Baby Helmet?????

I remember when my son was going through this phase I always had the homepathic arnica tablets and cream handy. He got a couple of big bumbs but ultimately was fine. Falling is a part of learning to balance and walk. Don't worry too too much, the near misses will only continue through childhood. My son is 6 now and continues to freak me out with his stunts. We can only protect them so much.

Nah.
Babies are designed to take a lot of wear and tear. Granted, my daughter was pretty coordinated and fell infrequently. The few falls she did have were pretty hard: a couple of bloody ones when she'd fall on her face and cut her lip on her own teeth; a couple of somersault falls from trying to go head first off a bed. She learned very quickly to be careful. I think it's very good for baby to learn from her own mistakes. She will become more coordinated the more she moves. Best!

I think you've done everything you can do. Do you have a stationary entertainer /bouncer that she can sit in and play to let you have a break? Another idea is a long accordian style gate to keep her in the safest area of the house. They're sold at most retailers that sell baby gates.

Mom of 4 ages nearly 1, 3 3/4, 6 & 9

Read the new book, "A Nation of Wimps." I forget the author, but you'd easily be able to find it on Amazon. The book's premise is that America is turning this generation of kids into wimps because they're overly protected and not allowed to explore or do things on their own. Babies will fall and lose their balance. Having experience falling will improve your baby's balance in the long run. Yes, she'll get a few bumps and bruises along the way; but that's how babies eventually develop their coordination.

There's an old e-mail going around on the Internet titled, "How Did We Survive?" It tells how the older generation grew up without car seats, bike helmets (though those are a good thing), super babyproofing in the house, and playgrounds with every inch double padded. The idea behind that was that even though people of my generation (and my parents' generation) were not overly protected by their parents about every little thing, we still survived the experience.

So let your daughter crawl around and fall down. Nobody will turn you in to the authorities because she has a couple of cuts and bruises. My son took some hard tumbles when he was a baby and he survived without any lasting damage. Lighten up and let your daughter explore the world the way she was meant to.

Hi F.!
I know how you feel... I have 4 kiddos and all of them went through the same thing too. When my oldest was about your daughters age she fell into the coffee table and gave herself a HUGE black eye. Of course I was very concerned and took her straight to the Dr. As I tearfully explained what happened the doctor responded with great advise. He said that he is always more worried when little people don't have bruises. We all learned a bit of the hard way not to do something or perhaps to do it a diffrent way. You've made sure that your home is safe as it can be to protect your little one and the rest will come in time. Don't worry, kids will hurt themselves and there is nothing we as parents can do to stop it, most of the time. Sooner than later she'll become much more steady on her feet and you'll be wishing that she was still just crawling. :) She's exploring her world now and you'll both keep learning together. Best of luck to you and your daughter. It's hard being a single mom but it is oh so worth it. :) Take care

No helmet please. Kids need the bumps and bruises they get while learning to crawl, walk, etc. You sound like a very responsible mom and I'm sure you are watching her, but know that even while watching kids somehow manage to get bonked or fall down or hurt somehow. Let her have these experiences and try hard not to over-react so you can teach her that owies happen and she's going to be OK. It's a healthy part of growing up that we all wish we could protect our dear ones from experiencing but the truth is it helps make for strong little people. Good job mom.

I wouldn't worry about it so much. She's probably going to be fine and little bumps and bruises happen. If she isn't falling from a height, most likely she won't seriously injure herself. I know that sometimes you think people are wondering if you beat your child when they are all over bruises, but really no one is noticing. If she's only crawling on the floor, why would she hit her head on a table (you mean the legs or something)? Eventually she will learn to keep her head up and watch where she goes. Babies just like to explore and yes, they tend to fall down. Help her up, give her some hugs, kiss the ouchie all better, and let her go again until she hits the next thing. She can't fall far from the floor to the floor. Let her explore and learn in her way. She'll keep getting up and trying again. The only thing you should be concerned with in her explorer days is that things that she can break or hurt herself with are out of reach or bolted down. You know, don't let her pull the TV down on top of her head or put her fingers in the outlets. If you have some table tops that have hard edges, you can get some clear or white rubber covers that make the edges softer in case she hits her head there. Other than that, she'll probably be fine. I mean, my dad used to say, "Let the baby pull the TV down on her head. She won't do it again." I still survived and no one called CPS about my family. Breathe.

