If your baby falls off the bed, it is easy to feel like the worst parent ever. Instead, learn about warning signs after a baby falls on his head and what to do.This post started as a cry for help from a worried mom after her baby fell of the bed. After the reply here and walk through of all the warning signs that something is wrong and how to act, the comments started to come in. So many parents have obviously experienced a similar situation and most feel so bad and are so worried. So,this post has transformed from simply advice on what do to if your baby has fallen to also almost a support community with lots of comment from parents in similar situations. If you want to share too, scroll down to the very bottom of the post. My baby fell off the bed on her head today while I was in the rest room. Do I have to worry about anything? Like are there any particular warning signs that I should be looking for?I am really worried that my baby is injured somehow. It is very scary when a baby falls off the bed, the couch or anything elevated.
Most of the times, though, the baby is just fine and as long as your baby is acting normal, there should probably not be anything to worry about.However, since a fall can lead to injury to the brain or concussion, it is very important to know the warning signs of a more severe injury. In addition to checking your baby’s arms and legs, also make sure your baby is alert and not sleepy. However, you do not need to keep your baby awake. Because babies expend a lot of energy crying, they will often go to asleep afterwards.Some warning signs for concussion to look for immediately after the fall are:Loss of consciousness and/or rolling eyesVomiting more than three timesLoss of balanceProlonged crying (for over one hour)One pupil being larger than the otherThat the baby is unusually weak and/or unresponsiveA baby who cannot be awakened or who is extremely difficult to awakenIf your baby is having any of the above symptoms, you need to take him or her in for evaluation by your pediatrician immediately.
You should also be aware that it can sometimes take a while for any symptoms of injury to become apparent. So in addition to the above warning signs, observe your baby while asleep during the next 12-24 hours. Being hard to wake up, becoming pale or blue, irregular breathing and twiching are all signs of injury too.While babies can usually have quite hard hits on their heads and nothing happens, it is NOT worth taking any chances with head injuries. Call the doctor or visit the ER if at all in doubt.I really hope your baby is fine!Unless you already have a good book at how on baby sickness and injureies, I would recommend My Child Is Sick!: Expert Advice for Managing Common Illnesses and InjuriesPaula (Answer approved by our Medical Reference Team) Image by Alex Graves Montessori Floor Bed Logistics? Q: I'm currently pregnant with my first and have been considering trying a montessori-style floor bed for the baby. I'll probably keep the baby in our room in a co-sleeper for the first several months, and instead of transitioning to a crib, would move the baby to the floor bed.
I have a few nagging questions, though: I really want to use a non-toxic, safe mattress, but I also would prefer a thinner mattress in case of roll-offs. We have room for a twin, and I'd prefer that for longevity. I do have access to the thinner Ikea mattresses, but I don't know how safe the contents really are. More importantly, I don't know that it's possible to get a safe, tight fit with the sheets and mattress cover on a thinner mattress. I wouldn't think there'd be sheets out there for a mattress only 3" thick. I also found an organic futon online, but it looks relatively soft and quilted, and I worry about SIDS with a softer, pillowy surface. Frankly, figuring out all these logistics is making me lean more towards a crib, because it's just easier to make it all add up, and of course, safety is the most important thing. Loose, baggy sheets aren't an option. I'm wondering how any other people have solved this conundrum. My other question is about a baby's comfort in an exposed sleeping environment.
I'm sure that many cultures - traditional Japanese and Native American cultures come to mind - may not use a crib or cradle, but in those cases the baby probably sleeps close to its mother. Might there be an instinctual fear of being left so exposed and vulnerable? Intuitively, that feels likely to me. Has anyone noticed a baby's discomfort with the floor bed because of this? I'd hate to invest in an expensive organic twin mattress or futon only to discover that it's just not going to work out. There are many things I really like about the idea of a floor bed - the baby's freedom to explore a safe environment, the ability to lie next to the child to lull it to sleep/comfort it, the reduction of a possibly unnecessary piece of furniture - but these logistical issues currently have me stymied. I'd love to hear from others' experiences. Editor: Leave your suggestions for Miranda in the comments - thanks! • Got a question? Send us yours with pic attachments here (those with pics get answered first)
Should I use a floor bed for my infant? August 12, 2012 Subscribe My 4.5 month old is getting too big for his cradle and the time has come for us to decide: crib or floor bed? Does anyone have any experience with having a baby sleep on a "Montessori bed" or mattress on the floor rather than in a crib? Do you have any advice to offer?Home » Family Travel Tips Jet Lag and Babies, Toddlers, and Kids After the flight itself, the idea of crossing time zones with a baby or toddler is one of the biggest worries for most parents. Before our first trip with our infant son I scoured my sleep books and the web looking for information about jet lag with infants and toddlers and found almost no useful information. Now that we’ve experienced it over and over, here is our Jet Lag Survival Guide for Parents: Tips to help parents, babies, toddlers and kids For time differences of three hours or less, consider keeping yourself and your baby or child on home time. Hotel blackout curtains help with this!
Over the course of a week or more, everyone will probably adjust to local time naturally but there’s no need to rush things. As with grownups, the thing that most helps babies and kids adjust to the time change is the sunlight. Get everyone up first thing in the morning, try to get them as much daylight as possible, and attempt to have them outside at dusk as well. During night time, try to keep the lights out and the blackout drapes closed. Offer your child food at local mealtimes (and in general try to fill them up during the day so that they're not hungry at night). Try to choose healthy, filling options, junk foods will only make the problem worse. Encourage physical activity (for everyone). There's no better way to encourage your body to sleep than to wear it out! Find a playground or encourage your child to do a lot of walking. Make sure to put yourself to bed early the first few nights so that you’re alert when the children wake you up in the middle of the night.
Consider napping when your child naps. For the first few days, it is more important that you are alert enough to care for everyone than that you adjust quickly. Encourage your child to nap when it is nap time at your destination. It can be tempting to keep a child awake, hoping that they will crash at night, but that strategy rarely works well and can often run down your child's immune system. Here are some tips for naptime and bedtime on a family vacation Expect that it will take four to five nights for your child to adjust to a new time zone and plan your trip (and your return) accordingly. So that you don't arrive at your destination overtired, try to help your child sleep on the plane Tips for Toddlers and Jetlag For big time changes, expect that your child will wake up once or twice the first few nights, most likely at their usual meal times. The first two nights, we let our kids play or eat when they wake up if they need to. After that we give them milk if they need it, but not solid food, and after that we expect them not to wake at night (just like home).
The first few days after a big time change, your child will probably take some marathon naps during the day. Take advantage of them! On one trip, we ate a 7 course meal in a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris with my son napping in the stroller! Tips for Babies and Jetlag Breastfed babies may take a little longer to adjust as mom's body is manufacturing milk on the home-schedule and may need some time to adjust to the new schedule. Jetlag and dehydration from a long flight can also impact mom's milk supply, so make sure to keep yourself well hydrated. Young babies rely on routines to help them understand their day. Try to keep your naptime and bedtime rituals similar to the routines you use at home, this will help your baby adjust. It's ok to play with a baby who wakes up at night (for the first few nights) but try to keep the activity fairly quiet and phase it out gradually. After a few nights, keep the room darkened, offer milk, and try to soothe your child back to sleep.