Every parent is worried if the baby falls out of bed. If this happens to your baby, try to calm yourself and immediately take first aid measures before seeing a doctor.
Babies who are starting to actively move will often fall when standing, crawling, walking, playing, or in bed. This can make the baby bruised, injured, or sprained.
Help for Babies Falling Out of Bed
The question that often arises in parents’ heads when their baby falls from the bed is how much impact the baby has experienced and whether the baby should be immediately taken to the hospital or not. Even though falling out of bed can be dangerous for babies, parents must remain calm when helping them.
The following are things you should do if your little one falls out of bed:
1. Divert attention and calm your little one
If after the fall you don’t find any wounds or bruises on your body, try to comfort your little one . Falling out of bed certainly makes him feel scared and shocked. While joking and entertaining him, check your little one’s head and body again to make sure that he is not injured.
2. Clean your little one’s wound
If the baby falls and has a wound, treat the wound immediately. Before treating your little one’s wounds, don’t forget to wash your hands first. Then, continue by washing the blood and dirt on your little one’s wound. Gently press sterile gauze on the wound to stop bleeding.
If the bleeding doesn’t stop, press the gauze quite firmly for 5 minutes. Then, apply an antibacterial ointment, such as neosporin or b acitracin , to prevent infection. Don’t forget to change the bandage every day to keep the wound dry and heal quickly.
3. Apply a cold compress
If the head or other parts of the body are swollen or have a lump, compress the area with ice wrapped in a cloth. Cold temperatures can reduce swelling and help reduce pain.
4. Monitor your little one’s condition in the next 24 hours
After falling out of bed or from other places, your little one’s condition needs to be monitored continuously for 24 hours. If after falling, your little one cries, but then calms down and can return to his normal activities, then the condition is most likely not dangerous.
You need to be alert, if after your little one falls out of bed, the following symptoms appear:
- Fainting or being unconscious
- Vomit
- Seizures
- Hard to breathe
- Extensive bruising on head and body
- There are broken bones or open wounds
- Bleeding from the nose, mouth, or ears
If after falling or within 24 hours, your little one shows some of the symptoms above, immediately take him to the nearest hospital emergency room (IGD) for examination and treatment from a doctor.
This is because the symptoms above indicate that the injury suffered by your little one is quite serious and requires immediate medical treatment.
Prevents Babies from Falling Out of Bed
The following are several ways to prevent your little one from falling out of bed:
- Don’t leave him alone without adult supervision and pay attention to whether the objects around him are dangerous or not
- When carrying your little one, pay attention to the position of your feet because the baby could fall when being carried, for example, because the person carrying him accidentally stepped on a toy or slipped.
- Try to use a special crib for babies and not an adult bed which has the risk of causing the baby to fall and get trapped between the mattress and the wall or other furniture.
- Choose a mattress that is safe and comfortable for your baby
- Don’t put toys on your little one’s bed
Both when sleeping and playing, babies may fall out of bed. If this happens, don’t rush to panic. Calm your little one first, then treat the wound and monitor his condition. If your little one shows symptoms or complaints that need to be watched out for, immediately contact a doctor to get an appropriate examination and treatment.