She's a toddler, she's supposed to fall and get bumps and bruises! Keep close to make sure she isn't going to seriously hurt herself but otherwise she needs to learn by doing.

F.,

I know this stage is very scary. I have two boys and the second for some reason is more clumsy than the first, and I thought the first was bad. I didn't think my nerves were going to make it through that stage. I was so concerned about them getting seriously injured, so I brought it up to my pediatrician. I'm glad I did because he really put it in perspective for me. He explained to me that when a baby falls, she doesn't fall with the same momentum and force that an adult does. They are much smaller and have a much shorter distance to fall. We think of their bodies as being very fragile because they are still so small and uncoordinated, but they're really quite strong. Many times when they fall and cry it's because they've actually scared themselves, not injured themselves. And falling is just another way they learn and explore their surroundings. Sometimes they will fall, and maybe get a bruise, but that is part of childhood. It sounds like you're doing everything right. You've babyproofed your home and you are diligent in watching her. You're doing fine, keep up the good work. And let her fall sometimes - she won't learn if you don't.

I know it's hard not to worry but babies are pretty resilient and can take a lot of bumps and keep on going, as I'm sure you well know. All you can do is your best and if you've baby proofed everywhere and everything, that's really all you can do. You might want to check out babycenter.com. I use that website for everything; it offers advice and solutions to common problems for babies, from newbort to school age. You can track your daughter's milestone progress and growth patterns and it will even offer suggestions on diet and playtime activities. Good luck to you and your daughter!

Hi F.!

I know how stressful it is to have your first child, how much it would be nice if you could to put them in a bubble just so nothing hurts them.

Honestly, the best you can do is be there for her as much as you can. My friends son was the same and her husband talked to the ped about it and he told him about the natural helmet babies have, the cranium is very strong, stronger than we can all imagine and she is well protected. As long as she's not falling down a long flight of steps, falling on her butt and hitting her head really isn't that bad.

I know it hurts to see it and no one likes to see their little ones hurt but it's really a learning process she needs to go thru, soon enough she'll be able to walk all by herself and then you'll see what kind of trouble she gets into lol

I would suggest you talk to your ped about it, let him reassure you, that's what he's there for. But I think she's fine.

M.

F., (is also my daughter's name :o)

There are baby gates that you can arrange them in a circle, depending how much room you have in your house you can make the circle. It is good for her to be moving around but keep it safe, this is a good way to do it. Playpans work too but they are too small i think. Be patient this is one of the many milestones for her, take deep breaths and just be thankful she's developing healthy.

She will fall and she will get plenty of bruises! Everyone that has kids knows that, we have all been thru it. No one will think you are abusing your child. Let her learn and have fun, a few bumps and bruises are part of the learning experience. Good luck!

My son would bump himself or fall several times a day at that age, not for lack of watching and being near him. Baby accidents happen so fast that I too became worried for his safety (and became a safety freak).

After much thought, I decided not to buy a baby helmet because I couldn't find a good one I liked and because I realized my son didn't like anything on his head (like hats or sunglasses) and would fuss or take it off himself. Instead, I bought little velcro baby knee pads, and that was a waste of money for the same reason (he'd take them off or they'd slide out of place).

The bottom line is that babies don't need all that stuff anyway; they just need attentive parents to help keep them safe or kiss the boo-boos away when they stumble or fall. Keep the ice handy to lessen any swelling, and get some Arnica Gel and/or Tablets handy. That's my best suggestion... Arnica makes any bumps or bruises go away MUCH quicker. I got mine at Whole Foods, I used the brand "Hylands." It also eased my thoughts of what people might think, seeing his little bruises... There were barely any bruises to see, using Arnica.

