Being a parent or a caregiver is a difficult job. One has to pay extra attention every minute to the baby. Additionally, new parents or caregivers usually have some anxiety when it comes to taking care of the baby. And, this anxiety which is mostly healthy is borne out of the need of being protective towards the child. Although all parents and caregivers do their best to ensure that the baby is safe and protected throughout, some unfortunate situations do arise unluckily. Situations like a baby falling off the bed are not uncommon. Most new parents and caregivers face this situation. This article will tell you how to deal with the situation when your baby falls off the bed.
What to Do When The Baby Falls Off The Bed?
Short answer: Go, see your doctor! For the long answer, keep reading ahead. We understand that the situation when your baby falls off the bed will make you stressed, worried, and anxious but to deal with the situation effectively you will have to take quick and immediate action. Any delay might lead to drastic consequences.
1. Don’t Panic
Firstly, no matter the severity of the fall, do not panic. Know that you are new at this role and know that there is help available and in most cases of a baby falling off the bed situation – nothing major happens. Rather, it is a common incident faced by a lot of people. When so many people can deal with this situation calmly, so can you!
2. Gently Check Your Baby
If you notice any abnormality in the behavior of your little one, do not pick them up immediately. For example, if you notice that the baby is unconscious, or bleeding, or having a fluid come out of the nose – gently pick up the baby, and call your nearest emergency number. In most cases, there are rare chances of your baby bleeding or going unconscious because of a fall. However, you must check the baby’s body gently to see for any signs of bruising, swelling, or internal bleeding. If you notice any of these physical symptoms, consult with your doctor without any delay.
3. Comfort Your Baby
Baby falling off the bed can be an alarming and shocking situation for the baby itself. They will start crying and maybe uncontrollable for a little while because of the pain that may have occurred due to the fall. Gently comfort your baby during this situation. It is important to emphasize here that if your baby is under one month old and falls off the bed, no matter what, even if you do not notice any abnormalities or physical symptoms – you must seek your doctor’s expert immediately. Do not delay if your baby is very young and fell from the bed by seeing a doctor and getting a full check-up of the baby.
Also Read: Ways To Help Your Baby Walk Sooner
4. Monitor Your Baby for the Next 24 Hours
When your bed falls off the bed, they might not show any signs and symptoms of bleeding or bruises immediately but you must monitor your infant for the next twenty-four hours at least. Look for the following behavior:
- Being uncontrollable and inconsolable when crying
- Rubbing their head continuously
- Bulging or swelling in any part of the head
- Continuously crying in a high-pitched voice
- Sleeping for longer durations of time
- Changes in coordinating or maintaining the balance of the body
- Size of the pupils seeming different than normal
- Vomiting
- Clear fluid or any fluid coming out of their nose or eyes
- Increased sensitivity to light or noise
If you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms within the next twenty-four hours of your baby falling off the bed, you must rush to see your doctor immediately. It needs to be repeated here that you must not delay in seeking medical advice if your baby falls off the bed.
Baby Fell Off BedApart from these above-mentioned symptoms, you must check if your baby is acting in any strange way than they normally do. Nobody in the world knows your baby better than you do. Hence, if you notice any strange behavior, do not refrain away from seeking consultation with your healthcare provider.
When your baby falls off the bed, there are some chances of an injury occurring. However, do not forget to keep in mind that these injuries are uncommon. It is only for your information that we are mentioning the possible injuries here that might result if your baby falls off the bed.
A heavy blow to the head may cause a concussion. It is difficult to identify the occurrence of a concussion in your baby as they are unable to speak. Nevertheless, some signs like loss of consciousness, vomiting, excessive sleepiness, inconsolable crying, irritability, longer durations of stillness or quietness may indicate the possibility of a concussion in an infant.
A skull fracture can be identified through bruising near eyes, or ears, a depressed area in the head, clear fluid coming out of eyes or ears. Skull fractures become a possible injury if your baby falls off from a higher place.
The scalp of babies is very soft, containing many blood vessels. A little cut or small injury may lead to bleeding in the area. Additionally, there may be pain, bruising, or swelling of the scalp. These will take a few days to go away.
If the fall is from a high place, or more traumatic and sudden the chances of brain injuries increase. Brain injuries in infants can lead to disastrous results in childhood and adulthood, often leading to the development of intellectual disabilities and other psychological disorders. When your baby falls off the bed, though rare, the fall might damage the delicate structures of the brain like blood vessels and nerves, and sometimes the damage might be severe. This point demands to be repeated that if you notice even the slightest possibility of any of these injuries when your baby fell off the bed, you must get the earliest appointment with your doctor for a complete checkup of the baby. Delaying here would make you more sorry than safe.
Prevention
To best care for your child, you need to take preventive steps to ensure that your baby does not fall off the bed. Never put your baby on a bed for adults, if you do, make sure to put the baby in a safe space covered by pillows on the side. Always put one hand on the side when you change the diaper of your baby on the bed. Try, always putting the baby in their crib. Additionally, you may put a soft carpet on the floor where your baby usually stays. Prevention is the key to this situation!
Also Read: Reason Of Your Baby Crying
