When can babies fall off the changing mat??

[googietheegg]

I have a gorgeous one week old DD and I am already worried about her falling off her changing mat. Obviously I get as organised as poss before changing her, but if I have to reach for something and not have hold of her I'm worried she'll fall off - could that happen or am I being pfb?!

Do you mean a mat on a table or on the floor? Usually around 12 weeks IIRC but it does depend on your child. It's always best to get everything you need before you start to change your baby, it's time to learn now. You're not being PFB, I've seen a couple of babies with fractured skulls because they have fallen off changing tables. I wouldn't worry about a mat that's on the floor though, it's the distance of the fall which is the problem.

The general rule is before they can roll, so never leave them on a changing table.

If they roll of a mat on the floor, they will just bump their nose, but will live.

Although when DC1 was 3 days old DH ran really, really fast to get something from the bathroom, leaving DC in the middle of our double bed, and was scared he would have rolled off before he got back.
I know many people don't really want to hear this, but I'm sure there are many children who gain places without any type of tutoring.

Hostpitals used to say never leave your new born on the bed, so I'm guessing there have been some new born rollers out there....mine were 4 months before they rolled, though.

I always changed with the mat on the floor but perhaps I'm missing your point - do you mean a changing mat on a table in a public place? If so, I have heard some horror stories but I don't think there's too much truth in them. It's pretty rare for babies to have the ability to roll at any great speed (if at all) in the first month. That said, if you do have to reach for something, just make sure you have hold of her. And if it's your phn or something, ignore it. It's a natural worry though with a newborn and you'll find soon that the worry goes away (only to be replaced be fresh worries of course lol).

dd was 6 weeks old in hospital when she rolled over, luckly the dr who left the side down caught her

I would change her on the floor if you can

Always do changes on the floor.

I always used to change mine on the floor. Never high up on a table/cupboard.

I changed DD on a changing table till about 9mo. That's when she became very uncooperative and wanted to crawl away. I have everything around the changing table though, so I've never needed to leave her unattended.

My DD1 rolled over twice when she was two weeks old. I think it was a bit of an involuntary movement thing because she didn't roll over again until a much more appropriate age a few months later.

If she'd been on a unit without sides on those days she would have hit the deck so my advice is never ever assume that they can't roll off something. You can never be sure it won't happen by chance.

I could not leave my DS on a changing table from birth as too risky as he rolled in his cot from his back to his front from birth as he refused to sleep on his back despite all the advice so it is possible.

I have changed my son on a changing table around 10 times a day for the entire 16 months of his life and not once has he ever fallen off. I make sure I have everything to hand (everything is stored underneath on the shelves of the changing table) and never leave him. He also knows, now he is older, not to mess around when he is on there too (whereas if i ever change him on the floor he tries to crawl off all the time!!) I love my changing table!

Depends really whether you will have to turn away or not. I changed DD on a metre high surface for the first 12 weeks or so, but then she found her feet and loved grabbing them when they were bare and so I put the change mat on the floor as I reckoned there was a good chance she could roll off. But if everything is right there in front of you so you don't need to turn around at all then you could be fine for a long time.

Ds1 rolled over when he was a few days but I think that must have been you know one of those jerky reflex they get at first (albeit a crazy one). He rolled a few times during his first week and then patiently waited the regulatory 3 months to roll again.
DS2 rolled over. And fell Fromm my bed at just under 3 months... Cue to a&e etc.. He was fine though but I was mortified...

But yes I agree, organise your changing table as much as you can so you will never ever have your baby falling down (mine never did)

I used a high up changing surface for about eight months (before DS got mobile) I'd echo what other posters have said about ensuring everything is kept to hand so you don'y have to turn away.