Hi F.,
I bought my daughter two different helmets to protect her and she refuses to wear either one of them. She seems to hit her mouth more than her head anyway. If your daughter will wear hats maybe she'd wear a helmet. There is one called Baby No Bumps that looks a little weird but it lets air flow to the head. The other one I got is called Thud Guard, it is super cute on, but made my daughter's head sweat really bad.
Good luck, it sounds like you're an awesome Mommie!
S. G.

Ok, so if you decide after reading all the advice that you still want to protect your baby's head, here's a site that offers head protection for babies learning to crawl and walk. http://www.babynobumps.com/
My children have never used it, so I don't know how effective it is. But wanted to let you know that there is such a thing out there. Someone invented it out of concern for a baby's head safety.
All the advice posted here is good and makes a lot of sense. However, if something inside of you says you need to do more...
Good luck to you! Go with your gut and trust your own judgement.

All babies fall down a lot at first. Heck, my soon to be four year old still falls down. You can't be there for everything Leiah does no matter how good your reflexes are and how quickly you move. If you were, then you'd never get anything done. We all survived without bike helmets and car seats. We played on metal playgrounds with merrygorounds and teeter totters. Scrapes, bruises and even stitches are part of life. I made the mistake of holding my daughter back and being next to her all the time so she wouldn't hurt herself and now that she is almost 14, she would rather watch than participate.

If you've done everything you can in the baby proofing area, then you are in good shape. Just keep an eye on her and when you see her do something that you feel is dangerous, you can take care of it then. Babies are a learning process for all of us and when you think you've learned their rules.....they change it without any warning! Good luck.

don't worry about her too much or you'll just drive yourself crazy. the good thing about our little ones falling is that is how they learn. like when they bump their head on the edge of a table they learn to be careful next time. climbing on top of furniture and falling off is another story. she can get very hurt so just do your best here. i have three children and our youngest is 12 months and we are going through the same thing here at home. our life revolves around watching the little guy. this phase too shall pass. i know it is a real challenge being a young single mom. i had my first child at twenty and was a single mom for nine years. when you are doing it all on your own it can be very trying. i had my two younger kids in my thirties and am now 37. if you ever want to you are welcome to email me. good luck and trust that you know how to do this - you do!

Honestly I wouldn't worry about what other people think. She's young and she's going to get hurt, you can't shield her from that. She'll learn, her balance will get better and you won't have to monitor her as much. Just try not to make a big deal if she does fall. She'll be fine.

I know i'm late to respond but am right there with on on this one- I have an 8 month old doing the same things. It breaks my heart when she cries- esspecially when I know it really did hurt. But thats just the thing, we can't as parents sheild our children from every hurt because thats how they learn to be more causious next time. Do you know those walkers people used to put their babies in to help them learn to walk? Well they are banned because of too many accidents, but my sister-in-law used them on her kids (now teenagers) and she describes her children walking post walker and crashing into things, beliveing they were more capable than they really were. It will be the same with the helmet- when you take it off she'll think she's imune from head bonks and hurt herslef even wose. It won't be long before she learns her limmits and gets more coordinated. Obviously you need to gate and remove dangerous objects to prevent major injuries, but for the "bonks", as we call them, be greatful with every one that she is learning her limmits and boundaries for next time without a serious injury.
I've had to up my supervision during this time. But we all know it was coming right? Mobility is a whole new ball game. Good luck.

Babies are much tougher than people think. Bumps and bruises and small falls will not break them. If you have baby proofed your house as well as you say then you shouldn't have to worry. She will still get a bump or bruise once in a while but don't worry about it. All babies get them and yours will too eventually. Just try and relax a little and let her explore with supervision. If you you catch her every time she falls she will be devestated when she finally hits the floor. I am a mother of 3 and have a bachelors in child development.

