Baby Gates For Stairs
In the United States alone, more than a thousand people die each year due to stair related accidents. Most of these are the very old and the very young. The majority of parents have the desire to do whatever they can to minimize the risks their children are exposed to. When it comes to expandable baby safety gates there are so many different ones to choose from. Consider that baby gates for stairs, doorways and even fireplace safety gates average in size from widths of about 20 inches to 36 inches, however there are extra wide baby gates as well for larger doorways and stair openings. Baby gates have an average height of about 30 inches or taller if need be, and come in many different price ranges, a parent might struggle with which one to buy. This article is designed to shed some light on this issue and to help a parent make an informed choice. In this article, you will find which baby safety gate could be right for you, where to install the baby safety gate and how to install the baby gate.
Baby safety gates are designed to prevent accidents, such as falls down the stairs, but also to prevent access to “off-limit” areas. Because different gates serve different purposes, just how different child safety cabinet locks work better for different cabinets, determining which one to use on your staircase might be difficult. Pressure mounted baby gates are an example of a gate which is safe to use in other areas of the home, such as to block off a doorway or an opening between rooms, but they should never be used to prevent injuries on the stairs. If enough weight is applied to a pressure mounted safety gate, it can “pop out” from between the walls. Pressure mounted gates are normally cheaper than other gates and are generally safe to use in areas where the floor on either side of the gate are level with each other. For use on stairs, a person would want to purchase a gate that is hardware mounted. This means the gate is securely applied to the wall or banister with screws or some other piece of hardware. If a person does not want any lasting damage, “no hole” post mounts can be purchased also.
In high traffic areas, it is better to splurge on a more expensive, but convenient children’s safety gate such as a retractable baby gate, than to buy a gate that is less expensive but more of a hassle to use. Recently, baby gate manufacturers have been developing gate handles than are easier for adults to latch and unlatch. This is important because the more convenient a gate is to use, the more likely an adult will be to use it. A gate can only serve its purpose of protecting a child if it is used every time a child is around.
It is better to install a gate before a child becomes mobile. This allows everyone, including other children, to become accustomed to using the safety gate regularly. But then a person might wonder where he or she will need a gate. Some general “off-limit” areas are the top of the stairs, home offices, exercise areas, and even playrooms that might contain toys and objects unsuitable for infants and toddlers. After a person decides which areas in the home need to be partitioned off, it is wise to carefully examine the opening for which a safety gate is needed and to select the safest and most appropriate type of gate. The gate you choose should be selected by which one is the safest for each particular room or opening and not one based on how you want it to operate or look.
Last, a person needs to consider how to install the baby safety gate. Most gates will come with instructions on how to install the baby safety gate. They should be followed exactly the way they are written out for the utmost safety. Also, if the gate should malfunction and an accident occurs, the manufacturer may not be able to be held responsible if the gate was not installed correctly in the first place.
Of course all parents want their children to be safe, but before someone runs out and buys the most expensive safety equipment, stop and consider what it needs to accomplish. The amount spent will not keep kids safe. Only thoughtful planning and consideration will.
Child Safety Cabinet Locks
How important are child safety latches on your kitchen, bathroom and garage cabinets? Do kitchen cabinet door locks really play a vital role in keeping your child or children safe?
According to Safe Kids USA, more than one million children, ages five and under, are accidentally poisoned each year. More than forty percent of these are from prescription drugs or over the counter medications. Other things children are poisoned from are cleaning chemicals, plants, pesticides, art supplies, cosmetics, and alcohol that can easily be mistaken for their glass baby bottle. According to the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) 72 percent of poisoning deaths in the United States were unintentional and 10 more percent were of undetermined intent. That means around 27,000 children die each year when they do not have to, and the number rises each year. There are simple ways a parent or guardian can reduce the risk of unintended poisoning. Many of the children who are poisoned have access to medications and household cleaning products. In today’s market there are many different types of cabinet and drawer locks that can be installed to prevent these types of accidents.
One of the child safety latches a parent might consider is the interior swivel/swing drawer and cabinet lock. This lock is designed to be screwed to the interior side of a cabinet or drawer. It has a simple, one-hand adult operation. To disengage the lock, simply press down on the latch while opening the drawer or cabinet. It also automatically locks when the cabinet is closed, so a parent does not have to worry about whether they replaced the lock like they do when using other cabinet lock styles. Most of these child safety locks can be installed with a Phillips or flat head screwdriver or drill.
