Baby Gate or Playpen: which one should I buy?

Mothers are known to show a lot of care to their babies which begins right from the pregnancy stage. At the realization of being pregnant expectant moms would swing into action in preparation to welcome the infant home. This preparation comes with many things in mind, from shopping for the baby’s food, clothing, and footwear, to the other arrangements for the safety and comfort of the unborn child.

With a lot of things in mind, coupled with the excitement of the impending welcome of a new baby, some pregnant women get confused about what to buy; as a result, they end up spending unnecessarily only to get what is not needed. As a result, the question of what should I buy: Baby Gate or Playpen, will begin to pop up in their minds.

Baby gate and Playpen are both baby nurturing gears. They are needed for two purposes; (1) for the safety of the child and (2) for comfort. So, should you get the two gadgets or either. The focus of this article is to guide you in your decision-making process and save some extra cash.

Baby Gate

Baby Gate is a child’s safety device designed to restrict babies or small children from reaching areas of the home deemed unsafe for them, such as the kitchen or staircase paths. In other words, this gadget is intended to limit the movement of babies to a specific region of the home for safety purposes. It can be made of metals, plastic, or wood. It is either constructed in portable pressure-mounted form or fixed between walls in certain areas of the house. While some mothers may not see a good reason for buying a baby gate, others think it to be a necessary addition to their baby’s outfits. Below is a review of the information you need to decide whether to buy a baby gate or not. Hence, the pros and cons are as follows:

Benefits of a Baby Gate

• It allows the baby considerable space for movement.
• It offers the baby the comfort of exploring his environment.
• Babies between the ages of 6months to 2years can use it.
• There are portable and fixed designs, so you have two options depending on the intending location.
• It is flexible in construction and can be expanded to fit the width of your door.
• It allows babies to learn more by letting them move around, taking the risk of rising to their feet and falling.

Demerits of Baby Gate

• It uses more space than other kids’ protective devices like the Playpen.
• You need to replace it if you notice your baby can open it or climb to the edge.
• There is the risk of injury as the baby roams around lonely.
• By waking up and not having access to the mother in her bedroom, the child develops the habit of waking up all the time.

Safety measures when using a Baby Gate:

Although there are some pros and cons of this safety gadget listed above, below are the lifeline instructions to minimize the associated shortcomings.

• Ensure you remove it once your child is above 2years old.
• Always get the one that is three-quarters of your child’s height.
• Do not let the child hang at the edge of the gate to avoid falling on the other side.
•  Use a wall-mounted baby gate along the staircase.

Playpen

The Playpen is a small portable device or furniture where you keep a baby or child to prevent them from self-harm when the parent or guardian is not around. A good example is the Uanloauo Foldable baby playpen safety play yard shown above. It is used by parents, guardians, or caregivers to ensure the comfort and safety of infants or toddlers in the home, school, or workplace without regular supervision. This safety gadget lets the child play safely while allowing the mother to concentrate on her activities undisturbed. The following are what you need to know before deciding to get your baby a playpen.

Advantages of Playpen

• It offers the child a safe zone for only them.
• It is minimal and portable so that you can travel with it.
• It does not occupy much space in the house. Hence you and your child can be in the same room while you do your things.
• It allows the mother to concentrate on her activities without close monitoring of the baby.
• No need for extra work or apparatus to start using it once you buy it from the shop.

The Disadvantages

• It is only used for babies between the ages of 2months to 8months.
• In the event of multiple births, you will need more than one baby pen to serve your purpose, as one of them can only contain one child.
• The baby is confined to a minimal space.
• It makes the child entirely depend on the mother or guardian to learn certain traits like crawling or standing.
• There is a risk of contracting diseases if the furniture is dirty due to the growing tendency for babies to bite anything around them when they start growing teeth.

Safety considerations when using a playpen:

 Apart from the advantages and disadvantages of this protective furniture, there are guidelines to use it effectively and eliminate hazards to your toddler. These are:

• Never leave the overhead changing table when your baby is in a pen to avoid him getting trapped there
• Make sure that you remove all toys, boxes, or threads once your child has reached the age of jerking himself up from his sitting position. By doing so, you will stop him from climbing out of the pen or falling outside.
• Always check that there are no torn pads or covers, and make sure you repair any torn part as this can be a risk factor for injuries.
• Do not add beddings to the mesh of the baby pen to avoid it being used to cover their face.
• Wash and dry it regularly whenever you discover it is dirty to reduce the dangers of harboring diseases for the child.

Final Thought

Baby gate and Playpen are needed to provide comfort and offer protection to babies or infants against unsafe environments. The question of Baby Gate or Playpen as a more suitable choice then becomes more of a personal choice. But by carefully going through the reviews of the pros and cons together with the safety considerations in using them, you would be in the proper position to make a good decision.