F., it is good and completely normal that your baby is active and obviously healthy since she's trying to explore and get around. You've already babyproofed her environment so that is good. Something that worked for me was to limit the space that she can explore with a babygate or a play pen. Let her have more open space when you can get down on the floor with her. Also, a few bumps and minor bruises are OK - it's how she learns, no one will think you're a bad mother - it's par for the course with a toddling infant. The baby gate can be arranged in a large circle in the middle of the room with some toys and other interesting items to keep her stimulated. Obviously you should never leave her unattended even while in the gate but at least you can keep an eye on her and she won't be getting into everything or hurting herself.

Hi F.,

Don't worry yourself so much. Both of my girls have fallen on their heads, literally, onto the cement ground. Their heads are pretty sturdy! While it hurts, and they may get gigantic bruises...this is all part of learning. They eventually become more careful over time. However, it never stops. Other than covering outlets, I never "baby" proofed anything in my home and now they are five and three. You shouldn't worry yourself with what others think. You know the truth. Also, more bumps, scratches, and whatever else may happen will occur...even as they age. It is normal. Heck, my youngest fell and bit her tongue. Talk about bleeding! But within minutes she was fine! You just can't drive yourself crazy with trying to protect her from learning. You've baby proofed your house. That is all you can do. Let her play and fall when it happens. She will be fine! You are a good mom!

F.,
No you shouldn't be worrying at all. Babies fall all the time, especially when they start to learn how to walk. That is there job, to try and figure something out and when it doesn't work they fall or they will cry. That is why God gave them such hard heads and bodies that mend so quick! My baby is a year old and now that she is trying to walk she has a new bruise every other day it seems. This is just part of being a baby, the hardest part is letting go and letting them do it!

Don't worry to much. I have 3 children ages 9, 5, and 16 months. My 16 month old has a scratch across his cheek and nose right now because he was just being a boy. He tried to get on the litte tricycle and fell forward on something that scratched him. Nothing that won't heal in time. The youngest is constantly trying to do everything the 5 year old is doing so I have to watch constantly. I let him try. We have stairs in our house a trilevel so that was a constant chore but he is proficient at the stairs already so I don't have any concerns. He mastered the stairs at 5-6 months. Don't worry all kids get scratched and bruised. My philosophy is that alot of the times the kids get more upset by our reactions. Just roll with it.

falling down is part of the development of the musculature to become a biped. you're just going to have to relax. putting a helmet on her could strain her neck and throw off her spine development.

she's learning a lot about the world, and how to use gravity, not fight it. sometimes those falls are actually planned! babies are very cunning. just sit nearby and make faces when she falls so that she knows that it's all part of the journey and she can get back up when she's ready. that's a valuable lesson.
peace&time,
-A.

Hi F.,
You have gotten a lot of great advice. I agree that you cannot pad their entire world, they WILL fall and it is how they learn, but trying to make the falls a little safer is always more comforting.
My daughter just recently went to a friend's house, who has a year old baby just learning to walk. She found what they did very interesting and plans on doing this with her baby (my granddaughter). They bought a few of those sectional baby yards. The kind you can manipulate into any shape. (Babies R Us sells them). They placed those around the perimter of the living room. Not closing the baby in, but rather positioning those against the furniture, etc... to keep her from getting to the TV, stereo, etc... She still has free run of the living room, but anything with sharp edges (coffee table), etc.. is put behind the gates. Not sure if I described this so it makes sense, but it is a really clever way to protect your baby without penning them in.
Good Luck!

Even if they made helmets for this, I wouldn't recommend it. They learn by moving around and running in to things on occasion. Let's say she is crawling under the coffee table, goes up too early and hits her head. If she is wearing a helmet, then she won't learn cause and effect.. if she isn't wearing one she bonk herself slightly and the next time be more careful.

If your home is baby proofed, then relax, keep an eye on her and let her explore.

M.

