They are great for restricting access to rooms and for blocking off stairways. Usually there is a hook and latch attachment on the side of the gate which allows adults and older children to open the gate and walk through when they need to.  The baby gate is usually placed between door frames and extended till it locks into place firmly against the two frames. Usually gates that are installed on stairways are hard mounted, meaning that they do not just slip into place but they need to be screwed or otherwise secured in place.

It is imperative that you place gates at the top and bottom of stairways. Usually the hard mounted types of gates that are recommended for this location come in installation kits that include the hardware, wood and screws needed to physically attach the gate.

Other rooms that a child should be prevented from entering include bathrooms and the kitchen. You may also want to restrict access to other rooms such as your home office, the basement and any room where you have heavy equipment such as a handyman room or a workout room.  Many people also  mount these gates at the front and back doors so that baby cannot inadvertently toddle outside when no one is closely watching.

While nothing may ever happen to your child in the absence of gates, if you are not sure that you will be watching your child 24/7 you really should install them around the home.  No one can watch a young child all the time, especially a busy mother at home with her children by herself, thus baby safety gates can really save you a lot of worry and stress.