Terrified of him being on the move

[Lemonthyme]

I'm probably being stupid but can someone reassure me?  My LO is 7 months old (nearly and is just starting to show signs that crawling might be soon and if not, walking will be.  I'm terrified.  Our house is really hard to baby proof (flat screen TV which is a bit old so no-one sells brackets for the wall anymore, loads of wires, we're also very messy people and can never keep the house tidy, now even worse with my LO who naps so little.)

I suppose I'm just tying myself up in knots and I'd like to know it's not going to be so bad or if it is what to expect.

[LizzieN]

Sweetie it's not going to be too bad, honestly!!!!  You will be just fine, although I do hope that your LO crawls first because it's a nice way of introducing you to what they tend to get into   and it's amazing how high LOs can reach when they start walking.

I don't believe in completely baby proofing houses, BUT you do need to have a very good look around and find what is dangerous.  The powerpoints should be plugged, excess wires stored together as much as possible and out of the way as best you can.  Little bits and pieces picked up.  So electrical hazards, choking hazards and falling hazards are probably the best ones to start with.  Make a list now and begin cleaning up now...it makes it that much easier.

You do start walking into new scernarios with a fresh pair of eyes once your LO gets moving.  I find the exosaucer very handy for when I need my LO up off the floor...I don't leave her in it for long, but I know she is contained and reasonably safe there, but for the most part you are with them so you can distract and remove them from more dangerous areas.

With your tv could you put some boxes or a table infront of it so your LO can't try and pull up on it?

Mainly just wanted to send some hugs and let you know that making gradual changes will help to ease your anxiety, you don't have to be super neat, but aware and on the ball

xx

[*Liz*]

Some kids just don't really get into that much trouble. We hardly did any baby proofing with DS as he just didn't need it. All he really did was follow me and play with anything I gave him.

So all I did was stair guards, and socket covers, and tidyed up the wires.

He didn't really cruise - walked holding my hands instead - and didn't climb until he was old enough to be OK with it.

DD is a roly poly baby who does try and get into stuff - and I can tell she is going to be a lot more trouble that DS was.

Anyway - my point is don't fear it - just deal with issues as they arise and you may find you get a cautious one who doesn't cause you too much upset anyway 

[Lemonthyme]

Thank you.  We just don't know how far to go really and our kitchen is nowhere near our lounge (where he plays) meaning it's really difficult for me to prepare food for him (at the moment he sits on my hip or I rush in and out to check on him, neither of which are ideal safety wise.) 

I suppose upside is that at least in 3 months it will hopefully be warmer weather so we'll probably be having more cold foods for meals which might be easier to prepare at the table so hopefully I'll not have long with things being difficult.  I just feel guilty as well that so many of his foods tend to be reheated (home made frozen) rather than fresh because it's just so difficult with him around to make things.

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

When we first started babyproofing, we just did 1 room at a time.  We did the living room and then put up gates to the rest of the first floor.  When he was more mobile and needed more room, we included the kitchen, and then finally (after he'd been walking for about a month) we did the dining room and now he can run around the whole first floor.  That stepwise technique made it so much easier for us!  And when they first start moving they don't need that much space, really.

We have a flat-screen, too, and don't have it bracketed to the wall. We have it attached to the DVD player and then the cabinet is attached to the wall, and it really doesn't move at all.  This site has lots of ideas for different safety gadgets, I imagine you could find something that works here or at least get an idea.  http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/thumbnail.jsp?siteId=117&parentCategoryId=85183&categoryId=85216&N=85216

Could you get an exersaucer or small playpen for the kitchen?  I always used that when I was cooking and he was small.

It definitely seems more overwhelming than it is once you get going. 

[LizzieN]

Sweetie pop your bub into his high chair while you are preparing dinner and give him little raw bits of what you are cooking....safe raw bits of course, but start getting him involved in food preparation now, so a bean or some finely grated cheese or carrot really finely grated, a bit of flour to try and play in etc.  Let him sit up and watch you, he will LOVE IT

You do soon start to see the pattern of what types of things your LO likes to get into, but do be aware every so often they will surprise you my DS pulled the firescreen aside and crawled behind it, thank goodness the fire had been turned down for a LONG time....but that's what my DS is like, he sits and watches, figures out how things work and then goes and does them....with scary accuracy actually!! LOL, clever little fella!

Hugs honey, it's just another step, not something to be scared of but something to be aware of!
xx

[lilybug25]

I remember when my daughter first started crawling I almost had a heart attack(I even have a post on here about it). My house was far from baby proofed and I remember thinking, I'm so not ready for this even thou she was a late crawler.Do one thing at a time, make a list of plug in covers/babygates/ect. and start picking the room up as you go. The best is lay on your tummy on the floor (in the room you use the most), and see what Lo will see, move/cover/take out the things that could hurt him but don't bubble rap the room!!!! You would be surprised what children don't find interesting and what they do. My daughter couldn't care less about the wires/cores behind the open shelf in the livingroom but tries to get her feet under the 1cm space under the gate at the top of the stairs

[sim75]

Im in the department where I didnt babyproof much at all as Id rather teach safety - which takes a lot of patience, repetition and a watchful eye to begin with. Well its ongoing ! (Still trying to convince DS that the cat litter and food is ka-ka!!) But the sockets are covered and poisons kept out of reach and anything dangerous like that.

I agree with getting down on their level to see what might be attractive or accessible to them.

Honestly I wouldnt fear it though. I know a LOT of people go on to say "oh you are in trouble now" or "look out you will need eyes in the back of your head" but I feel they can be negatives without focusing on the positives. My son is spirited and easily frustrated and since he started crawling, then walking soon after, his whole world opened up  Yes there is exploring but its so much better IMO than them being frustrated cos they cant do something but want to.  I guess a key thing for me is to watch for things that he goes for and shouldnt, and provide an alternative. e.g. he kept playing in the cat water fountain so I got him a water/sand table to splash about in.  Another, he wanted to climb things so I got him a slide. They want to practice these new things they learn so we just need to find out a way that they can do that safely, which takes away the temptation to do it with unsafe things if that makes sense!