# Babywearing - People Keep Saying What If I Fall???



## Kirei

And I don't know what the right response is, can anyone help?
I don't always wear my baby but I've started doing it more and more, and family, friends, even a stranger the other days said it's dangerous because I might fall, and I wasn't sure what to say. 
IS it dangerous? I'm not the most agile of people, and do fall sometimes even without wearing my baby so should I stop? Is it only for really co-ordinated people??? xx


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## lindblum

You can just as much fall if you were simply carrying a baby, so what difference does it make??

Also, when you are pregnant your centre of gravity changes and your body copes just fine adjusting to that as it would if you were wearing your child.

are they just not used to seeing that? maybe that's why the questions?


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## Kirei

Maybe, I have never seen anyone wearing a baby where I grew up, but have seen a couple of others where I live now. I know what you mean it's the same as carrying a baby but I think they mean if she was in a pram and I fell she wouldn't get hurt as much as if she was in the sling. I'm SO careful when I wear her, I don't take any risks so I don't think I would fall, if you see what I mean.


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## Rachel_C

Well I've seen horrific You Tube videos of pushchairs rolling into roads and onto train tracks and I've heard horrible stories of buggies tipping over and babies getting hurt quite badly. I've never heard of a child getting really hurt when being worn. I'd say people are just more likely to assess the risks of something they don't see often, so even though accidents happen all the time with buggies they don't think about it because they're common. I'd say babywearing accidents are probably less common but because it's different people think about what might go wrong more. I'd just ignore it! However, I say that as somebody who doesn't often fall. If you do feel that you fall quite often I'd maybe think about it more, I don't know.


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## Tacey

If I fall forward, my hands hit the floor first, and if back wards, it's my bum. I don't think I'd hurt a child in a carrier. I may hurt myself more than I would otherwise, but I don't think it would be too much of an issue. I'd rather fall with a child in a carrier, than fall with the pushchair and potentially leave it to roll into a road. Frankly, neither option is likely.


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## Weezie123

Some great replies, plus when is the last time you fell over. The only times I ever remember falling over are when snowboarding and when it was really icy about two years ago. I'm sure if it was slippy and icy you wouldn't be out anyway!


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## Kirei

Yeah when I fell when I was pregnant it was snowing, and you're right if I fall it would be on my bum most of the time or else I would put my hands out first. I don't think I'll wear her long distances till I'm confident but I can always walk her into town in the pram and then wear her if she wants a cuddle, or just wear her around the park near me to build my confidence up. She loves it you see and doesn't like the pram (that I spent £600 on!!!)


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## sun

I have fallen a few times while carrying LO outside in winter (very snowy and icy here) and I never once hurt her. She never even woke up from her nap. I actually feel very secure with her on and don't worry about falling on her. When is the last time you fell flat on your chest/back anyway? :haha: 
The worst that's ever happened is I bruised my knee - and that's in 2.5 years of babywearing.


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## Snuffy

I once fell down the stairs when I was carrying Amy (no sling). I just instinctively twisted so that she was mostly protected and ended up in a kind of knee surf - my leg was bruised and carpet burned and I had a sore shoulder but she was fine apart from a bit scared for a few minutes after. 

So if we could survive that relatively unscathed, I can only imagine it would have been less eventful still if I had both hands free to break the fall.


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## wilbz

I always used to worry about falling, but as lindblum said you can fall carrying your baby, this my third lo and just orderd my baby carrier, hoping it will make like a little easier when dog walking( 4 dogs), and going down to the allotment.


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## angiepie

I agree about what the others say about putting your hands out or hurting your bum. That's why I always get a sore back if I fall over or graze my hands [like on the asphalt in primary school]. They severity of a fall when you're an adult is usually less, too, because we're not running around like kids or jumping over sticks!

Also, like Weezie123 said, when was the last time you fell? I can remember the last 2 times I fell because it's only happened twice in the last 5 years at least! Even my OH, who is especially clumsy, I think would just be extra careful and actually watch where he's going for once.

I really don't think it's much to worry about. :D


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## MightyMom

I cannot remember ever falling onto my breasts. And I'm fairly clumsy. In fact even snowboarding I still fell onto my knees or bum. I rather think that it would be the same. I suppose you could tell people that you would have both hands free to break your fall unlike a mum carrying the tot who only has one hand if she's lucky. The baby is quite safe, otherwise why would kangaroos and koalas have their sacs in the front??


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## hanelei

I live in Japan where you see more people with babies in carriers (ergo is massively popular) than strollers, and I have never seen anyone fall while babywearing, have definitely never fallen myself. Even if I do, I don't see how I could fall flat on my stomach anyway? As other people have said I'll almost certainly land on my knees or my bum, LO isn't going to get hurt. I'm more worried about him falling out of his stroller!


