Baby fell off couch last night, landed on her back and head...pls tell me i'm not that bad of a mom

JeeGooDowster

So DD (8.5 months old), was playing with DH on the couch and just falls backwards....cries for about 5 minutes...and was kind of upset the rest of the night.  She was about to vomit but she controlled herself and didn't.  She seemed OK though. I called the doc and she just said to monitor her...check for pupils, extra fluid out of ears/nose, any bumps, drowsiness...and if all is OK, just monitor her for 24-48 hours. Luckily she was crawling and eating afterwards.  Doc also mentioned to wake her in the middle of the night to check for consciousness.  I did not do that because she was rolling around alot during her sleep so i figured that was good enough.

In the scope of things, she fell on a carpet and our floors are wood panels so it's not TOTALLY hard...but it's hard enough to make she and I cry!!

I feel bad because i was on the couch with them and watch the whole thing and i couldn't move fast enough to catch her...I lost sleep last night  

Anyone else have their LO's fall and how did you react and help baby feel better?

mothernorth

I think falling or rolling off the couch is a "Rite of Passage" for newly mobile babies honestly. It happens, and it'll probably happen again. And once she starts walking, there will be some falls. It's unavoidable unless you have a bubble, you are not a bad mommy, and kudos for calling the doc anyway!

What I have learned from falls: Do NOT freak out or overreact, that tends to scare baby more than the initial fall, especially if you snatch baby up quickly. Best advice I have, is get to baby quickly, but pat baby or puck her up slow and gentle and just talk in a normal tone "it's okay, I have you, was that scary?" Just pat and soothe and 9 times out or 10, all is well. Don't beat yourself up momma, it happens to just about everybody at some point.

stacemom

It's part of growing up. 

Muffins_Mom

I put DD in the middle of a king-sized bed to grab a diaper. She had never rolled over before, that was the moment she decided to, right into a hardwood floor. The same day I started my meds for post partum depression. I heard a thud, then screaming. I was horrified. DH and I went running. The doc's office told us to watch her, basically the same stuff you were told. I insisted on the ER. They called ahead, so we got in very quickly. The nurse lectured me, as I sobbed, about leaving my baby unattended in the bath. (Um, ok. That's a stretch from the situation that was at hand.) The ER doc saw her the  sat me down and told
me that she was fine and that the visit was about me not her. He was playing pica boo with her while he was telling me all of this. I heard from nearly everyone I know about similar incidents. She's a 10 year old straight A student who plays soccer now. God makes babies so they can live thru 1st time parents.

niknak1208

It happens. I have three kids. All of them have fallen off something as babies. They're all fine. You're not a bad mom.

juliekay25

My 11 month old is a dangerous little boy. He's been walking since 8 1/2 months and how climbs everything he possibly can. He's constantly falling off couches and chairs. I'm pretty sure when he cries it's more because he got scared and not actually hurt. I've learned the different cries. I can tell when he's actually hurt which isn't often. They are so tough. Your LO will be ok. This is just the beginning of bumps and falls and bruises. 

marijaa333

Our son fell off the bed around the six-month mark. He seemed fine, so I went to work but called the pediatrician for advice. She told me to take him to ER just in case. Went to ER.  ER doctor gave him an all-clear and then shared her own story about her kids falling off beds and couches.  If it can happen to an ER doctor, then it can happen to anyone.