stair gates - how to get them to fit?

[Belle]

Does anyone else have the problem of finding stairgates to fit irregular sized stairs? I never thought our's were but on measuring, they fall betwixt and between every combination i've looked at. I've seen some that are like roller blinds - retractable - anyone got any experience of those or any advice on stairgates generally? little one is now crawling so keen to make the house safer asap.

[candj]

We have the retractable ones made by Lindam and they work really well. We had to put a baton on the wall for the top to be secured to as the bottom was bolted to our skirting board otherwise it would have been wonky. It also took a bit of getting used to opening and closing the gate, but they work really well and the children cannot climb on them.

Hope that helps.

[The Nappy Lady]

Not sure if this helps Belle, but what we've done is have a typical white stairgate at the top (no ideal of make, but it has pads that screw in or at at the top and bottom and I've managed to make it fit very securely between a door frame and wall at the top of the stairs.

At the bottom, rather than have a stairgate (because I do hate them so much), we have a Baby Dan playpen, opened up to create a barrier with a door in it, so baby can't get get near to the bottom of the stairs at all. I appreciate this does depend on the layout of your house/room configuration though.

At 11 and a bit months she's now able to crawl up the stairs, and general advice seems to be once they are capable of it, let them do it as much as you can (with you escourting them of course) so they master it ASAP, plus it helps to wear them out, which is all good! The next step is helping her to master how to get back down safely on her tummy, which she's just beginning to show signs of 'getting'.

Hope you manage to sort something, the pull out ones do seem like a good idea, as no trip bar across the bottom when open.

Molly

[sb]

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[trinity]

sb Wrote:

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> How should they get back down exactly?

Tummy slides were the favoured method in our house. (Sometimes more of a wriggle than a full-on slide.)

[candj]

Sitting on their bum on the step and going down one step at a time is what I make my 2 year old do. It's arduous, but I think it's safer for her as she's quite a big toddler.

She once did the tummy method and body surfed (backwards) down the whole length of the stairs until she hit the bottom.

[The Nappy Lady]

Going down on their bottom is OK once they are older - 2 ish as Candj says, but whilst little the danger is they can tip forward and go down head first.

So - go down feet first on tummy, and if you can hold their legs and encourage them to move legs down one at a time, controlling the descent that's perfect....my little one has just learnt to roll onto her tummy and get down off the settee etc. so natural progression is to start to do the same on the stairs. I'm told the sooner you can get them to master it the better from a safety point of view.

Molly

[sb]

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[iaineasy]

when I was young (about 5)I got one of mums big dinner trays and slid down the stairs on that, (I had seen my older brother do it with some success) however I went so fast I couldn't stop and went through the pain of glass to the side of the front door, I suggest you don't teach your kids this technique though, it's a bit dangerous until they get to an age when they can use there feet as brakes on the skirting boardon either side of the staircase. Luckily I was un injured till mum gave me a clip round the ear for doing it, and my brother a bl**dy good wallop for showing me how.:))

funny what reading a bit of sunday morning forum can remind you of.

Hugs as ever

[phillyboy]

we use the retractable ones - a bit on the pricey side but great for a small house

[curlykaren]

belle, there are some retractable ones for sale in classifieds I think x

[Belle]

I know - but I'm off to France tomorrow! Thanks tho. Will have a look on here and ebay first when I get back.