First off you can't really protect your child 100% of the time. There are different kinds of bruises most people are not going to think you are a bad mom if your child has some kind of bruises especially when learning how to crawl, walk, run, jump, dance... if you child falls and does not cry brush it off. If you child falls and then cries pick them up give kisses (most of the time its over in seconds) and move on. My daughter is 4 and had bruises on her legs from jumping off the couch, playing a school, running around like a 4 year old. When she was learning how to crawl she fell on the tile face first... blood everywhere but I cleaned her up gave her kisses and she was off and crawling again. As mom's we want to protect our kids from everything.. but we all get bumps and bruises.

The solution is to RELAX and realize that every single person who has ever walked the face of the earth has gone through the stage your daughter is now in. You did, I did, everyone did. We all got bumps and bruises, we all cried. And we all survived it. You've done what you can to babyproof the house. Now it is her turn to learn to stand, to walk, to climb, to run. It will always be something. You must develop nerves of steel to be a parent. Think of this as practice session for yourself. Before you know it, she will be learning to ride a bike, use the stove, drive a car! The older they get, the scarier it gets. At this point in her life, bumps and bruises are to be expected. All she needs is you to comfort her after the harder falls. We've all been through it. Just be happy that your daughter is active, curious and on the go!

yup I agree with all the responders.... Just wanted you to know that all my kids have gotten hurt, it's just a part of life. ONE time, my daughter (whos now 4 but then was a little over 1 1/2) got pushed by a friends baby (who was a little bit older) she hit her nose so hard that she ended up with 2 black eyes! OMG! 2. and the scrape on the nose....

I was so scared that they were going to call CPS on me. but I guess everyone knew that like you said babies will be babies.. Oh and they HAVE NO FEAR!!! they'll learn.

lol and to this day my DD is the one that I will find doing the most dangerous stunts! lol

Ki F., WOW 8 months and trying to stand,I'm 51 so My kids are now grown, but they didn't have safty helments, when my kids were small and learning how to walk, but I used gates where i needed too, I think most babies would not want a helment on their heads, if your coffee and end tables corners are pointed, they have covers that you can purchase for those, all 3 of my kids bumped their heads at least once on something, and survived, they are more duable than we think, I learned that very quickly when i was a young mom, so when I stared to child proof my house, my mom told me instead of child profing my house, to house proof my child, I did keep cords and plugs hidden, but I din't move breakable decor, didn't put things up, withing reason, there's wasn't knives and sessiors laying around the house, things like that, but as soon as my babies started crawling I started teaching the don't touch rule, and my mom at the time told me to do it this way becasue, what if you go to a friends house who does not have children, and who;s home isn't child proof, she asked me what are you going to do sit there and hold your baby/child through the whole, I stated thinking about it, and I felt like she was, she raised 5 kids, on the house proffing your child method, so by the time my kids were a year old, I could take them any where and they would not touch anything, I was ASAHM so I had plenty of time to work with my babies/kids. 8 months is a wabbling age in a baby's life. I don't remember that the prctective covers were called, but I believe they in the same department, with all the saftey items in the baby department. You have a lot of fun and memories ahead of you enjoy it, they grow so fast. J.

It's hard, but you have to just let them fall...it's all part of learning for them anyway. She'll learn to catch herself really quickly. When my son first starting walking he ended up with a new bruise what seemed like daily. Now that he's three and on the playground every day at school, his legs are what get all bruised up. But, there's no way to stop him...he's an active kid and I think that's great. We just encourage him to be careful and follow certain rules...it's hard to see them cry or watch a bruise turn different colors on their forehead, but I think it's just all part of the process and pretty darn hard to avoid!

F.:
it is so important for a baby to crawl. It helps them develop all kinds of muscles in their arms, legs, core and neck. I'm sure if you baby proofed your house your baby will not get hurt crawling. Even a little bump on the head is normal now and then. Get an ice pack or two.
Wait until she starts walking, then you'll see lots of falls.

