Before we left the hospital, our nurse took a strand of hair off our baby blanket and told us that if we ever notice she’s unhappy and can’t figure out why, we should look for “hair tourniquets” around her fingers and feet. I would never have considered that if she hadn’t stated it!
I’m curious in what other lesser-known discoveries we might be missing out on.
Babies cannot fall from the floor. A blanket on the floor is an ideal location for a newborn to play.
Yes! Also, your baby’s first roll over will most likely surprise you. Do not leave them on a high surface (bed, dresser, change table) simply because they “can’t roll yet”. It is not worth it.
I formerly worked at a doctor’s office. We saw a two-month-old for their well-being. Next week, we received a call from the hospital. The baby was placed on a huge island countertop. Mom went to the back door and let the dog in. Junior chose the ideal moment to roll over for the first time. He was in the hospital for a few days. Made a full recovery, but never leave a higher surface unattended.
That is horrible. What about the island counter?!
Yes! I can’t image the mom’s shame about that. It happened before I had children, and since then, whenever I had to turn my back for a moment, I always put them on the floor first.
This is how my cousin shattered her head as a baby. The first roll was off the changing table and onto the hard apartment building floors.
It is also where we changed all of our diapers! We saved money and space by not having to purchase a separate piece of nursery furniture.
I’m confident that the amount of time we spend on the floor is a contributing factor to my 3.5-month-old’s pro-level rolling ability. We have a chair and a swing that I only use when absolutely necessary (i.e., so my husband and I can eat supper together), and the rest of the time is spent in my arms or playing on the floor. He enjoys it; I don’t have to worry about stepping into the other room to switch clothes or run the dishwasher, and he has plenty of time to explore his surroundings and body.
Yeah. “Put baby on cloth on ground” and “strap baby to body” have been the go-to moves throughout human history for a reason.