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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Babyproofing in a house with hard wooden floors

19 replies

flowersinavase · 13/09/2013 18:46

DS is about to crawl and I'm concerned about our floors. They're hard wood: lovely to look at and clean, but obviously hard on his head!!

Other than carpeting throughout (not an option: we're renting), what can we do? Am I worrying unnecessarily?

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sleepyhead · 13/09/2013 18:51

Unnecessary worry imo

Wood actually has a bit of give in it (unlike for eg concrete) and the odd bump is a learning experience

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 13/09/2013 18:52

You are worrying a bit too much. The most important things to watch for are sharp or pointy corners....they do fall when they begin walking but crawling is now usually a worry. Once he's walking, you could pop a big rug around the coffee table or other handy surfaces which he will no doubt hold onto as he begins to toddle.

Helpyourself · 13/09/2013 18:53

Don't worry. But never let him pad about in socks- he'll slip. Bear feet or those slipper socks with rubbery bits on them. H&M always have them. 99% of Swedish homes have done the toddler/ wooden floor thing!!

IsThatTrue · 13/09/2013 18:54

He'll get bruises whatever tbh. Try not to worry.

We have wood floors throughout and DS is still going strong at 9mo (been crawling since 6mo). He's bashed and banged along the way but its all a learning experience!

Helpyourself · 13/09/2013 18:54

Bare feet, that should be!

stargirl1701 · 13/09/2013 18:58

DD has been fine. She's slipped while crawling and knocked her head on the floor a few times. Tears and a cuddle from mummy and all is well! She goes around with bare feet in the house as she isn't walking unaided yet so isn't ready for shoes/slippers.

apachepony · 13/09/2013 19:00

Can I ask a related qu? Also in rented house with hard tiled & wooden floors, but what I am most worried about us the granite hearth with sharp edge - how do I baby proof that?

IsThatTrue · 13/09/2013 19:03

apache you can get bumper stuff that sticks to the edge of fireplaces. They had it in my last rented house.

stargirl1701 · 13/09/2013 19:04

I would put the fire guard in front of the hearth not just over the fire.

apachepony · 13/09/2013 19:08

It's a big hearth, no way the guard will fit. Better look for those bumper things!

Jaffakake · 13/09/2013 19:39

We used some of those jigsaw play mat things to cover over our granite hearth. We also used the same play mats to sit on the laminate floor on the places he played the most I.e. in front of the toy box. It helped make the floor. Little warmer in winter.
I agree with previous posters that a few bumps are par for the course & help them learn to stay upright!

froken · 13/09/2013 19:47

I had the same worry. I considered buying a helmet for ds, mumsnet advice told me I was being pfb.

Ds started crawling and pulling to standing at 6 monthsand he has had no serious bruises yet.

He always has bare feet and mostly bare legs.

Beamur · 13/09/2013 19:48

Mine survived ok.

dizzy77 · 13/09/2013 19:53

I put down a cheap ikea rug rug in the main play area where we spend most of our time (a bit easier on the eye than anything too child-centric). DS1 didn't crawl that much and did get fairly bashed knees when he did but it didn't stop him. Other friends have similar set ups and their crawly babies were just fine.

Original poster

flowersinavase · 13/09/2013 23:15

Thanks. I'm just overworrying since he took a tumble and suffered a skull fracture when he was 3m old. So I'm slightly paranoid...

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enormouse · 13/09/2013 23:22

I have a hard tiled floor and I was given a few free rugs (God they're really ugly- must get rid of them now) by DPs grandad to pad out most of DSs crawling route. He did take 22 months to walk but I think he was cautious about falling over and has barely had any tumbles now he's on his feet.

ItsaTIARA · 13/09/2013 23:23

Oh understandable to be a bit paranoid then, but honestly, wood is not concrete - and a crawling child will only fall from a distance of two feet as long as you supervise to watch out for climbing. Not something that you need to worry about.

Keznel · 14/09/2013 08:02

Like some others, we put down the big giant jigsaw alphabet mat on our wooden floor. It was excellent when DD trying to crawl and not only gave her grip, that the wooden floor didn't but also cushioned a few crash landings! It continues to provide a soft landing as she's trying to walk. My old feeding pillow is set along the fire place edge - it's the perfect size we got the puzzle foam floor on amazon, excellent product and easily steam cleaned.

Oriunda · 14/09/2013 21:29

We have wooden floors throughout the ground floor and used those alphabet jigsaw tiles. Only just taken them up now that DS is 19 months (got fed up putting them back together after cleaning). On our hearth edge we have a Prince Lionheart squashy tube which works well and other PL pads and corner guards on sharp table legs and corners etc. DS never wore socks and apparently bare feet is supposed to aid walking. Now we just have a large rug in front of the fireplace and his playmat on top for squashing raisins and blueberries into.

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