Dear F.,

You truly are up the creek without a paddle. Thank goodness you reach out for help. I am sure that lots of the mommies will have great supportive ideas for you. One thing, I can remember the terror I felt with my first baby. You are just the same as all of us are, or were.
No, don't sit on the floor all of the time, but clear the hazards away, and put up chairs sideways to keep her away from harmful areas. I did that with my gr grand daughter when she was in that state of development. They really are curious, aren't they? I say that she will be a scientist, being so interested in learning about the new world she is in. Put lots of pillow on the floor and let her investigate. She will be o.k., my gr grand daughter lived through 'it'. Also, aren't you proud of her not being a scardy cry baby? So now you know when she cries, then it is either serious, or she is surprised at her falling. You are so lucky to have her, enjoy every single second. ....and your family will too. My family is very small too, and not many babies, and we all adore all of them to the hilt. C. N.

Hi F. :)
Your idea of the baby helmet made me laugh as I, too, had those same fears like you do after I had my daughter; she was my first. My Dad was always very protective of me- many times overly protective- however I understand those fears of something happening come from great love. I, too, had the same horrible thoughts that someone would think I was abusing my child, but parents know. The older your daughter gets, you will understand this more and more.

For your own peace of mind and for her safety, it sounds as if you've done a lot to make your home safe for Leiah. I think the problem you are having is more internal and fear based. Please know that fears and worries attract what you are putting out. Babies will fall and get bumped and bruised (just wait if you ever have a boy!!!). Those painful moments are all part of growing up and learning. It is important that you allow her to have the space to explore without you're hovering over her every move. I'm not saying you are doing this, however you do sound like your negative thoughts of something happening to her are driving you nuts. I was at a point like that with my daughter- what if something should happen to her... that kind of thing. Try to find comfort in knowing that you are taking every precaution you can to keep her safe and protected. You have to trust yourself in what you've done for her and then when you feel okay with the environment she's in... let her go :). My daughter learned to walk right after we moved into a new home with travertine flooring. She got so many goose-eggs on her head, but I saw that the more I worried, the more she would get hurt. And she would get hurt at a time when I actually wasn't worrying!! It was awful. I do think those bumps and bruises hurt us more than they do the children a lot of the time. For example, my son split his head open on the fireplace-took a little chunk out of it even. I thank God I didn't see it happen, but when my husband turned him over as he was screaming, I could not even see his face... he was covered in blood. He ended up needing layers of stitching that night in the ER, but he was fine. His forehead looked like Frankenstein's and I couldn't even bear the sight of it... but my darling little boy decided he didn't like the stitches and took one of those little Winnie the Pooh garden (metal) rakes and dragged it down over the wound to get the stitches out!! I spent a good part of my day driving back and forth from Laguna Niguel to the plastic suregon's office in Placentia 5 times because everytime we got home, he'd do whatever he could to get them out again... Now this was killing me and ripping me up inside because a child needing stitches anywhere in their face is awful~ and so are the injections to numb them. But I was learning how resiliant children are. After that cleared up nicely, it wasn't much time after that we were in Macy's with my Dad and my son tripped and split his upper lip horizontally on one of the raised pedestal stands for the manequins. Another bloody mess... another time I realized that the times I have worries and fears are not the times when things happen. With kids, it's always unknown. You can't spend your time with her having those thoughts. It will make you sick and eat you up inside. I know this may sound a bit strange to some of you who are reading this, however, if you see your daughter constantly surrounded in a pink light, you can place your intentions mentally into it and make it's purpose to be a form of protection. I do mind, body and spirit healing work for people and although many do not see the energies, they are present and they do work!