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## LittlePants

My friend's LO severed a finger when her buggy collapsed with her in it! So she would have been much safer being worn!


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## Ourlittlebump

It's instinctive to put your hands out in front if you fall so your baby will be perfectly safe :) in fact, i'd say a lot safer than if you were just carrying them around in your arms as then you loose this instinctive response. 
I wouldn't worry about what people say...people say a lot of things! Just do what you feel is right :flower:


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## Snuffy

One of my earliest memories is my pushchair crashing backwards with me in it while my mum opened the front door because of all the shopping hanging off it. 

There's a 'what if' in anything if people want to criticise what they don't understand.


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## Kate&Lucas

I am such a faller, I'd be surprised if I've ever managed a whole day on Earth upright, but I only ever properly fell once carrying Lucas. I had him on my back and instictively leaned forward as I fell back - I had a terrible whiplash but he was completely unharmed!
I only managed to fall because I was walking on a glass floor and it was wet, I noticed that carrying him kept me a lot more steady :)


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## mommystayhome

whats to keep you from falling if you carry your baby. we just try to be as careful as we can. I think keeping the baby close is fine I wore my baby in one of those carriers had a baby and a toddler I need the hands


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## cooper2010

a few years ago I was holding my 1 yr old. I was pregnant, about 4 months with my #2. Well, I fell and I completely dropped my baby. My natural instincts were to put my arms out for myself. :( 

I have actually thought about this too, but really in my opinion baby might be safer in a carrier if you fall. You just have to be careful. On stairs hold the railing and be aware of what type of ground your on.


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## lozzy21

I fell once while Niamh was in the sling, it was because of bad fitting shoes, my heel slipped out of the shoe while going up a curb, Niamh did bang her head but that was because I had loosened the carrier so she could drink her milk. But she wasent seriously hurt. 

In short if some one says what if you fall then you say I put my hands out and catch myself.


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## NuKe

I say "she'd be safer than if she was in a buggy and I fell and the thing went flying into oncoming traffic!"


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## Pixxie

NuKe said:


> I say "she'd be safer than if she was in a buggy and I fell and the thing went flying into oncoming traffic!"

This!


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## NuKe

I do realise the irony in my avatar being a photo of poppy in a buggy... im at that "too pregnant to wear a 2 year old" stage now lol


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## Pixxie

:haha:


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## MummyinJune

I fell when carrying once, an had i of just been holding lo it would have been alot worse, when carrying at least you have 2 spare hands to stop!


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## mamawannabee

Ask them what happens if they accidentally let go of their stroller? It could roll into the street and hurt LO much worse than if you were to simply fall. And since you have both hands free (because you babywear!) you can catch the fall before LO would hit the ground.


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## Janidog

I fell when LO was around a few weeks old :nope: Ironically i was entering a shop that sold reusable nappies,wipes and baby carriers, but they had quite a steep step as soon as you entered the shop which i didn't see, so tripped over it AND thankfully LO was in a wrap so my arms and hands took the fall, if i had been carrying LO just in my arms and not in the sling then i would have dropped him


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## Tacey

Janidog said:


> I fell when LO was around a few weeks old :nope: Ironically i was entering a shop that sold reusable nappies,wipes and baby carriers, but they had quite a steep step as soon as you entered the shop which i didn't see, so tripped over it AND thankfully LO was in a wrap so my arms and hands took the fall, if i had been carrying LO just in my arms and not in the sling then i would have dropped him

A bit of a weird question, but was it a shop in Leamington? There's a shop there that I go in, and even though I'm aware of the step now, I always seem to stumble over it!

Sorry to go off on a tangent there!


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## T8ty

Sorry didnt read other posts but do the people that make these comments never pick up there babies and carry them round? What if i am carrying Isabella in my arms and trip over.. exactly the same... what a horrible thought! 

I had this a lot when she was tiny! Really annoyed me in the end!


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## Janidog

Tacey said:


> Janidog said:
> 
> 
> I fell when LO was around a few weeks old :nope: Ironically i was entering a shop that sold reusable nappies,wipes and baby carriers, but they had quite a steep step as soon as you entered the shop which i didn't see, so tripped over it AND thankfully LO was in a wrap so my arms and hands took the fall, if i had been carrying LO just in my arms and not in the sling then i would have dropped him
> 
> A bit of a weird question, but was it a shop in Leamington? There's a shop there that I go in, and even though I'm aware of the step now, I always seem to stumble over it!
> 
> Sorry to go off on a tangent there!Click to expand...

Yes it was and I haven't been in it since after the feed back i had from them :nope: There was no info on the door to inform people or a tape across the step to highlight it


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