They have both started cruising - Help!

[mikeys_mom]

Both girls have really started pulling themselves up on everything and cruising over the past few days. With my other 2 kids I just made sure to stay near them when they were cruising to keep them from getting hurt. Sure, there were falls, but for the most part I felt that I kept them safe.

Now, with 2 babies cruising and a busy house with 2 other kids, I feel like I turn away for a second and one of the twins does something where they can potentially hurt themselves. I've done all the babyproofing I can with gates and just generally keeping stuff out of reach but they still manage to discover ways to get into trouble. If I am down on the floor with them they both try to pull up on me at the same time and I really can't help both of them at the same time. Also, they try to pull up on each other. Yikes!

To make matters worse we have hardwood everywhere. Only place with carpets is the basement and it is not realistic to spend all day down there.

Anyone with BTDT advice?

[TwinFoxes]

Not much help, but I just had to be fast! We also had a playroom that was completely baby-proofed, so I could leave them in there for a few minutes at a time. But when they were in the living room, I'd just have to chase them.

They never really pulled up on each other, but our big dog was definitely a favorite!

[twowhat?]

If it makes you feel any better, we have hardwoods and stained concrete, with carpets only in the bedrooms. Our girls learned really quickly HOW to fall on a hard floor. When they fall (backwards), they tuck their chins into their chest and basically land on their curved backs, rocking gently back and forth as if they are doing crunches LOL. Ever since they learned that, they haven't clonked their heads on a hard floor when falling. I figured that if they are just falling from a standing position, even if they hit their heads on a hard floor, it's not that bad. Yes, they cry but they are pretty easily comforted.

[gatorsmom]

Ugh, I totally remember those days though they seem sooo long ago. We had one of these http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...t_adv_XSMG1060 and then a friend gave me hers so we added a couple of pieces from hers on to it to make the play area pretty big. Then we set it up in the family room which is right off the kitchen and where we spend the most time. I put lots of toys in there and changed them out almost everyday. I also put some quilts down (even though the room is thickly carpeted). And that is where the twins played all the time. IT WAS GREAT. Sometimes I'd climb in there and play with them. I changed diapers in there too. And since we started putting them in there at a young age, they didn't mind it. It was a very safe place for them to play. We made it clear to our older boys who were 4yo and 2 yo when the twins were born that the twins' toys stayed inside the playyard and the boys' toys stayed outside. This kept any small, unsafe items out of the twin's hands (and mouths) and the boys were happy that the babies were not taking their toys away. I kept them in there while I loaded the dishwasher, loaded the wash machine and made dinner. Pretty much any time safety was an issue. There was plenty of room for them to crawl and roll around. And they could pull up on the sides of the playyard (it is VERY stable).

The twins happily played in that thing from 6mo til about 18mo. It made my life so much easier. I wish they'd still play in it.

[Naranjadia]

We also have hardwood and tile. Like the pp said, it didn't turn out to be much of a problem.

We had one room, like Twinfoxes, that was completely baby proofed. Nothing but toys and foam padding squares on the floor. A life-saver.

I also did the SuperPlayard in the kitchen - it worked for awhile, but I couldn't make it last as long as Beth did! After awhile, no matter what toys were in their, the twins would gripe like they were in jail.

I remember longing for the days when I could lay them on their backs on a blanket and they'd stay in place. I still do.

[TwinFoxes]

I remember longing for the days when I could lay them on their backs on a blanket and they'd stay in place. I still do.

Oh, those days were so fun! They'd lay there and giggle and smile, and sometimes scoot around. But now they can climb up on my lap, so I guess it's a fair trade...kind of!

[Oak]

I would suggest putting one in a playyard to cruise while you work with the other and vice versa. The largest concern is probably the older children, so confine the babies in a certain area, if possible.

[mikeys_mom]

Glad to hear that I am not doing any permanent damage to them everytime they fall. I know that they are fine because they calm down pretty quickly but I just hate the sound of their little heads hitting the wood floors. MIL thinks that we just need to install wall to wall carpet everywhere. Um, yeah - not.happening.

We do have a Superyard and put the babies in it when we need them confined to a specific area. Since it is on hardwood I have these rubber furniture stoppers under it to keep it from sliding and this prevents me from being able to secure any type of quilt or blanket in there.

I sometimes put DS in there with his toys so that he can play and build stuff without the 3 girls trying to destroy it.

Yes, the days when they just happily lay on a blanket on the floor seem so quiet and peaceful now. But, I do remember those days also accompanied by lack of sleep and constant feedings. I guess every new stage is a trade-off.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[gatorsmom]

Glad to hear that I am not doing any permanent damage to them everytime they fall. I know that they are fine because they calm down pretty quickly but I just hate the sound of their little heads hitting the wood floors.

If it makes you feel any better, my pediatrician said that babies have very soft, forgiving skulls because they tumble so much. That is another purpose of their soft-spots- the bones aren't completely fused until about 18months of age so their skulls can move and take the pressure from the falls.

But even knowing that, I always had a hard time hearing their heads hit. However, better on hardwoods than on ceramic tile like we have here. Ouch!