I would just like to make one more suggestion, if I may... Children LEARN fear. It is better for anybody to be less fearful and get hurt rather than be more fearful and get hurt because of the tension in the body. Maybe that's why babies are so "rubbery"? :) I think it would be a much happier path if you just set all that other stuff aside and enjoyed each and every moment the two of you share together. The infant/baby years are WAY too short and go by WAY too quickly!! Keep the space in your mind available for more memories and for allowing your spirit to just BE entirely in every second, in the "now". Feel how alive you are and the intensity of the love and the connection which holds you two together. My Nana passed away in March, but when I feel overly worried about either of my children, I always hear her tell me, "Don't run down the road to meet it." I hope you will find more of your center in the present moment. Thoughts can rob us of time that is going so quickly now anyway. Then when she's older, you'll look back and not even remember her being a baby because she only will be for a flash... :)

I will light a special candle for Leiah and do a little prayer ceremony so she is protected. In the meantime, I hope you got something out of what I said. I know it's a bit off from the path of advice you may have been thinking you were going to receive... for whatever reason though... that is what came through.

Many blessings to you both!

In Light,
J.

Hi,
All you can do is baby-proof the best that you can and let her learn to be careful. She will get hurt - but babies are pretty resilient!
Good luck.

Babies learning to walk are going to fall. They've been doing this for thousands of years without helmets. You did too. If you've noticed, they fall differently than adults. She falls down and sits on her bottom. It's protective.

You've already done baby proofing which is a big step. As long as your child doesn't have a medical condition which puts her at risk of bleeding, just relax.

When she falls and cries, she'll need you to comfort her, but you can't smother her nor wrap her in bubble wrap.

don't worry too much, this is such a natural part of their developmental stage. my only advice is to clear the paths! meaning, make sure everything is out of her reach, breakables and things that could harm her. and remember if it's about 2" or less from what you think she can reach...she can! as for her injuring herself, she will be ok. these minor falls are just that...minor. Her little head is stronger than you think. Now if she were to fall more than 5 feet then I would worry. Enjoy this time with her because it flies by and it will be gone in a blink of an eye. :o)

no helmet, and good job moving cords and covering outlets.

Anyway, Hi again! I don't want to sound like a bad mother, but my daughter falls ALL THE TIME! She gets little cuts or bruises and she is fine. I think at least 1x/day she'll get a little red mark that goes away after an hour from a bump. Less often but at least 1-2x/week, she'll get a mark/scratch/bruise, that only time can heal (last week she scratched and bled above her eyebrow on metal footrest from the recliner). Either type of owwie, she is at an age where you can give a kiss and a hug and distract her pretty easily from any crying.

You say she hasn't hurt herself yet, so watch her from a distance and she will learn what she can and can't do... I think my daughter taught herself to lift her fingers when closing a drawer, but she still pinches them every once in a while, but it's still nothing that will cause long term damage--and that is your primary concern as a parent, realize that she IS going to get hurt along the way, but protect her from death and serious injury. If you have carpet, let her be, but be more diligent watching on tile or concrete.

If she is not crying after a fall, then she is absolutely fine, don't worry, and don't make a fuss either--babies read your emotions/facial expressions to learn how they should act. With other minor owwies, encourage her to get right back up again with love and encouragement--but again, don't dramatize the fall with your own overreaction or you'll teach her to have a low tolerance and high drama.

Hi Franki B.

What your little Leiah is doing is normal for her age. However I totally understand your concern. I am a mother of two much older children.

My recommendations are to designate an area, free from things that she could hurt herself on. Put up some barriers to keep her confined to that specific area. Given that you have the room. This way you do not stifle her from crawling because she sounds like she will be walking soon AND ensure her safety. My daugher started walking at 9 months.

Just a few days ago I was looking through my Family Fun Magazine and I saw a baby helmet that was designed to protect your child's head while learning to walk. It is a little silly looking - I would only put it on at home. Here is where you can view the Thudguard protective helmet - babysfirstheadgear.com

You know what I always think about - We survived childhood and our parents had even less safety equipment than we have now. When I was born, my mom held me in the car on the way home from the hospital. Crazy how far we've come in only 30 years. It is natural to worry as a mama, but be sure that you allow your child to explore and learn through trial and error. Sometimes those are the lessons that stick. Good luck to you and trust your instincts.

