Baby Proofing Question

Hello,
Our 16 month old twins have learned to climb on the couch by themselves. Unfortunately, they do not understand "no." We have hard wood floors and therefore put rubber padding down for protection when they fall. However, if they were to fall of the couch they would get hurt. If we didn't have padding they would get really hurt. My question is how far do you go with child proofing? We are contemplating putting an inflatable kiddie pool that is blown up and filled with pillows on the floor next to the couch so that if they fall they would fall into pillows. Is this too far? What point is enough baby proofing? How do you baby proof your hard wood floors? How do you teach your 16 month olds not to jump/fall off of the couch? We can't always leave the pool with pillows under the couch forever. It looks silly! Thank you for your advice.

Re: Baby Proofing Question

I wouldn't do the pool. there's only so much baby proofing you can do before you need to just let them learn for themselves.Maybe you can gate the room off so they are only in there when you are able to supervise...but thats it. If they do fall...I guarantee they will learn to be more careful. We can't totally shield them from those important lessons.

Message edited 12/23/2013 8:18:14 PM.

Baby Proofing Question

My baby proofing stopped at outlet covers. Never used gates, etc. once DD was able to climb on the couch, she learned to climb off too. Sure she's taken a spill here and there, but i wasn't about to pad my entire house. All we have is tile and hardwood with a throw rug. I really just try to curtail jumping on the couch. We let her touch anything she wanted to early on, nothing was off limits. I think that's why now she has zero interest in bothering with the entertainment center, tv, etc.

Baby Proofing Question

I have outlet covers and a gate at the top if the stairs.

Other than that he learned, sometimes the hard way.

At 16 months they should be learning no. It won't always stop them but they will start to understand. B

Re: Baby Proofing Question

Re: Baby Proofing Question

I have twins also. 2 of them learning and falling at the same time is rough. We taught them how to climb off the couch. We also put the foam mats around the couch and much of the hard wood floors in our living room. Yes we have exposed hard wood also but we felt it was better in the room where they spent the most time. Also, the mats encouraged all of us to be on the floor more which was better for them.

Baby Proofing Question

My DD has fallen off the couch countless times into hardwood and has never gotten hurt. Unless you gave a super high couch, they'll be ok. IMO you can redirect them only so many times, they have to learn that climbing may lead to falling.

Re: Baby Proofing Question

My thoughts are, if they learn that falling (or diving intentionally) off the couch is fun, with a soft landing, then it will be even MORE fun to fall off somewhere higher! You can't babyproof the entire world, so it's better for them to learn how to live in the real world, instead of trying to adapt everything to them.

There are of course, reasonable steps to take. We covered all of the outlets, had gates by the stairs, strapped tall furniture to the walls, and had cabinet locks on the dangerous cabinets, but that was about it.

Baby Proofing Question

I agree with goldenrod. They will think it's their playground.

We only did outlet covers, cabinet locks, and we corraled him with the flexible fencing when he was learning to crawl to contain him. Oh and we gated the kichten (no stairs) for the oven. And we anchored a few things.

We also taught him, like a pp said, how to get down when he got somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Sliding down on his tush became a blast.

But falling off the couch is only, what, 18 inches? They will bang something, they will cry, they will get hurt. But then they will learn.

Baby Proofing Question

I wouldn't do the pool. We did outlet covers and padded the ends of our coffee table, t.v. stand, end tables, because they are super pointy. We also have a gate for the stairs.
When DD climbs on the couch (she's 19 months, but has prob been doing it since 17 months or so), I either sit with her to make sure she doesn't fall, or I take her off.
And like PP said, they will learn to climb off of it in no time.

Baby Proofing Question

If they don't already know how to get down, I would teach them that right away. Have them roll onto their belly and slide down and make it a little game until they are comfortable doing it. Other than that, if they are daredevils, just make sure to stay on top of them about only sitting down, not climbing, etc. We have a padded area rug in front of the couch and foam mats on the side but DD has only fallen off once and she was fine (despite landing on her head). Like a pp mentioned, a bunch of pillows will probably just encourage them! We did cabinet locks, a gate for the stairs, and outlet covers. Thankfully DD is cautious and doesn't climb or get into much so we've had it easy.

Re: Baby Proofing Question

We had this issue also....Until they were a little bigger and it wasn't as dangerous, I kept our coffee table pushed up to the couch so they could not climb up onto it. It looked silly but it was easy enough to move at night or when we had company.

Babyproofing is hard! My house is a maze of gates and locks. lol But we have to keep our kids safe.

Re: Baby Proofing Question

I agree don't do the pool. Having 2 makes things more difficult and easier said than done only baby proofing certain things. Teach them how to get down (roll to their belly and slide down) and I also went a step further to teach them they weren't allowed to climb up on their own. It is more work in the beginning but over time it pays off.

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Pools with pillows.....way too far. They are going to fall on the floors 1000. I really wouldn't make it a fool proof room. My hey will eventually get No, just e consistent with it.

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Mine don't climb up yet (thank God) but if I have them up I try teaching them to get down on their bellies

Re: Baby Proofing Question

we did outlet covers and a gate at the bottom and top of the main stairs (there is tile at the bottom). We also put a lock on the one kitchen cabinet that has the cleaners in it.

he is 10 months and we started "NO" early. he has been "learning" to fall and learning to do and not do things on his own... he has to!