Strollerderby : falls

Baby Dropping: It's Not Just For Celebrities

Kate Tuttle — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:30:00 GMT

Move over, Britney and Jacko: it seems that normal people drop their babies, too. A fair number, in fact, and often in hospitals. Now a national healthcare provider wants to investigate falls involving babies, to see what can be done to prevent them. According to an article in the Portland Oregonian, folks in the Providence hospital chain in that state reported some 20 baby falls annually, but it's suspected that the number is under-reported due to embarrassment by the adults involved. In the vast majority of cases, the baby is just fine.

The article goes on to report that a study in the journal Pediatrics projected national baby-falling numbers in the 600-700 range annually, and went on to report on the specifics of the 14 accidents reported in a hospitals in Utah (all the babies were fine, though one did sustain a skull fracture):

Number of babies delivered unexpectedly, directly onto the floor: 2

Number of babies droped by delivery-room doctor: 2

Number of babies launched from hospital bassinets when hitting a bump in the floor: 2

The remaining eight falls were from the arms of a sleeping parent, typically the mother. Naturally, the hospital chain is looking into structural or policy changes that can lessen the number of baby falls, whether by providing better parent education on the need to return a child to the bassinet before they nod off themselves, or by implementing changes in bed and room design to make such (inevitable, exhausted parent) lapses less potentially harmful.

In the meantime, for those moms and dads who have accidentally let junior hit the floor: welcome to parenthood! It may be the first time you inadvertently do something dumb (but ultimately harmless) to your kid, but it certainly won't be the last.

Related (but seriously, way worse): Baby Dies During Game of Airplane

Babble Ethics: Let Your Kids Get Hurt

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:28:00 GMT

I'm trying to make this a little less self-promotional than it will probably sound, sorry, but I've received a ridiculous number of heated emails from ~~crazy~~ concerned people about a series of pictures I took showing my 2-year-old daughter in the midst of a fall. It seemed like the perfect topic for another round of Babble Ethics, even if I come off like an unfeeling moron, which never, ever happens.

"Why didn't you stop taking photos and help her?!" screamed one person.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" barked another.

And I keep thinking, jeez, it was an 8-inch fall off a curb. Granted, the curb was a little high, but I knew she'd learn something from a little tumble. Not all curbs are the same. She has to watch her step. She has to be careful on her own. Her father is more interested in taking her picture than reaching out to her.

Seriously, just how protective is too protective? Should I have sprayed her in protective foam? Put out a few pillows?

This little scene began with me stepping away from her in a deserted alley to take a photo. She groped the wall for a few minutes and then decided she wanted to jump off the curb. She studied it, gauged it, prepared to jump. And I let her, knowing full well it was a higher curb than she usually encounters, and a goodly portion of me knew she may well take a tumble.

She did.

But then of course she got up, kicked the street with her toe, mumbled something about "mother fucking shoddy masonry work!" (or something like that) and climbed back up the curb to do it again.

Still, I'm left wondering: I can't be the only person who lets their kid try things out on her own, right? Or maybe I'm just the only moron taking pictures of it. I don't know. I do appreciate the concern but it also frightens me a little to think of what happens to kids who aren't allowed to make mistakes on their own. Or maybe I'm just being defensive. Sometimes I hate you, ethics.

Your House Is a Minefield of Hazards For Your Baby

Kelly Mills — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:37:00 GMT

Think you baby-proofed? Think again. (Ba ba buuuuum.) Parenting has a list of the most common causes of infant injury and death, which household items or practices are possible culprits, and how to make your home safe and secure for your little whippersnapper. It's a good list, but perhaps not quite comprehensive enough. So let's take a look at a few of these and add a couple cautions of our own.

Big Bad: Falls. Parenting lists insufficient baby gates, walkers, and leaving a carrier unattended as danger zones. We'd also like to remind you not to put your infant carrier on top of your car and drive off (did anyone NOT have that nightmare?) Also, don't dig a well in your living room unless you are looking for some media attention.

Big Bad: Suffocation. Culprits include sleeping with the baby in your bed (it's okay co-sleepers, they advise attaching a crib to your bed,) a cluttered crib, and "coin-size" foods. Those of you on the coin-size diet will have to be especially careful. And we'd like to add that plastic bags do not make good sleep sacks, unless you have a preemie.

Big Bad: Drowning. Don't leave buckets of water around, skip bathing seats that give you a false sense of security, and be extra careful with kiddie pools (also known as "malaria breeding grounds.") We also want to remind you that the ocean is very deep and therefore potentially dangerous.

Big Bad: Fire and Burns. Danger lurks in too-hot water heaters, an outdated smoke alarm, and your morning cappucino. (Not the coffee! Say it ain't so!) I read somewhere that stoves and matches are also kinda hot. You should also be careful if you live inside a volcano, because one misstep and that lava spells disaster.

Be safe now.