naps ---- is it unsafe or am I being paranoid

[happy2]

Hello.

I have an 8 month old and we have been happily co-sleeping since he was born. I used to nurse him down and the roll off for naps, but the last month or so we had to wear him and then put him in the bed. If I nurse him when he squirms he usually sleeps longer.

The PROBLEM is - he is crawling and climbing, though very poorly. I am suuuuuuper worried about him. I get to him as soon as I hear him move but sometimes he is already on the floor. Today I accidentally had the baby monitor on a different channel and did not hear him until it was loud enough to hear from the room. He was crying and when I got to him he was already by the door. He could have climbed on many a many things and fallen..including the wall. We have carpet but it still thumps when he tips over and fall - he falls like a tree cut down (painful to see- and not catch)

I try very had to react to him.....its what makes sense to me, its what makes me feel like I'm taking care of him. Yes, he could have just cried because I didn't come as quick as usually, but he could have hurt himself too.

Our crib in by the kitchen and I don't use it for naps - I can't nurse him if he needs it. Sometimes I am jelous of the people that have their kids in the crib falling asleep. It seems like a lot of work and I would prefer to keep him in our bed, but it just makes me sooooooooooo nervous when I leave him there. (mattress on the floor, against wall) I don't want to wear him during his nap...he gets heavy for me and he doesn't need me to sleep by him, nor is he always comfy sleeping in the carrier for longer periods of time.

Am I being paranoid? what can I do?

[Katie T]

You have the right idea with the bed on the floor. 

Child proof the room so there is nothing he can get hurt on when you are not right there. Another thing is to teach him how to get off the bed feet first. My DH did this with DS and I told him he was crazy but after just a couple times DS got it and could get out of bed easily. Now that he is mobile (kinda) you will get a good ear for the slightest signs that he is awake and will find yourself making it there as he is sitting up or even before that. 

A few bumps off the bed (on the carpeted floor) while nerve racking happens even to crib babies. I know lots of friends whos babies fell out of the crib when they were learning to climb. So a far worse fall than a mattress on the floor as they fell from the top of the rail. 

[WildinTheory]

Originally Posted by Katie T  Another thing is to teach him how to get off the bed feet first. My DH did this with DS and I told him he was crazy but after just a couple times DS got it and could get out of bed easily. Now that he is mobile (kinda) you will get a good ear for the slightest signs that he is awake and will find yourself making it there as he is sitting up or even before that. 

A few bumps off the bed (on the carpeted floor) while nerve racking happens even to crib babies. I know lots of friends whos babies fell out of the crib when they were learning to climb. So a far worse fall than a mattress on the floor as they fell from the top of the rail. 

 Yes!  I'm a amazed at how quickly both my kids learned "backwards".  We taught then both at around 8-9 months and it was simply amazing.  Yes it took a while to master it fully but my DD backs off everything that is slightly high now.  If the room is babyproofed, I would try not to worry too much.
 

[Beauchamp]

Mattress on the floor. Lots of pillows.

A video monitor, if you can afford one.

DH didn't want to spend the $$ on the video monitor with DD so what I did was put the regular monitor right next to her. She'd see the light and play with it when she woke up, which I could easily hear. Also I'd leave loud/jangly toys near her, and I'd hear her playing with those before she started crawling off the bed.