sorta NPAIFR - if you live in a 2-story house

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

do you have a carpet runner on your stairs? do you think it makes the stairs safer? i'm thinking of having one installed for safety reasons.

when one of my nieces was 6 weeks old i slipped down SIL's wood stairs while HOLDING her. i held her super tight on the way down and she didn't even stir, but i looked like i had been beaten with a bat and have since become ultra-paranoid about slipping down the stairs.

i'm guessing there will be times i'm carrying 2 babies up and down stairs, and i'm thinking a carpet runner will make us a little safer. i'm also debating it though because it's a little pricey to have one installed...

steveandkim2 · August 2011

We don't - but our stairs are carpeted and the carpet is pretty tight so I'm less worried than if we had HW stairs. I actually haven't thought about it.

I will say that I'm super paranoid about falling with the baby. I love my UGGs, but I tend to trip in them more than with sneakers so I don't think I'll be wearing those much this winter! I'm definitely looking for more support on my feet for when I hold the baby.

Eriksgal · August 2011

I'm paranoid about this too. I would definitely get one for peace of mind plus it will be better when your kids are mobile. Our stairs are carpeted but several years ago I slipped on them while wearing socks and actually broke my ankle. So I try not to wear socks.

diego299 · August 2011

Oww! Our stairs are carpet so I don't have to worry about that but from your story it sounds like a runner would definietely be worth it.

wordslikeswords · August 2011

I don't have one, but this terrifies me. I actually know someone who fell down the stairs holding their baby and lost it

Sometimes I want to tell my husband never to carry the baby up and down. Like I want to keep it downstairs until its older. I know I can't do that but I'm very nervous about the stairs.

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

wordslikeswords:
I don't have one, but this terrifies me. I actually know someone who fell down the stairs holding their baby and lost it Sometimes I want to tell my husband never to carry the baby up and down. Like I want to keep it downstairs until its older. I know I can't do that but I'm very nervous about the stairs.

first of all, that is so, so sad. i can't imagine what that person went through

also, i kinda feel the same way. we are going to turn the dining room into a playroom since we don't have any nice furniture yet and put a changer in there. that way i am minimizing my trips up and down stairs with babies, and most of what we need will be on the main floor.

my husband comes WAILING down the stairs all the time, while i go super slow and hold on the banister every time. he's going to have to slow down when he's holding a baby!

kthappy76 · August 2011

When we redid all our flooring four years ago we replaced all our carpet w/bamboo (which is very slippery), except on the stairs, where we recarpeted. I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying babies up and down hardwood floors, as our bedroom is upstairs, but I'm a serious klutz.

It was very expensive to do the stairs, we went w/wool, but it was totally worth it.

halo_tx · August 2011

Our stairs to the upstairs of our house are wood. We also have a few carpeted stairs down into our family room and I've actually slipped several times on those (wearing shoes or socks). It's only like three steps though so it's not steep enough to get hurt. I haven't thought about having a runner put on the wood stairs. Our wood is old and kind of scratched up so it's not very slippery. It does scare me though, going up and down the stairs with the baby.

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

kthappy76:
When we redid all our flooring four years ago we replaced all our carpet w/bamboo (which is very slippery), except on the stairs, where we recarpeted. I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying babies up and down hardwood floors, as our bedroom is upstairs, but I'm a serious klutz.

It was very expensive to do the stairs, we went w/wool, but it was totally worth it.

i am such a klutz too. we are going to go with wool as well, i understand it's the best in terms of slipperiness. the cost is the only part that is making me hesitate, but i think for peace of mind it's worth it.

Duckie205 · August 2011

Same thing happened to me with my niece in my arms. She took a nice slide on auntie down the stairs, while I was seriously messed up. My aunt's stairs are painted wood, with no railings. Needless to say, I'm weary of non carpeted stairs in general. For peace of mind, personally, I would do it.

flycka · August 2011

I do, single fly and carpet (which I hate).
My husband has saved me twice from falling. Both times I was wearing stockings or loose socks. He is now the handrail police. The main thing is traction. So for wood floors I always wear socks with the sticky dots or sleepers that fit snuggly.
I have wood steps too and those things make a difference.
And multiple trips are always safer.
You can quote installing a hand rail.
Can you tell I've been lectured enough in safety?

kthappy76 · August 2011

NicoleeBonsai:
kthappy76:

When we redid all our flooring four years ago we replaced all our carpet w/bamboo (which is very slippery), except on the stairs, where we recarpeted. I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying babies up and down hardwood floors, as our bedroom is upstairs, but I'm a serious klutz.

It was very expensive to do the stairs, we went w/wool, but it was totally worth it.

i am such a klutz too. we are going to go with wool as well, i understand it's the best in terms of slipperiness. the cost is the only part that is making me hesitate, but i think for peace of mind it's worth it.

It is tough to swallow, but wool lasts much longer than regular carpet (and is allergy friendly), so you have to look at it as an investment. We lucked out as when they came to install it, there was a bunch left over on the bolt that they gave us and we used to make area rugs out of, so we really feel like we got our money's worth.

Make sure you shop around. We ended up getting Karastan from The Great Indoors, which is no longer around, but I found even the same lines vary widely in price by store and promotion.

We also opted not to do bamboo and then a runner on top on the stairs, which I like the look of, and just do wall to wall there and we saved thousands on materials and installation.

illinigal · August 2011

Our stairs are carpeted, so it's not an issue for us. Good luck whatever you decide.

nycbride0707 · August 2011

Ours are wood, and I literally think about this every time I go up and down. We have a split level, so I will likely go up and down a lot, and def makes me nervous.

helloshannon · August 2011

our stairs are carpeted while the rest of the house it hardwood because teh cats would sound like a heard of elephants without the padding. i also have slipped down hardwood stairs with a baby in my arms so i would be paranoid about it and invest in a good padded runner.

whispergrrl · August 2011

Eriksgal:
I'm paranoid about this too. I would definitely get one for peace of mind plus it will be better when your kids are mobile. Our stairs are carpeted but several years ago I slipped on them while wearing socks and actually broke my ankle. So I try not to wear socks.

Our stairs are already carpeted, and I've slipped a couple times while wearing socks too. Luckily, nothing broken...but man, it scared me! I now hold the rails tightly when going up and down the stairs!

snoangel79 · August 2011

We have wood stairs and we are going to have a carpet installed. You cannot wear socks going down. I actually slipped on the 3rd step up about 8 months ago and went up in the air like a cartoon character and smashed the back of my head. Ended up going to the hospital with a minor concussion.

My mom also did this in my house at 3 in morning on New Year's, she wasn't as lucky as she broke two ribs. Yes I would get a carpet installed or never wear socks!

etoyama · August 2011

We don't and we have wood floors and they're super slippery. We really need to get a runner. I want to install sisal. The bare wood is totally unsafe, especially since one side is open with banister rails.

CluckyEV · August 2011

It will be easier when they become mobile too. We have friends with "hard" stairs & their kids (all 3) insist on standing up and walking down b/c they hurt when skooting or on their bellies.

MaybeMore · August 2011

We've had both. I fall down both equally often. Which is to say...about once every 6 months. (I'm a klutz!) Nothing seems to help.

(Not pg, just sayin'.)

dejavu · August 2011

honestly, i've slipped with both. in our old home i had carpeted stairs and have slipped. in the new place we have wood stairs and i've also slipped. i don't think it's necesarry to install a runner, just be more careful when going up and down the stairs, you'll be ok

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