What to Do When Baby Falls or Dropped? Preventive Ways to Heal Child

Even right now when I write this blog, I sincerely hope and keep my fingers crossed that no mom (including me) has to ever face a situation which involves your baby bundle of joy falls & hurt. Having said that some wise person very rightly stated, “all babies must fall, but it is up to every individual on how you react in those moments of panic and chaos”.

I faced my fears for the first time when my daughter grew a little over 5 months and started doing the “double rolls”- rolling over twice on her tummy. I was changing her diaper and turned away when suddenly I realized she has rolled and has managed to come right on the edge of the bed. I caught her mid-air and it was a close call.

The second time, we were not that lucky. This was when she had started sitting up without support and I placed her on the sofa. I bent down to pick up her toy for a split second and “thud” she was on the floor howling her lungs out and what followed was a couple of minutes of chaos, noise, panic and of course the pain of seeing that red bump on her forehead!

What If Your Baby Falling Off the Bed?

After this mishap, I strongly felt the need to build a better coping up mechanism if such falls happen in the future. I started talking to fellow moms and reading more about reacting in situations like these and found some very helpful baby proofing tips and procedures which I am sharing below -

When to Panic?

This is by far the most important tip I was given by a fellow more experienced mom. Every fall doesn’t need you to go in chaos mood. Babies fall and the first thing that you need to do is to calm yourself and calm your baby down. Shouting and creating a panic is just going to scare the baby more. Tight reassuring hugs works wonder for a frightened little munchkin in such situations. Quick Tip - Nursing can really help you calm down your baby after a fall.

What to Do If Baby Falls - Immediate Medical Intervention

Once you have managed to take control of the situation, you need to look out for signs which indicate a serious injury calling for immediate medical intervention such as:-

1. Is baby-rolling his/her eyes? 
2. Is baby-falling unconscious? 
3. Is baby opening his/her eyes? 
4. Is baby having a seizure? 
5. Is the baby refusing to calm down after a few minutes? 
6. Is any external injury/cut? 
7. Is vomiting or becoming disoriented?
8. Baby howling in extreme pain when touched upon some particular spot

Above given signs and symptoms can indicate an internal injury in which case the baby needs to be rushed to the emergency ward. In case there is a bump, which babies usually get after falling down, try applying a cold compress/ice pack. Baby twitching away from the cold compress is actually a good sign!

What to Monitor in Baby After Fall?

If your child has had a nasty fall and you are having your doubts, monitor your baby for at least 24 hours for any signs such as 

1. Vomiting 
2. Restlessness 
3. Seizure 
4. Bleeding/cuts 

Trust our instincts and if you feel your baby is behaving differently, make sure you reach out to your child’s doc and not take any chances. If the baby has quieted down, is taking feed normally, and goes off to sleep as well, then you can thank god for keeping your baby safe.  

Preventive Ways to Heal Child & Deal Ahead

Baby proofing your home once your baby begins to get mobile can be exhausting. You can follow these simple steps to make your life easier -

1. Keep a sharp eye on your baby at all times 
2. Never leave him/her unattended especially near sharp corners, on heights and in a bathtub, etc
3. Guard and latch all windows and balconies 
4. Height is the main culprit. Make sure your baby is never alone on an elevated surface 
5. Cushion all sharp corners (I use lindam buffers which are available online) and keep hazardous objects away from their reach
6. Remove slippery, loose footmats from the floor on which the child can have a nasty skid
7. Keep ample paper towels handy always to wipe up any spillage from the floor
8. Install rail guards on the bed, or ensure the baby is safe in her cot when sleeping, or if you must, lay the baby’s bed on the floor to avoid falls

Quick Tip If Baby Falls from Bed or Somewhere Else 

Never leave your baby unattended on an elevated surface which is more than his/her height. Last but not least, do not let the feeling of being a bad mom haunt you in case your baby falls. It can happen to everyone and everywhere!

Happy Babycare!