I am going through the exact same thing. It's tough...but I am sure once they get more agile, it will get easier! My little one bumps her head daily on the travertine floors, her excersaucer, the coffee table, even her crib slats. She is just fine...minus a few bumps and bruises and even a black eye..poor girl. Makes you appreciate how easy life was only a few short months ago when they couldn't get around so fast :)

Just watch her like a hawk when you are able to. If you need to do laundry or something and can't watch her, put her in the playpen or exersaucer so she'll be safe. People understand that new crawlers and walkers will have bruises. (You should see our 18 month old's legs right now.) No need for a helmet, just watch her, and catch her when she's about to fall. Happy crawling! :)

Your daughter is on a most magical journey. She is studying the world of balance as only babies can. You sound like you are doing fine. If you have a safe environment, keep her low to the ground, always put her down in positions she can comfortably assume for herself, (lay her on her back and let her move to the place she wants to be unless she is sitting on her own) the rest is up to her. I would recommend you look into Resources for Infant Educarers, RIE Parent/Infant classes for some great support and to meet other like minded moms. You can find them at RIE.org. Another great site to look at is Pikler.org. They have been raising orphan babies for over 60 years and allowing them to learn by doing.

Remember " a baby will try and fail and try again. It is what they do, it is what they must do and what they do best" We must trust them, observe them, and love them. Sounds like you have lot's of love. I say no helmet just a safe world and you.

L. Hinrichs
Topanga, CA

She will fall about a million times and you can pad the world but she will find the one place to fall that is hard!! With my first daughter I did everything that I could to shield her from the world - we gated everything and padded her one "safe room" which was the living room. My second daughter, we did nothing and we had since moved. We put on cupboard locks and outlet covers, but we didn't do anything else. She had at least one bruise on her bald head/face every day for about six months, but by then she had figured out how to climb up on the barstools and sit up without falling off, and other really outrageous things that a small child doesn't usually do. Anyway, if you let her challenge herself, she may become stronger for it. If you "keep her off of the monkey bars" so to speak, she may never develop those muscle groups and she will be worse off in the future. Only you can judge your own tolerance and your daughter's emerging abilities, but falling is sometimes a healthy thing to do!

F.,
Sorry to tell you honey but putting a helmet on her will make her more topsy tumbly and cause her to fall down more. Find the sharp corners and cover them in padded stuff-cut up water noodles are great because they fit over edges. Other than that you can't save her.
Kids fall!!!!
I tried to take my son's picture after his first birthday but I wanted to wait until he didn't have a bruise or scab on his face. I finally got a picture at 23 months.
Keeping her from falling will actually impair her ability to learn balance and walking.
She needs to experience taking chances. Keeping her from falling will make her afraid to try. Keeping her from getting hurt (within reason) can cause her to never make an effort, stifle her creativity and her spirit.
Don't judge yourself, I swore if my son made it to 2 he would live to be 100. He is now healthy and happy and 8 1/2. He loves to climb trees, gymnastics, swimming and baseball. I always watch him but I can trust him that he has figured out what his limitations are and he doesn't want to get hurt either, but he loves to learn a new skill and do something new and daring.

Good luck, she'll live to be 100 too!

Congratulations on your daughter. I have 2 boys who both crawled and walked at an early age - both walking by 10 months. Here's the deal - kids fall. Babies fall. They get bumps and bruises and owies, and that's just the way it is. No one is going to think you are abusing your daughter, especially when you say "Yeah, she's just starting to cruise the furniture." Everyone gets that. And babies don't bruise NEARLY as easily as we think they do. Your job here is to control YOUR reaction to her tumbles. If you react with "Oh my goodness, are you okay" worry and concern, she will be worried and concerned. As long as you know she's not obviously hurt, it's okay to say "Oopsie" or some silly thing to let her know it's okay. She will react how YOU react. The boys used to trip and fall flat on their little bellies, arms out stretched and I would immediately say "SAFE!" like in baseball. Don't worry. Being a first time mom, and doing it alone, is stress enough. She will be FINE, as long as you are. Good luck!