Please reassure me that all babies fall out of the bed once

[Michelle]

My DD never fell out of bed, but I did as an infant, according to my mom. She had me on a bed surrounded by pillows, I was about 8 weeks old and apparently I learned how to roll over at a VERY young age. I hit a hardwood floor, my mom freaked, took me to a neighbor to be sure I was okay (I think she was too hysterical to check herself) and I lived...obviously.

Don't beat yourself up, Kermit, as you can tell it happens to everyone.

 

[PKK/MJK]

A long time ago, when my oldest daughter was quite young, she decided to try climbing out of her crib. I heard a thump and went running only to find that she'd fallen head first into the trash can!! There she was--feet sticking straight up and screaming like a banshee. I was scared to death--but she was fine. She went on to be the high school valedictorian and Phi Beta Kappa--so I know there was no head damage. She is now expecting twins--I keep wondering what little stunts they will pull on her!! LOL!!!

 

[disykat]

I was always sooo careful with my babies, but well remember watching ds#2 crawl right off the bed. I was standing right there by him and it was like it happened in slow motion and I couldn't quite reach him. I was so upset and he had obviously hurt his arm and although he wasn't that upset he wouldn't crawl with it. I called my dad hysterical (he's a retired pediatrician) because I was afraid it would be an automatic CPS referral at the Doctors. My dad assured me that almost every parent he met had a similar story and it's not considered abuse!

I took him for an xray and he was fine - but didn't crawl again for several weeks. I can still vividly picture him falling, 7 years later!

 

[Disney Doll]

My brother used to fall out of bed and not even wake up and end up spending the night sleepiing on the floor!

He's 45 years old and a successful engineer, and a contributing member of society. I wouldn't worry!

 

[browneyes]

My SO's mom told me an old wives' tale was that if a baby didn't fall off a bed before he/she turned 1 year, he/she would not live past his/her 1st bday. She would try to encourage me to toss my dd off the bed. My dd didn't fall off the bed, and she's almost 10 years old now. I guess I proved that wives' tale wrong.

My ds fell of the bed though. He was always a wiggly little squirt. I can't remember how old he was, but he wasn't crawling or walking at the time. He cried for a little bit and had a little knot on his noggin, but he's ok. He's 6 1/2 yo now.

I also snipped his little fingertips off when he was less than a week old. I have pics of him with his little fingers with bandaids on them. I still kinda cringe and sniffle when I see what I did to him. I told him about it, and there's not any scars, he laughs about it.

 

[Tiger Fan]

Emily has fallen off the bed, rolled off the couch and when she was older (around 14 months) climbed up the side of the crib rail and sorta - "leaped" out - each time, just fine. Welcome to parenthood - enjoy!!

Lisa

 

[onemichelle]

Ohio Viking-thanks for the laugh!

My oldest ds fell off the bed onto the hardwood floor when he was about 3 months old because Mommy left the room to answer to phone (I didn't think he could roll!). I felt so guilty, I didn't even want to tell my husband what happened.

Along the lines of the poster whose baby rolled under the bed: when my ds (same one) was two he stood up on a suitcase and leaned against a window screen and fell out the window (first floor THANKFULLY). My mom and I could hear him crying but we couldn't find him anywhere! We kept looking until the neighbor across the street rang the doorbell and had him in her arms-still hysterical. She had seen him fall out the window and evidently decided the little guy needed more help than his inept mommy could provide!

 

[Keli]

Ashli fell out of her crib twice when she was a baby. She was walking by then but still in a crib. The first time I was walking past her doorway and just glanced in to make sure she was still napping. I looked just in time to see her fall from climbing over the top of her crib and land directly on the top of her head on the floor. I lowered mattress in her crib but she did it again a week later so I figured I'd better put the little monkey into a real bed before she killed herself in the next escape attempt. BTW, no serious injuries either time.

 

[becka]

Well Nathan didn't roll off the bed but he did roll off me and the couch when he was about 3 weeks old. At that point we couldn't get him to sleep anywhere but ON us so we took turns sleeping with him on the couch when we absolutely needed sleep. I was of course exhausted and I should have known better but I figured he could not roll of my stomach at his age. I woke up as soon as he started turning but I was just too slow and he fell face down on the living room floor. I never will forget seeing him there face down with arms and legs splayed outward almost like a cartoon character. It was quiet for about a second but then he just started crying. I felt like the worst mother in the world and I think I cried harder than him. He was fine about a few minutes and went back to sleep but I have a feeling that no matter how well he turns out this incident of mommy guilt is going to live with me forever. I never did sleep with him on the couch after that.

 

[peg2001]

Babies are tough. I was so sleep deprived after the birth of my first DD that I walked too close to the doorway jamb while cradling her in my arms. Yep, I banged her head into the doorway. . .on more than one occasion. DH was furious but DD was unharmed.

Yes, she also tumbled off the sofa as a tiny infant and fell out of bed regularly as a toddler when she graduated to a big girl bed.

Don't beat yourself up, it happens regardless of how careful you are.

Peggy

 

[dandave]

Apparently my mother rolled out of bed and was "lost", also. My grandmother eventually found her under the bed.
I rolled out of bed, and my boys have rolled.

The absolute worst "awful mommy" event for me came from using sunscreen on DS #2. He was just about a year old when we went to a water park. I slathered him down really, really, well with sunscreen. Then, I tried to pick him up. Poor little fella just squirted right out of my hands!! He was just so slippery. He cried, I cried. I was horrified and ashamed. Thank goodness he was alright...

 

[grinningghost]

Ours did. She was only a week old and we had her sleeping on my MIL's bed. My 2 year old niece came running out to the kitchen and said "Mandie's crying". We ran in the bedroom and could hear her, but couldn't find her. Talk about freaking out. She fell between the wall and the bed. Luckily my MIL had a painting under her bed, which cushioned her fall.

Who says week old babies can't move on their own?

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Never put a baby on a bed unattended - no matter how young.

 

[disneygals]

dandave...lol...my dad did that to me as a baby at the beach. I heard that story all my life, but didn't understand til I had my own kids.

As to the OP, I don't know how old your baby is, but hold on tight, there's tons more injuries coming and many you will feel you could've stopped. ( but really, you can't )

My youngest girl, now 6 1/2 used to be nicknamed concussion baby. Not a day went by that she didn't smash her head on something!

My first bad Mommy moment came when putting a sun hat on my 1st born and I snapped the elastic on her cheek. I was so SICK until the little red mark went away. My dh let her roll off the bed, she was lounging with a bottle, I was in the shower, kept saying watch her, watch her, then CRASH giant goose-egg on the forehead. (yes, I am STILL mad..lol and she's 10 1/2!)

Vivienne

 

[Jeafl]

Yes, Amy, you're in good company. All 3 of my kids have rolled off something or another at one time. They are like drunks, they're so relaxed they don't really get hurt.

The worst thing I ever did was accidentally zip my daughter's chin up in her snowsuit when she was just a few weeks old. The skin was actually caught in the zipper and I couldn't move it up or down. I was more hysterical than she was, and it took me a long time to get over it.

The good news/bad news is, you're going to go through a lot more of this stuff. The REAL problems come when they are teenagers (but that's another story!).