Hardwood Floors and a newly mobile baby?

Question

I'm getting ready to move back to my mom's (long story, it sucks, not getting into anymore detail than that, lol). Anyways, she has all hardwood and ceramic tile floors except upstairs where my son and I will be staying/keeping our stuff. Now, I know my family and we will probably be spending most of our time together in their tv room which has hardwood floors.

Johnny is crawling and is now pulling up on things and falling down. I'm scared to death he's going to fall and hit his head on that floor and hurt himself.

Anyone out there with hardwood floors have any suggestions?

Answer 1

I'm in the exact same situation.  My son is starting to become more mobile - he's been crawling for about 2 1/2 months and is now pulling himself up on EVERYTHING - and we spend most of our time where there's hardwood and ceramic.  He actually did tip over this am when trying to climb the couch and bonked his head on the hardwood...not too badly, I think it just scared him more than anything.  Anyhow, I'm going to go out and purchase an inexpensive area rug and underpad for the living room.  Nothing too fancy as I'm expecting all kinds of wonderful things will end up being spilled on it over time but something that's enough to give a little cushion.  I'm not too-too worried about it though, wood does have more give than ceramic and babies are tougher than we give them credit for.

Answer 2

He will hit his head on the floor, many times -- and you will run over to him and scoop him up every time and feel sick to your stomach, 10 seconds later he will be just fine and you will still be a wreck for the next hour -- inevitable.

He'll be fine.

Answer 3

I have all hardwood and I have an area rug.  I also had some thick dense foam matting down on the floor for awhile.  You know the multicolored type?  I put that in a corner of the room near their toyboxes.

Honestly, though, they would venture off it and they have fallen face first on the hardwood and it didn't injure them seriously.  They certainly got bumps and bruises but nothing serious.

He'll be fine.  :-)

The tile would worry me more than the wood.... but I'm sure he'll be fine.

Answer 4

Babies are going to get bumps and bruises, it's inevitable! I worked with the infants that were crawling and just beginning to walk in one of the day cares I was at. We just had a huge rug in the middle of the room so it would help in cushioning some of their falling. Of course, at times, they did get around to the hard floors and some did fall. It happens.

I really don't think there is much you can do aside from hovering over him all the time, and we know you don't want to have to do that.

Answer 5

I have all hardwood too...I'm gonna try this:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp...

Answer 6

i love hardwood floors....

anyway growing up we had all hardwood floors (and the stairs were hardwood, NO carpeting at all!)  

the 3 of us were fine, i took a few tumbles down the hardwood stairs and managed to live to tell about it (of course i do have a terrible memory, may THIS is why!)

he'll be okay he will hit his head but try not to freak out, i know i would, but you should take my advice anyway.

Answer 7

I have 3 younger siblings, and we have always had all hardwood and tile floors. They are all alive!  Haha.

Suggestions-

For Fireplace corners and table corners put removable foam covers on. They keep babies from hurting themselves if they fall forward.

Ask if your parents would care if you put thick soft rugs around places where your baby is most likely to fall. (Around things he can pull up on) If you are REALLY worried put foam underneath the rugs.

And as was stated in other answers, Babies will get bumps and bruises. Lots of them, and they are very normal.

Your baby will be fine! Love and Hug him more than he likes.

Its worth it!

-Aurora

Answer 8

We have real hardwood floors, and Landon has hit his head several times. He cries for a few minutes and sometimes even gets a bruise. But, he's ok. He fell a lot when he was first pulling up, but now he rarely falls and hits his head. Aside from putting down lots of large rugs, I don't know what to do to keep them from hitting their heads. If you want to go to the extreme, I know they sell helmets for babies that prevent them from hurting their heads when they fall.

Edit: Haha. I would never put a helmet on Landon either. I saw an ad for them and it showed the little boy wearing a helmet and standing there smiling. It was funny and sad all at the same time.