We live near San Francisco, where space is limited and homes/buildings tend to be as high or higher than they are vertical, so stairs are an everyday thing for us. We have two large sets (18 and 22 stairs) in the house plus a few separating the kitchen and family room and two or three at the front porch . We also have two outdoor sets that allow us acess from the front lawn to the back patio/garden and a tree house structure that uses 12 steps or a ladder as access.
As far as injuries, we've had our fair share but only one that led us to the ER. My mom fell at the base of the main staricase while holding DS when he was 12 months old and the fall broke both bones in his left arm and her foot. DD1 was a 8.5-9 month old walker and had a couple goose eggs and a split lip thanks to various steps and even chipped her front tooth when she fell off the front porch step at 1 year but nothing too bad. DD2 is super human and while I know she's fallen, tripped and even been accidentally knocked down a step or two has never had more than a bruised ego.
Gosh, once I type this put it seems really bad and I almost feel negligent but I guess it's just one of the prices we pay we live where we live in the setting we love.View Thread
We have always used natural, physical block sunscreens like Badger and/or Burts Bee. We found out the hard way while traveling in Mexico that DS is allergic to the chemicals in most sunscreens (a well meaning babysitter applied some Banana boat to him).
I pay about $16 a tube and we use it year long but it's well worth the slightly higher cost not to have his face, neck and chest swell up with welts.View Thread
Nope, I never considered having a baby at home and that didn't change for #2 or #3.
DD1 would have probably died if we'd tried a home birth because despite "good positioning" and an average birth weight she became lodged in my pelvis and her heart beat dropped off the monitor. They reacted in minutes and did an emergency c/s excepting the worse but after pushing her back up my pelvis and pulling her out of my abdomen she was born almost blue and totally silent but kicking like crazy.
DS was transverse from 18 weeks on and estimated to be well over 9 pounds so we never even debated anything but a repeat c/s.
Given my past births, there was no option for DD2. She was breech as well and a huge 9 pound baby.
I've heard great home birthing stories that were all warm and fuzzy but it's just not something I'd ever attempt or encourage.View Thread