Most Effective Methods to Baby Proof Your Stairs

Having a newborn baby in the house is a huge responsibility, and there are so many things that need taking care of. One of the most important things you need to do before the baby comes is to baby proof your home. You need to think about electric outlets, keeping the house clean, keeping the furniture steady, hiding small objects, and so many other things.

But if you live in a home that has a staircase, the most important thing that needs to be taken care of is baby proofing it and making sure your baby does not fall down the stairs. There might be many hazards around the house that need proofing, but this one is probably the scariest.

There are quite a few methods and tips to safely baby proof the stairs at your home. If you are a new parent and have never encountered a task like this one, we are going to help you out and share the most effective methods and tips to baby proof your stairs.

Method #1 – Pick the Right Gates

One of the most important steps when baby proofing your staircase is to pick the right baby gates for your home. And you ought to pick the ones that are high-quality. Make sure you purchase the baby gates from a trusted supplier. To make sure that the quality of the product is good, look for the reviews. Most websites that run a legitimate business will have reviews displayed on their landing page. 

But if the reviews are not there, you can always find them on Google or on the company’s Facebook page. Also, make sure that the reviews are authentic, written by unique users, and not fake. 

The baby business is full of options, and it is not always easy to find the best one. But after you pick, purchase, and install the best baby gate you can find, your baby will be prevented from climbing the stairs and getting hurt in the process. 

Method #2 – Install the Baby Gates Both on the Top and Bottom of the Stairs

At first, you might think you only need a baby gate on the top of your stairs, so that your baby does not fall down the stairs. But it is most likely that you will be spending your time with the baby all around the house, not only upstairs.

Therefore, it means that the baby could crawl up the stairs and then fall – even if the staircase is small and the baby did not reach the top of it, it is still very dangerous. Especially for the newborn babies that are very fragile.

Method #3 – Do Not Forget the Stair Railing 

As your baby gets a little bigger and reaches 12 months of age, it is time to think about baby-proofing the stair railing too. If the spaces of the railing are too wide, the baby could push himself through it or get stuck. These are the two main hazards that can be caused by a stair railing that is not baby proofed. 

There are many different options and products to make the stair railing safe for your baby. The most popular options lately have been plastic and fiberglass sheets that are affixed on the outer side of the stair railing.

Method #4 – Remove Obstacles From the Stairs

Strive to keep your stairs clean and uncluttered at all times. As you probably know, because you read a lot of books about babies while preparing to welcome the new family member, babies will try to eat anything they can. So if there is at least the smallest tiniest thing laying around, it is very likely that your baby will try to eat it.

So just try to form a healthy habit and stop leaving small stuff around the house. Practice before the baby even comes, while you still have time to get rid of your old habits. You will have a lot to learn until you become an experienced mom and dad. 

Also, have it in mind that you yourself could slip on the stairs while carrying the baby, especially if you step on a toy. Which could be very dangerous for a baby. You could hurt both yourself and the baby.

Method #5 – Have a Carpet on Your Staircase

We recommend that you have a carpet on your staircase instead of a slippery surface. A surface that is slippery can be both dangerous for you and the baby. For example, if you have more children in the house and somebody spills something on the tiles, you could slip and fall while carrying a baby.

Also, if a baby would ever fall while standing on the stairs or trying to crawl, the hit would be way less painful if there is carpeting than if there was wood or tiles.