Baby keeps hurting herself since becoming mobile... what to do?

[Calliope84]

Ok, so I am wondering what to do about this. Of the times DDs bumped herself she very rarely cries or only cries for a second, but I am concerned. Is this a natural part of being a baby? I remember always falling and bumping myself as a small child.

As soon as the baby started sitting on her own, we had times she would fall back and bump her head. Usually not hard, but it seemed inevitable. I could put pillows around her or try to protect her, but 1 out of the 20 times she'd fall backward (or ARCH herself backward) I'd not catch her in time. Now she is crawling, she was investigating around the bed and tried to see the edge of the mattress because something was stuck between the mattress and the wall. She bumped her head lightly on the wall.... then she did it again. This is two times out of the large number of times I'v saved her from bumping her head on something she didn't see coming. Now she rolled / lunged off her crib mattress twice, which I have just sitting on the floor. She cries for a second because she is startled, but doesn't seem hurt....we have a soft very padded carpeted floor. I've managed to keep her from ever rolling off our bed, the couch, or changing table (never happened yet) or other high places (though she has tried many many times to lunge off) but I am sitting here thinking maybe she will start to "get" edges if she experiences some very low ones. I read that their awareness of edges and falling starts to develop with crawling.

So I feel terrible thinking that I'd rather her roll off her crib mattress onto the carpet to get an idea about edges than learn (or not) by lunging off the couch or changing table or something one day.

How often do your kids hurt themselves? I feel like I can't be a hovering mother all the time because she can't learn how to use her body without making small mistakes (plus I need to get things done.) I think letting her fall side to side and back (usually on pillows) really helped her sense of balance as she learned to sit alone. I've made her a play room that is totally carpeted with pretty much no sharp edges or anything anywhere so she can practice her crawling safely. The crib mattress is in there, too. She is only 5 and a half months old and sits completely unassisted and almost has crawling completely down. She can get anywhere now, but hasn't figured out climbing. She is way ahead of where she is supposed to be and I get worried she isn't cautious enough about trying them out like I think some babies are.

Any advice?

[Mal85]

Saw you post on new posts... I have a 2 year old and let me tell ya, it's just beginning! It was so hard when DD was just a few months old and started getting bumps and bruises already, but it does happen. I didn't expect so much of it from a little baby, like you I thought it was more a kid thing than a baby thing. And the first few times she did her "I'm hurt!!" cry rather than her fussy baby cry, was heart-breaking... still is most of the time. 

As long as you're being as careful as possible and watching for signs of serious injury when she has a big fall, then you're doing all you can. Just wait until she's pulling up to the coffee table and busts her mouth on it 10 times before learning not to do that anymore. And learning to deal with stairs is so much fun! All our Easter pictures from last year are of her with a huge rug burn under her eye from slipping on the stairs the day before. 

You will learn to brush it off a little easier as the mommy, but it's always hard to see your babies get hurt! My two year old is learning the fun of skinned knees this spring and I cringe anytime I see it coming because I remember how bad it stings when you skin your knee and it's no fun!

[Adaline'sMama]

Three weeks ago my 1 year old had a 2 different scrapes on her face from where she fell down, a bruise on her lower back, and a splinter in her foot. We missed that well baby check .

I dont think there is much you can do about it other than love them and hold them when they cry.

[Hannah32]

When my son was learning to crawl and pull up, he would fall over and bump his head on the carpeted floor like every other day. I worried about it quite a bit, but what could I do? Hover around him anytime he moved? That really wasn't workable. 

Luckily, they stop being so klutzy in a couple of months. I think they're ok as long as they're not very high off the floor. 

[expat-mama]

My DS has been crawling for a while now and is pulling up, standing and cruising now. When he first started crawling he was bumping his head every 5 minutes. He is MUCH better now with lots of practice. I was freaked out at first too.

Don't worry- they've got surprisingly hard noggins!

[Jenni1894]

I'd just try to keep a watchful eye and baby proof as much as possible. 

Of course this doesn't always work.  I've got 3 kids and my house is pretty baby proof.  My baby is *almost*14 mos and last week I said to DH I was afraid to take her anywhere.  She had a bruise on her forehead from bumping it on the crib bars.   She gets so excited when I walk in that she "hides" well she rammed her head into the bar right above the bumper.    Then that same day, her and ODD are playing with the babies and we have a heavy and old wooden cradle.   I was in the bathroom and I heard a cry.  Well she smashed her eyebrow forehead on the cradle and almost had a shiner.   She cried so hard I thought she was going to stop breathing.   THEN...that same day we were at a Garage Sale and the little thing walks really well, but she was soooo excited about this doll she found she was running to me and tripped and skinned her knee (she was wearing a dress).  

My ODD always had skinned knees and my DS....well, you look at his head funny and he gets a huge bump and bruise.  

it's going to happen, that's how they learn.  You could invest in a baby helmet and knee pads.   Kidding, kind of.  

I do suggest some Berts bees res-Q- ointment.   Aka green stuff.  It works wonders on bruises and scrapes.  and pimples too (if ya got 'em! lol). 

[mamayogibear]

My eight month old son has a new nick name "bonkers" because he is always bonking into something. As soon as a brusise heals a new one shows up. Right now he has a huge egg on his forehead from where he hit his head on the table as he tried to 'walk' from one end to the next... It just takes lots of hugs and kisses to cure.

[new2this]

DD is 8 months old and I swear we need to wrap her up in padding and get her a helmet. I knew bumps and bruises are normal but I didn't think it would start this soon. And she always tries to pull her self up and let go in the weirdest places. like behind the couch where there is nothing there to grab on to. The wall, and the dog. And the dog don't like it so she gets up to move and yup DD falls down. She is now getting a bit more graceful in her falls but its still a daily thing..lol