Should I get a hands free baby gate?

SethandMelissa

We got two baby gates at my shower today. One is the Munckin Easy Close Gate and the other is the Munchin Auto Close Gate... but I got to thinking, should I exchange them for a Hands Free Gate like the First Year's one? I should mention that we have a mischevious 3 year old basset hound, are having twins and I have rheumatoid arthritis. Any and all input is appreciated!

Munchkin Easy Close Gate - https://www.target.com/Munchkin-31041-Easy-Close-Metal-Gate/dp/B004CL9YZU/ref=br_1_36?ie=UTF8&id=Munchkin 31041 Easy-Close Metal Gate&node=10366001&searchView=grid3&searchSize=150&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=10366001&sr=1-36&searchRank=pmrank&frombrowse=1&qid=1302488651

Munchkin Auto Close Gate - https://www.target.com/Munchkin-31066-Auto-Close-Metal-Gate/dp/B004CLD3TI/ref=br_1_78?ie=UTF8&id=Munchkin 31066 Auto-Close Metal Gate&node=10366001&searchView=grid3&searchSize=150&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=10366001&sr=1-78&searchRank=pmrank&frombrowse=1&qid=1302488651

Hands Free First Years Gate - https://www.target.com/The-First-Years-Hands-Free-Gate/dp/B000058CC7/ref=br_1_35?ie=UTF8&id=The First Years Hands-Free Gate&node=10366001&searchView=grid3&searchSize=150&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=10366001&sr=1-35&searchRank=pmrank&frombrowse=1&qid=1302488651

UsedToBeGoldie

none of ours are hands free... it's not a big deal. If my hands are totally full i can easily climb over them (not the stairs one, obviously).

 

schoolsoutbride

I can see where it would be handy. 

Do get one that's mounted into the wall if it's for the top of your stairs (as opposed to pressure mounted, which the ones I looked at above were.)  My son rode a pressure gate down the stairs like a sled once at about 14 months (we had just moved in and not screwed in the regular one.)  My heart stopped, and I'm just thankful he didn't break his neck.

natb22

Cool! Didn't know this existed, it seems like a good idea in theory..until your kids learn how to open it themselves! Not sure at what point that would come, but then you'd have to replace it with another one anyway..

amanda31H

I got a hands free gate that you mount for the top of our stairs.  I have a VERY mischevious baby who already flung her self on top of a pressure mount gate and rode it down the step-down I have to my living room.  She's nuts.  So a mounted gate at the top of the stairs was a necessity for me.  I like having it hands free because I can carry someone downstairs and easily open/close the gate.

I have a couple of the cheap pressure mount gates that have the plastic lattice and my beagle chewed threw parts of them.    But I prefer the wood pressure mount gates to the big plastic slidey pressure mount gates because they're easier to adjust with the metal clip.