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Parenting

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Original poster

Confused about baby standing

91 replies

zxcvbnn · 13/08/2021 07:02

My baby will stand up whilst holding onto the sofa, but doesn’t know how to sit back down again. I tend to hover behind and catch him as he falls back, as I don’t want him to hurt himself by landing too hard on his bum. But how will he ever learn to sit back down on his own?

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MyOtherProfile · 13/08/2021 07:06

They do. We used to try and slot a big cushion in behind ours and let them plop onto it.

FuckingFlumps · 13/08/2021 07:06

Let him figure it out himself. He honestly won't hurt himself by falling back onto his bottom. Trial and error is quite literally how small children learn most new skills.

RedMarauder · 13/08/2021 07:07

By you leaving him to see how he works out how to sit down.

If he starts crying in distress that's when you help him do something.

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Original poster

zxcvbnn · 13/08/2021 07:08

So I literally just leave him to fall backwards and land really hard on his bum?!

OP posts:

SweetToTheBeat · 13/08/2021 07:09

That is learning to sit down.

MoreAloneTime · 13/08/2021 07:10

If it's on a carpet and they are wearing a nappy I doubt it would do much harm.

superram · 13/08/2021 07:10

@zxcvbnn

So I literally just leave him to fall backwards and land really hard on his bum?!

Yes! He is so near the floor and is wearing a huge nappy, he isn’t falling really hard on his bum.

Lockdownbear · 13/08/2021 07:11

Is it carpet or hard floor ?

If hard floor, esp tiles, I'd get foam mats or a rug for the front of the sofa just so they get a soft landing.

ApolloandDaphne · 13/08/2021 07:11

@zxcvbnn

So I literally just leave him to fall backwards and land really hard on his bum?!

That's exactly what they do. He is not dropping far and he is wearing a nappy so he won't be hurt.

InpatientGardener · 13/08/2021 07:12

They learn to lower themselves whilst holding on pretty quick. For us the toppling over lasted about a week, maybe 2.

FuckingFlumps · 13/08/2021 07:13

@zxcvbnn

So I literally just leave him to fall backwards and land really hard on his bum?!

He won't fall really hard on his bottom though. It won't hurt him at all, it's hardly a great distance to 'fall'.

Give it a few more weeks and months and he will be headbutting the sides of the cot, falling over as he learns to walk and getting into all sorts of mischief. Like I said trial and error is him learning.

StarDrawers · 13/08/2021 07:14

@zxcvbnn

So I literally just leave him to fall backwards and land really hard on his bum?!

Yes. I know it's hard but by falling that's how they learn. By practising. It won't take long. You can always put some cushions on the floor if you have concrete or hard floors. I guess wooden ones or carpet absorb some of the shock. They are tougher than you think.

Original poster

zxcvbnn · 13/08/2021 07:16

He did actually fall back once as I didn’t manage to catch him, and and burst into floods of tears! So I thought it was best to avoid that situation again!

OP posts:

Original poster

zxcvbnn · 13/08/2021 07:18

I just keep thinking that if we as adults fell back like that, it would be really quite painful and would probably result in a bruised coccyx!

OP posts:

StarDrawers · 13/08/2021 07:19

Aw yes it's hard not to intervene sometimes. My LO is trying to walk not holding on and there are lots of tears some days!

FuckingFlumps · 13/08/2021 07:20

@zxcvbnn

He did actually fall back once as I didn’t manage to catch him, and and burst into floods of tears! So I thought it was best to avoid that situation again!

You sound quite anxious over this, it's honestly not a big issue. It's perfectly normal for babies to cry if something startles them. He was probably crying because he was shocked there was no one to catch him because he is used to you being there. If you just let him figure it out by himself he will learn to do it safely much more quickly.

00100001 · 13/08/2021 07:20

He won't. You'll have to sit him down until he's 72 ;)

StarDrawers · 13/08/2021 07:20

You could try putting a favourite toy near him so he might start trying to bend down to get it but you don't have to. He will get there.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 13/08/2021 07:20

A lot of the tears due to falling back are from surprise too, but yes as PP's have said, they've got to learn, but placing cushions or soft flooring/carpet down can help!

Original poster

zxcvbnn · 13/08/2021 07:21

You can always put some cushions on the floor if you have concrete or hard floors.

He has a foam yoga mat to land on, but it’s still pretty hard! Could I put sofa cushions around him maybe so he doesn’t have so far to fall? Or will that mean he’ll never learn?

OP posts:

00100001 · 13/08/2021 07:21

@zxcvbnn

I just keep thinking that if we as adults fell back like that, it would be really quite painful and would probably result in a bruised coccyx!

Babies bones aren't as hard as ours.

Let him drop to his bum, he'll get there xx

PeterCorbeau · 13/08/2021 07:24

I've got a great video on my phone of DD trying to sit down. She spends about 15 seconds trying to lower herself to the ground and then just gives up and falls backwards Totally normal! If you have hard floors then get some of those soft jigsaw puzzle piece things but honestly baby bottoms are quite padded! And a baby/toddler falling is nothing like an adult falling. I'd be laid up in bed for a week after some of the falls that my DD just jumps back up from!

00100001 · 13/08/2021 07:24

@zxcvbnn

You can always put some cushions on the floor if you have concrete or hard floors.

He has a foam yoga mat to land on, but it’s still pretty hard! Could I put sofa cushions around him maybe so he doesn’t have so far to fall? Or will that mean he’ll never learn?

You're over thinking things.

He's falling, all of... 20 cm max? How long are his legs?

Honestly, if you're worried, out cushions behind him when he stands, but he'll learn to control his falling in time.

You're going to struggle with walking if just sitting down is causing this much stress, so try and relax and remember that crying is normal,and he will get hurt no matter how much you try to prevent it.

Take it easy Mama

StarDrawers · 13/08/2021 07:25

Obviously when it comes to learning to climb the stairs its a good idea to stay close behind but learning how his body works is good for him. It will improve quickly, it's amazing how much they develop at that age.

HungryHippo11 · 13/08/2021 07:25

@zxcvbnn

I just keep thinking that if we as adults fell back like that, it would be really quite painful and would probably result in a bruised coccyx!

An adult might hurt themselves if falling from standing adult height, but not from falling from 30cm off the ground - he is only small so not as far to fall. Also he is wearing a nappy which is padded and babies don't tense when they fall so don't hurt themselves as much.

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