# DD fell off the counter! (update)



## caedmyn (Jan 13, 2006)

Bad bad bad mommy







: She likes to see what I'm doing so sometimes I sit her on the counter and keep a hand on her. But I took my hand off her for a second and she tried to crawl to get something and fell off the counter. I feel terrible. She cried for a minute or so and then whimpered for a long time. As far as I can tell she doesn't have a concussion or anything--her eyes look fine and she was focusing normally and even smiling and laughing a little while later. She did hit her head but didn't land on it--I don't think she hit it any harder than when she pulls up on things and loses her balance and falls backward. I moved her arms and legs at all the joints to see if everything was moving normally and put pressure all over her body in different spots to see if anything was sensitive. Her lower left leg does seem to be a little sensitive but I'm not sure if it's actually sore or if she was just tired of being poked at that point. She's sleeping now--I'm going to keep a very close eye on her, make sure she doesn't sleep too long, and check her leg again when she wakes up. Is there anything else I should be doing? Obviously if her leg is still bothering her or if she is not crawling or standing normally when she wakes up I'll take her to the doctor. I feel so bad--why did I even put her up there?


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## Hollin (Jun 26, 2005)

My baby has fallen off the bed







Twice
















He was fine both times and your dd probably will be too. Keep checking her eyes and balance. All kids take some bad falls and it doesn't make you a bad mama. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a mom who has never dropped a kid or had a baby fall off a high surface.


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## SugarAndSun (Feb 6, 2005)

I see she is only 9 months, but once she is a little older it may be worth it to get a learning tower. Ours really helped ds cut down on falls.


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## Enudely (Jul 2, 2005)

what are you supposed to look at in their eyes?


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## zjande (Nov 4, 2002)

caedmyn, the exact same thing happened to my ds1 when he was about your baby's age. He's 8 yrs old now & I *still* remember how bad I felt! But he was perfectly fine, and things like this happen to every parent.


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## LeslieB (Feb 17, 2006)

Oh I know how you feel. DS fell off the counter when he was 4 months old. I felt like the worst mom in the world and cried for hours, but he was perfectly fine. His changing table was on the bathroom counter, and it, being a travel changer, accidently folded in half sending DS over the side.







And we have tile floors. Although, I couldn't see him as he fell since the counter was blocking my view, I think his fall was broken by the bouncy seat underneath it. Boy, was he lucky.
Try not to feel too bad. It happens to the best of us. Just keep an eye on her. Hugs, mama.


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## e123vg (Apr 13, 2006)

my dd is also 9m and seems to jump off everything the second i take my eyes off her. she doesn't get hurt bad or anything but you think she would learn. sheesh. she's crawled off the bed at least 5 times since she was about 8m. she's crawled of the couch a couple times, when i'm sitting right next to her. i try to teach her feet first but she prefers to just go head first (we have a low couch). i just have lost track of all the times. hope that makes you feel better.


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## Persephone (Apr 8, 2004)

dd has fallen off the bed like, 4 times now. And bumped her head countless other times. I always worry and check, and she's always been fine. But it still doesn't stop you from feeling like the worst mama ever.


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## caedmyn (Jan 13, 2006)

Update: I ended up taking DD to the ER after she woke up from her nap because she didn't want to put her left leg on the ground when she stood and she acted like it hurt if I moved it or she tried to get into a crawling position from a sitting position. They did X-rays and didn't see a fracture so it looks like it is just a bad (internal) bruise, thankfully. Other than the sore leg she seems fine today. Thanks everyone for your support--it's nice to know I'm not the only one who's baby has fallen!


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## Chronic Chrissy (Sep 4, 2006)

One thing I've noticed is that alot of babies have fallen off of the bed (much lower than the counter) most likely onto carpet(while I assume you have hard flooring of some sort in the kitchen). I would take him to the doctor just to be safe. Yes children naturally fall but not generally from those heights. Plus you said he hit is head, even if he didn't land on it there is still trama of some sort and you are not a doctor, only a doctor can tell you if he is fine or not. On the other hand though he will probably tell you to keep an eye on him. I'd rather be safe than sorry plus they see stuff like that all the time.

When you look at his eyes make sure they are equally dialated, and that they dialate at the same rate. Just use a small flashlight.


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## Megs_BK (Jul 26, 2006)

A good acronym to remember for these situations is "PEARL" -- Pupils are Equal And Reactive to Light.

Also that the eyes aren't shaking back and forth rapidly.

So... when I was 13, and completely ignorant of baby safety, I babysat for a toddler girl and 9-month baby boy. He was sitting up so well, I set him on the counter in the kitchen while I grabbed something -- actually, I turned my back and walked away a bit. I remember hearing the thud and coming back to find him -- still sitting -- on the floor. I felt SO HORRIBLE. I couldn't bring myself to tell the parents and that memory haunted me for years. Now that I'm a parent and I know more about how "these things happen," I've finally been able to put some of that regret to rest. And I will NEVER EVER hire some random Jr. High kid to babysit just because she seems like a sweet, responsible kid at church! Show me those training certificates, baby!


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## TanyaS (Jun 24, 2003)

Whew! No broken bones...that's good news!

When ds was 9 months, dh put him on the bed. Ds crawled right off the edge and was howling. I came in and dh told me what happened. He nursed right away and promptly passed out. He woke up the normal amount of times to eat during the night (the incident happened about 7pm). The next morning he tried to crawl and would cry. He would lift his hand like a puppy with a sore paw. So sad. Anyway, he DID have a hairline fracture in his wrist and wore a cast for three weeks. Poor ds, but he was fine after his cast was on and quickly adjusted his crawling and pulling up. Poor mama because you know I hated taking him anywhere with a cast on his arm!


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