area should be given importance too. Before your baby learns how to crawl, there should be a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs to deter them from climbing. We recommend using the Regalo Easy Fit Baby Gate as it has a safe-lock mechanism. The gate is also made from steel, making it a strong barrier to prevent babies from accidentally climbing the stairway.

The Easy Fit Baby Gate has another marvelous feature. It has soft rubber bumpers, so it won’t leave marks and scuffs on the wall. No need to repaint or repair the walls after removing the gate.

3. [Summer Infant] Safety Baby Gate for Stairs with Banister

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Once your baby experiences the fun and thrill of climbing the stairs, they will try to go up the stairs on their own. Babies don’t have a sense of danger, so there’s no stopping them unless you buy a baby gate and use it as a barrier to ward them off. If the stairs have a handrail or banister, we suggest choosing the Summer Infant Safety Baby Gate. Unlike most hardware-mounted gates, it doesn’t require drilling as it comes with a unique set of fasteners. You just have to wrap and attach the fasteners around the banisters to install the gate on the stairs.

4. [Summer Infant] Modern Decorative Baby Gate for Stairway

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Things can get hectic if you are taking care of your baby alone. Simple but important tasks such as keeping the baby gate closed all the time may be forgotten if your mind is preoccupied. Fortunately, many baby gates for stairs have an auto-close feature — just like this one from Summer Infant. The hold-open mechanism allows the user to keep the gate open only when needed.

This baby gate for stairs is not only highly functional but stylish too. It has an arched bronze door with a unique trellis pattern finish that gives off a vintage-modern vibe. This would look great in a mid-century-style home.

Read also: 14 Incredible Safety Gate For Stairs For 2024

5. [Babelio] Metal Baby Gate for Stairs with Railing

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If your baby is a little adventurous, they will most likely try to climb the gate. Be notified of such incidents with the help of the Babelio Metal Baby Gate. It has a built-in wireless alarm that rings automatically every time the gate is opened, reminding you to keep it closed at all times. This would come in handy if you are busy doing laundry or are cooking in the kitchen as the alarm activates once your baby tries to open and climb the gate.

Furthermore, this baby gate has a two-way swing design that allows you to pass through the gate easily. This feature is so convenient if you have to carry your baby across the stairs.

6. [Cumbor] Safety Baby Gate for Stairs

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Is your family planning to go for an overnight visit to grandma’s house? Bring the Cumbor Safety Baby Gate with you! It’s a pressure-mounted baby gate for stairs that is easy to install and remove. Setting it up does not require professional help, and it usually only takes 10 minutes! Even the old folks can install this securely at the stairway. For added safety, this baby gate has a double-safety lock to reduce the likelihood of your baby accidentally opening the gate.

7. [Safety 1st] Lock & Swing Baby Gate for Stairs

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Are you expecting another baby? If so, it would be practical to invest in the Lock & Swing Baby Gate of Safety 1st. Many baby gates we have featured have a specific installation design, but this one is different. It’s a 2-in-1 safety baby gate as it can be both hardware-mounted and pressure-mounted. This is useful, especially if you are planning to have more babies in the future. You can just remove the gate once your baby outgrows it, and install it again if the younger sibling is already born. Saving you money and ensuring your baby’s safety all in one.

The Safety 1st Lock & Swing Baby Gate has another unique feature. Its Secure-Tech indicator changes color to help you recognize right away whether the baby gate is securely locked or not.

8. [Momcozy] Retractable Baby Gate

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A baby gate for stairs can help keep the little ones safe, but it can be an inconvenience for parents and guardians. It can get in the way while they are busy roaming and doing chores around the house. For such cases, it’s best to invest in a retractable baby gate — such as this one from Momcozy. It features a mesh barrier that coils up or retracts automatically once you unlock the gate. The mesh barrier is also great for kids as it protects them from bumps and bruises if they accidentally crawled toward the gate.

Tips for Buying a Baby Gate for Stairs

Measure Your Staircase First

This tip is a no-brainer, but most parents often fail to measure the opening of their stairs, thinking most safety baby gates can expand. Although this is true, baby gates differ in size, so make sure to measure the width of the stairs first before making a purchase. Consider also the height of the gate to prevent babies and toddlers from climbing over it. This is especially important if you are to install a baby gate at the top of the stairs.

Consider the Opening Mechanism

We recommend buying a swing baby gate with a two-way opening mechanism as this allows parents and guardians to pass through the gate without difficulty. Installing a one-way baby gate at the top of the stairs is alright, as long as it opens towards you every time you are going down the stairs. It would be dangerous if the gate opens the opposite way as you are forced to take a step down when climbing up. This increases the chances of tripping or falling down the stairs.

Check for a JPMA Certification

The JPMA or Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is a trusted international independent facility that tests the quality of a baby product. So, if a baby gate has acquired its certification and approval, rest assured that it is durable and safe.

Final Thoughts

It’s alright for babies to climb the stairs as this could help develop their bones and muscles, but it should be done with close supervision. You should also invest in a sturdy baby gate for stairs to ensure they won’t try to climb the stairs by themselves. Keep in mind that once the baby’s muscles start to develop, they would naturally want to explore and move around a lot, so it would be safe to put up a barrier at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent accidents.

For other child safety and baby-proofing products, check out these stove guards! They help protect the little ones from accidental burns and scalds in the kitchen.