Escapologist ds

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I've just stoped ds (14mo) from nose-diving out of his buggy onto the wooden floor. I use his buggy to pop him in while I can't keep an eye on him - while I'm in the loo or shower, cooking etc. I have baby-proofed the house as much as possible but I can't just let him crawl around unsupervised. I have atravel cot but am terrifed he'll climb out - dd2 did - so I don't like leaving him in it. I have the buggy straps done up as tight as possible. The only alternative I can think of is his car seat but that isn't very nice for him.

Anyone got any ideas?

I would leave he to crawl around in a safe room.

It sounds like he has a great agenda on his mind of exploring on his own, why don't you let him do that, if you have baby proofed then surely he will be fine? Is he walking yet? My ds would have screamed the place down being strapped in. If you don't mind me saying isn't it time to let him run free, there is probably less risk of him trying to escape then?

My lo always liked to be in their highchair with toys/books on the tray when I needed to do something like ironing/cooking, basically anything that meant I couldn't pay full attention and that put them at risk, if I was in the shower etc, I'd just close the door and let them play around on the floor.
Oh, and for the escapologists, highchairs plus a 5 point harness/reins to attach them to it will help the safety issue.

I don't have a safe room. The lounge has steps going down to the play room, which I can't gate off b/c dd2 will try to climb it. Both the lounge/playrom and kitchen have hard floors (wood and slate). Also if I leave him with dd2 unsupervised I'm never quite sure what she'll do - she's only three.

I understand your worrying, but children are more hardy than you think, I doubt DD would really harm her brother, and at three years old she should understand if you explain she isn't allowed to climb the gate.
If the hard floor worries you maybe get a rug or something?

we also have wooden and tiled floors. I always leave my two dds together, and just listen out for them, and shower really really quickly with the doors open.

a rug is more dangerous IME, they are more liekly to trip over it.

Wooden and tiled floors aren't dangerous unless they fall onto it from a height.

or take your ds into the bathroom with you.

I leave my two together 2.7 and 11 months - they're fine I just do what I've got to do quickly and within earshot. Actually play together better when left alone than when I'm there ....

I agree with letting him crawl around. I do the same with my one and two year old. (house safety proofed within reason) The more risks they take the safer they become. My one year old already climbs the stairs on his own, and can climb safely on and off the sofa and bed. Falls onto a wooden floor should be ok, the slate floor could be covered with rugs or cushions.

Thanks for all your replies. I really don't have anywhere safe to leave him to crawl unsupervised - he's my third so I do know what I am doing. A big problem is the layout of the house - I can't hear the dcs from the shower room, and can barely hear them from the kitchen - I certainly can't see them, and to see into the playroom I have to go right through the lounge. We've moved since the dds were crawling and although the house is more spacious it is also a lot more hazardous for little ones. Another problem is that dd1 (5) and dd2 (3) both have toys with little bits in (stickers, beads, doll's shoes etc) and however much they get told and however vigilant I am the things make their way into the lounge and playroom. I've already had one near-choking incident with ds. And although I don't think for one minute that dd2 would deliberately hurt ds, she is a total adrenaline junkie and adores standing on top of ths sofas or climbing onto the windowsills and then flinging herself off. She also likes giving ds things to play with that he can't have. It is on my hv's advice that we don't have a gate across the gap to the playroom b/c she knows dd2 well and thinks she won't be able to resist the temptation to climb (actually it's a big gap so we'd need a fence and gate). I guess I'm not helped by the fact dd2 needed a trip to A&E after I left her for one minute when she was crawling and she tipped up a toybox which smashed into her face.

Just the same with my ds - also 3rd child. I've never been able to leave him alone. Even in the bath (only shallow water please note) he can climb up out of it and reach the sink and turn all the taps on.

he is now 2 and worse than ever.

He can climb out of his buggy too. I don't use the straps on it but use reins, ie straps which go completely over his shoulders and round his chest and then wind the strap handles round the buggy itself to keep him tight in.

I also use reins for supermarket trollies as the straps on them are hopeless. Ditto highchairs when we are out. Basically just carry them wherever we go!

Oh thank goodness, I was seriously beginning to think I'd lost it as a mother. I do reins in the high chair, hadn't thought of them in the buggy. My ds love standing up in the bath too, it's a nightmare trying to get him clean as he also puts half his tea in his (adorable blond curly) hair. And he also does this thing where he flings his head back when you pick him up or get on the floor with him - sometimes it's temper but other times it's playing - he nearly broke my nose once and he split dh's lip yesterday. He's really strong and very stocky - already he's in the same size nappies as dd2. Dd2 doesn't have ds' temper but she is totally without fear and is every bit as nosy. God knows what it will be like once the two of them are off together.