Teaching a baby no - when to start and how?

[Ewe]

My DD is 8.5 months and has been crawling for a while and nursery just called to tell me she managed to take a couple of steps before falling flat on her face. Despite babyproofing my house when we are at home it is a nightmare keeping her safe and I am dreading her walking.

She climbs, pulls herself up etc and then just lets go or attempts to step forward, this results in her generally falling flat on her face. She picks up every little spec of anything and it goes straight in her mouth and whilst we try to move everything out of her way it's not easy to be on guard all of the time.

Obviously at 8.5 months she doesn't have any concept of danger. How old before she will understand no? Can I start teaching her yet? If so, what is the best way to do it? Also, when, if ever, should I start to be concerned about how much she is bumping her head - is it ok to assume that if she only cries for a few seconds it hasn't hurt that much?

Could a [whispers] playpen be of any help?

TIA

Just scanned this thread so not read in detail.
The way I see it with my ds, is that when he was 8m he didn't understand no and danger etc. but he would also never understand it if I didn't teach it. i think you've just got to be constant and say no whenever you can and one day soon, it'll just fall into place.

But yes they are very sweet, my little man is my third and soo sweet, no trouble compared to his siblings. That's the age though, though I do think his personality is fairly chilled.

We've never had a playpen though I wouldn't be against one. However by now our house pretty childproof. Except for that fireplace obviously

Aww that is sad theinsider

SBF - that is nuts fascinating, what do you do to try and get them to understand danger etc? Just move them away?

i think so ewe, exhausting, but i believed it,

i remember lots of Hot Tea, Hot tea in a firm voice

i am sure i would do the same again though,

That is interesting, does the theory have a name? Do you use no now they are bigger?

i am not sure, am less tolerant now
however to your orignal question - as your 8.5 is nearly walking perhaps a play pen is a good idea

To answer silvermum's point that a playpen only lasts until they cry to get out of it - I still use the playpen at 18mths. Both my children went through a stage of crying when I put them in the playpen, but I just stuck with it - they have to learn that they can't always go where they want, that 'no' has a meaning, and that mum's the boss! Being in or out of the playpen is no different a lesson to crying at the kitchen gate, but I don't think anyone thinks, in that context, that because they are crying they can just come in to an area that's not safe.

I thought the playpen was essential for their safety and for my sanity. My 18mth old still goes in there quite happily when I need her to or when she needs to rest rather than charge around.