Baby Safety Gates

Hi All

I’d love your advice please! I have two, 1yr old cats, a male Ragdoll, and a female Tabby (both spayed/ neutered)
I love them both dearly, but some nights I want to break their necks!

They are both indoor only cats, and recently they have started misbehaving during the night.
I’m finding this incredibly stressful as I’m 8.5 months pregnant, and really need the sleep….

What happens is that at about 3 – 4 a.m, I can hear them carrying on like lunatics throughout the house, jumping up on counters, knocking things over, scratching, etc…..
I know this sounds like boredom, but they have PLENTY of stimulating toys, a climbing frame, etc.
Both are in excellent health, eating well, etc.

The only thing I can think of that has changed is that we have put up a pet/child safety gate in our bedroom, preventing them from coming into our room. They previously were allowed in and used to sleep, quite soundly, with us. Obviously, this is now non negotiable, as when our baby comes, I don’t want them in the room with us for health and safety reasons (hair, and the risk of suffocation)

Perhaps this has stressed them out? How can I help them, and also, can I get them to stop jumping up on counters….especially the kitchen counter (not very hygienic)

Thanks so much, and I look forward to your replies…… xxx

Cats are creatures of habit and don’t always cope well with change, no matter how minor those changes might seem to us. Not only has their night-time routine of sleeping with you come to an abrupt end, but there are probably lots of other changes taking place around the home in readiness for your baby. Their night time antics may be designed to get your attention, especially if you have less time for them during the day than previously. Do you react in any way when they start messing about? Even calling out to tell them off, is giving them attention and will only reinforce the behaviour because they’ll be getting the pay-off they were hoping for. If this is the case, the best thing to do is ignore their antics – even if you have to resort to wearing ear-plugs to get some sleep. It may take a couple weeks, but they will eventually realise that messing about is no longer an effective way of getting your attention. Be sure to set aside some quality time for them in the evening. If they like being groomed, spend time doing that. Not only do cats find it comforting, but it helps to reinforce the bond between you which will help reassure them if they are feeling any insecurity over the changes taking place.

They’re both young cats with a lot of energy to burn, especially as they are indoor only. Is there another family member who could spend 30 minutes or so playing with them in the evenings? All cats enjoy practising their hunting skills, and if the games involve them chasing after things it will burn off some of their excess energy. If they’re kept active in the evenings, they should be more inclined to sleep longer at night.

You can try placing aluminium foil on the work tops at night, as many cats dislike walking on it. The work surfaces can be wiped down with an anti-bacterial spray prior to use to minimise any potential health risks.

This article has lots of information and advice on raising your baby with cats which you might find helpful.

http://www.messybeast.com/cat_baby.htm

Hope all goes well with your baby.

How old was your child when you got rid of the gate to the stairs?

Three, but you have to teach them to hold the railing and take it slow. But when they are younger they will do the crawl up the stairs. As for gate at the top of the stairs it is really your best judgement to when you believe your child understands the danger of the stairs or defiently until they are able to stand for minutes at a time without falling or wobbling.

I’m interested in expanding my local business to include customers in Sweden and I’m wondering if they require a certificate or safety marking on importing retractable baby gates? I’ve been able to find a few things, one being an EN 9130 marking, but that’s about it. Thanks in advance for any and all help!
The retractable baby gates are sold from our website and shipped individually if that helps!

I’m pretty sure the product has to meet the EN 1930:2000 standard for children’s safety barriers, and that the product itself has to have the marking on it. Usually there should also be a CE mark on it.

In 2003, the Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) tested 9 different baby gate products available on the market at the time and found that only one actually met the EN 1930:2000 standard, called Kiddyguard, from Lascal. Despicable! The products that didn’t meet the standards were all subject to mandatory recall/withdrawal from the market.

I suggest you contact the Swedish Consumer Agency for further info – contact details are on their web site. The link below is for the English version of their site. I’ve also supplied a link to the above report, although it’s in Swedish only.

hey

my son is 21 months and we got him a toddler bed, we are putting him in it for the 1st time tonight.

what age did your wee one go into a toddle bed?
what was the 1st week like?
will i need to take the toys/books he has out of his room?

i have a baby gate up in his room and his wardrobe and drawers have safety baby locks on them.

hey hun
i dont remember exactly but summer was around 14 months and thomas went into his on his 1st birthday
1st week was fine then the realised they could get up just keep putting them back 1st and 2nd time say its bedtime night night then after that dont say anything when you take him back they soon get the picture that its not a game
leave the books and toys where they are
im guessing you have stairs near the bedrooms if not loose the stair gates they can be dangerous in kids bedrooms if theres a fire its harder to get to them
good luck he will be fine

okay, I may or may not be pregnant. Either way, that’s okay. I know I can get through it and be alright. But if I am, I’d like to be prepared so, so far I’ve composed a list of all the things I’d most likely need (with costs and everything) can anyone tell me if I’m missing anything?

Crib (with crib mattress, crib sheets, and crib mattress pad)
Stroller (which comes with a car carrier)
Diaper bag
High chair
Changing table
Changing pad
Playpen
Blankets
Pacifiers
Bibs
Baby bath tub
baby carrier
baby swing
safety gate
Bottles
baby monitor
onsies
pajamas
baby shoes
baby clothes
baby socks
baby soap/shampoo

I didn’t calculate food or formula (or the big one, DIAPERS) but other than those am I missing anything I need to calculate into my possible budget.

I’m only 17, but I already graduated high school and I’m in college right now, my boyfriend also lives 13 hours away (he would move up here and we plan on getting married if I am, we were already engaged but it’d be for a sooner date, by a year). Any advice, tips, if I am, how should my boyfriend and I tell my parents? Also, so far with everything but the food, diapers, and formula I’m looking at spending $1,600 and I have $900 already and a job, so does anyone have anything to add my list? Or tips like should I get another job (I only work 14 hours a week, and two days a week.)

I know I sound like I’m in a heap of mess and should abort it or set it up for adoption but I can’t deal with the conciousness of doing either since it’d be my fault he/she is born. I just need to be prepared for it and get tested and see my cardiologist (since I have a pacemaker) which adds into the mess of the situation but I’m not too stressed as I am trying to be prepared. So I’m sorry for rambling, but am I missing anything on my list?

Thanks.

The main things I see you’re missing are a baby first aid kit (you shouldn’t use normal thermometers or nail clippers for them), and if you decide to breastfeed (which is cheaper and very good for you and the baby), you’ll probably want a glider style chair and a breastfeeding pillow.
If you’ve got money in savings and a budget, you can be even more frugal if the town you’re in has a local freecycle community, and by checking craigslist.org. Mom2Mom sales are also a great place to get baby clothes and toys (and a lot of those items look like new). Just make sure that anything you get 2nd hand meets current recommendations and doesn’t have any recalls on it.
Good Luck!