Another kind of child safety cabinet latch is the exterior cabinet slide lock. This is used on cabinets that have knobs on the outside. The lock slides open to go over both knobs on each door, then, it slides tightly together to make a secure fit. The upside of these locks is that there is no visible damage to the cabinet from screws. The downside is that a person has to remember to put the lock back on each time he or she unlocks the cabinet.
A cabinet safety lock which is kind of new to the market is the magnetic safety latch. Most magnetic safety latches work by having the locking mechanism positioned on the inside of your cabinet or drawer where it can’t be seen. When closed, it automatically locks in place. To release, you simply place the special magnetic “key” on the face of your cabinet door or drawer, and the latch will stay open until you remove the key. Magnetic locks can also be permanently unlocked. Many people like these since they do not have to remember to put the lock back on themselves and if a person buys one that uses adhesive to attach the locking mechanism to the inside of the cabinet, there is no lasting damage from screws. Also, extra magnetic keys can be bought in case one is lost.
Another lock that is fairly new is the lazy susan cabinet lock. The lazy susan cabinet lock is great for keeping your child safely out of the toddler-attracting lazy susan. This type of lock also works well for people who want to keep their pets out of their lazy susan too. It installs easily with screws on the inside of the cabinet where the holes will not be seen later when the lock is removed. Most also include an adhesive backing that lets a person check the alignment before drilling the holes. A dual locking mechanism helps keep your baby out, but allows for quick access by you.
There are many different types of safety equipment on the market that when utilized properly, can greatly reduce the risk of harm to loved ones. Some of these are toilet locks, appliance locks, stove knob covers, baby safety gates, window screens and guards, door knob covers, fireplace covers, outlet covers, and fire detectors. Most accidents can be avoided completely if some thought is put into prevention.
Glass Baby Bottles
The use of glass baby bottles is on the rise, this is due to the fact that bisphenol-A can actually move from certain plastic bottles into the babies milk. For this reason, parents are strongly urged to use glass baby bottles instead of the clear, shiny, hard plastic baby bottles. Due to the babies small size and weight, they are at a large health risk of toxins that are ingested into their small bodies. A young infant or child’s body is growing rapidly along with their organs and internal body parts, making ingested toxins far more likely to damage a baby’s body as opposed to that of a fully grown person. With more awareness of parents and even the manufacturers of plastic baby bottles, more companies are branching out and starting to produce more glass baby bottles.
What are some other key factors that parents should look for when nursing their babies from bottles? When bottle feeding your baby, it is very important to make sure that the nipple hole is the right size. If it appears that your child seems to be sucking too hard, you’ll probably need to use a fast medium flow nipple. If you are using an overly resistant sized nipple hole, the nipple could collapse under your baby strong ability to suckle. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it appears that your baby sputters or gulps often it may be possible that your baby could need a slow flow nipple instead of a high medium low. If your child is a newborn, you want to see if the nipple hole is the right size, is by inverting the bottle and noticing if the milk comes out as a spray for just one second and then slowly moves to a trickle and then drops. You should never attempt enlarge the hole of the nipple yourself, because this may cause the nipple to tear and can even present a choking hazard to your child.
How important are air vents on glass baby bottles? Companies like Evenflo offer micro air vents on the manufactured baby bottles that allows a baby to get an even flow of milk which keeps air from entering the baby’s stomach. Evenflo produces different stages of nipples that you can replace as your child grows. A vented in their glass bottle will allow air to return back to the bottle as your child drinks, preventing nipple collapse and also keeping air out of your baby’s stomach once again.
Is there a difference between using latex and silicone nipples? Both materials have their advantages and disadvantages, it just comes down to preference of your child. Latex is very smooth and is a naturally resistant rubber. Latex is also soft in a baby’s mouth and will often times retain a sense that your child may actually like. The disadvantage to latex however, is that it does not hold up well to being cleaned repeatedly and your child’s small teeth can quickly tear into the nipple. Silicone on the other hand does not retain odor the same way that latex does, and is more durable and is difficult for a baby to bite through. Silicone is much sturdier and easier to clean than latex and will therefore lasts longer. As mentioned above, it does come down to your baby’s preference as to which nipple you as a parent should use.
If you have any experiences with using glass baby bottles, latex nipples and silicone nipples please feel free to e-mail us so that we may post your experiences for other up-and-coming mothers and even current mothers to read so that they may learn from your experiences and examples.