Please help! We have a crawler!

[papal]

I need your help. We went to BrU to get some baby-barriers but all we saw were GATES... i should have researched BEFORE going, but I did not, so we ended up not buying anything.
Anyway, i need to cordon off a play-area for Leela, as illustrated in the shaded area of the picture below. I would like there to be gates on both 'walls' (the blue lines), so I can enter and exit. I don't want the walls to be too high because our tv is at 18" height.
What is the best solution for us?? Thanks for your input!!!

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/6192.jpg

[egoldber]

Rashmi, why do you want to gate things off in this way? In a short amount of time, she will need a lot more room to play and you will need to re-configure at that time.

If I were you, I would babyproof the bookshelves, make the TV is secure and let her have the run of the area. :) If you like, get a couple of small gates so that you can block off the kitchen if you need to while cooking.

HTH,

[Momof3Labs]

I agree with Beth. Also, you won't find anything very short; there are minimum heights for baby gates, though you can find taller ones too. But this sounds like what you have in mind:

http://baby-safety-products.babycata...ure-gate-07080

Though this might make more sense for now, but understand that she probably won't tolerate this level of confinement for very long:

http://baby-safety-products.babycata...nclosure-08410

http://baby-safety-products.babycata...eryard-xt-8666

[mharling]

Can I hire you to draw a picture of my crazy gate scenario that I just posted??? :P

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
[link:www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b370a2992536|Birthday Pics!!]

[papal]

Thanks Beth and Lori, I never really thought of doing it the way you describe and honestly, now that i think about it, a play area seems simpler but I doubt if she would be happy to be enclosed. It is just overwhelming to think about ALL the things i need to baby-proof... i find her under the table chewing on computer wires (ack!), licking the trash can (double ack!), sitting under the chair, crawling under the bed... she is EVERYWHERE. What to do?? How can I baby-proof everything? I am just feeling overwhelmed. And also, i have this irratonal fear that the bookshelves.dresset etc will fall on her! she is pretty strong for a baby. But that is neither here nor there. Lori, those enclosure gate things look really ugly (thanks for the link though!)! Since this was going to be in our living area (we live in a tiny one bedroom), i was hoping to find something a little more subtle.. would a retratable tennis-net type of thingy seem wise? and is it even possible to find something like that?
Also, we live on the first floor, so i don't want her going out of the french doors when they are open.. there is just a small metal-ledge to put plants and such..but it is not safe for a baby (she can't fall through but still).

Back to the drawing board.

[papal]

:) Anything for you mama!

[Momof3Labs]

A retractable tennis-net thingy wouldn't hold her back for long - she'd quickly figure out how to push her way through that, I bet. The only effective barrier for a long distance like that will be rigid. You are going to have a very hard time finding subtle yet effective on the baby gate front. You could hire someone to build a nice wooden "fence" and gate, but it will be expensive and will still look funny.

Yes, babyproofing is hard, but it will be soooo worth it when you are done and she has the freedom to roam your apartment!

[egoldber]

I really think your best bet is to babyproof. Just think if it as practice babyproofing for when she is walking. :)

Of all the things you describe, the one thing that sounded dangerous (as opposed to gross or disconerting :) ) was chewing on the computer wires. Where is your computer? If its in the bedroom, just close the door to the bedroom and don't let her in there unsupervised. You can also fasten the bookshelves to the wall for safety.

HTH,

[papal]

Thanks once again Lori and Beth.. you have convinced me to go the baby-proofing route. Would it be the best to get one of those child-proofing specialist people to give us an idea of all the things we need to do??? Or did you do this on your own?

And Beth, yes it was the wire for the cable-modem.. i think removing her instantly from the scene of the crime gave her a clue that that is EXACTLY where she should be ... so she always ends of going there!! Since the computer is in the bedroom, i will keep her out of there.... arrghh!

[amp]

Rashmi - I also think babyproofing is the best bet. Honestly, she is going to want to explore and better you let her do so in a safe way, and also learn what she is not allowed to do, again, within safe constraints. I would not hire someone to do this. First, just buy latches and outlet covers for the things she can reach that are dangerous. Then, let her tell you where she needs you to babyproof. Ours is going in stages and it hasn't been that overwhelming. Or, get on your hands and knees and take a look at things from her perspective. Jake is allowed to get into and make a daily mess w/ my pots & pans, snacks & chips, paper plates & cups & napkins, pot holders, etc. The breakable stuff and the cleansers are all locked. We don't even have a gate at the stairway. We just let him learn how to climb steps and he's gotten pretty darned good at it!