We have a gate on both the up and downstairs now. We bought this place when I was pg with Oskar though so obviously we had to have one at least at the top. He still has fallen down the stairs though. He was about 18 months I think when he went down hmmm about 10 I think? It's so scary and I was checking him over like crazy. We now have a gate at the bottom also as Elijah kept crawling up them and if I was in the bathroom I couldn't stop him and he has also fallen down ... cos he was so fast one day that he got up about 3 or 4 high then thought he could just sit on them... ummmm wrong kiddo, wrong! Luckily babies and young kiddies "go with the flow" when they tumble and they don't brace and try to stop.

Our upstairs gate is only locked close if Elijah is upstairs and awake so Oskar can get up and down on his own. They are annoying but a necessary evil with young ones and/or kids who don't know how to use stairs well. I know kids older than Oskar who crawl up and still crawl backwards down..... so I basically keep all kids but my own off the stairs lol.

to you and Ava. Hope you both feel better.