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Baby Knee Pads: Are They Really Necessary?
Baby knee pads are little pads that go on the knees of your baby before they crawl around or play on the floor. They are beneficial in protecting your child from getting hurt as they learn to crawl, walk, and run.
These days many parents are using cloth diapers for their children. These soft cloths lay over the diaper area with an outer waterproof material holding it together. This works great for taking care of babies during the day while taking care of them. But when it comes time to set your child down on the floor, you frequently forget about the cloth diaper and how it needs to be changed before putting your child on the floor. They will inevitably crawl or walk on a slightly moist area which can irritate their skin quite easily.
Another Interesting Read: How to use bottle sterilizer and keep your baby safe
Are Knee Pads Essential For Babies?
Crawling is all about the journey for most four- to five-month-olds, not the destination. Your baby will be content to crawl in zigzag patterns across your living room rug in no apparent direction, picking up whatever she comes across along the way. At this stage of development, your baby is still quite wobbly when she stands and tries to walk independently. Climbing stairs or walking up and down rocky terrain are definitely out of the question!
While you may not want to leave your crawling baby unsupervised just yet (to prevent any potential bumps), they don’t need special padding. Some parents use knee pads when their child starts climbing stairs, but this is a matter of preference, not a necessity. If you want to protect your baby kiddo from the hardwood flooring as their knees and hands continue to take quite a beating, placing rugs around the house should do just fine at this point.
One thing that might be helpful as your baby begins moving on all fours is a set of activity centers or play tables. These devices will give her something to move towards and help her learn about cause and effect by activating one of the many inside features. With music playing, balls popping out, and more colors than we can count, these serve as both entertainment and enrichment items for your little crawling explorer.
What Are Knee Pads DesignedTo Do?
As your baby’s first birthday approaches, you may notice that he has mastered the art of walking (at least somewhat). No longer content to sit or crawl around like she used to, she now wants to explore her surroundings by walking everywhere. While this is great for muscle development and balance, it can also pose some hazards along the way.
That’s why many parents choose to put knee pads on babies between 12 and 15 months of age, so they don’t scrape up their knees as they learn about cause and effect through play. At this stage in development, your baby will begin walking with ease but still needs practice doing it safely—which means no running down the stairs just yet!
Knee pads for babies at this stage of development are primarily designed to keep your child’s knees clean and healthy. From walking up and down the stairs to moving across gravel, these pads will protect your baby from any small rocks or rough surfaces that they may encounter as they continue to develop their balance and walking skills.
Benefits of Baby Knee Pads
Baby knee pads are made of many different materials. Some are soft, and use velcro straps to attach them to your child’s legs. Other knee pads use sticky material on the bottom side that connects directly to the floor or carpet. This type is designed to keep your child from sliding around on hard surfaces like tiles, wood, or linoleum floors.
The benefits of these types of baby knee pads can often prevent falls, resulting in injuries such as bumps, bruises, scrapes, and cuts. When you consider how sensitive children’s skin is when they are young, even minor injuries can be excruciating for your baby or toddler without proper protection during crawling or walking lessons.
Protection From Abrasions
Baby knee pads are not made to protect knees from falls but rather protect the skin from abrasions caused by crawling across rough surfaces such as concrete. Your baby’s skin is susceptible during this phase of development, so help protect them with some simple knee pads that go right over their diapers.
You can find super cute designs in stores or online too! Most parents love getting these as gifts for baby showers or just because. Knee pads come in all different methods that can match any outfit, bedding set, or theme you may choose.
Protecting Knees While Learning To Walk
Active toddlers generally wear baby knee pads during their first year of walking age. The padding protects the child’s knees from abrasions caused by crawling across rough surfaces such as concrete or carpeting. The padding can also safeguard from small rocks that might lie in the baby’s path when exploring outdoors. At this stage of development, it is not necessary to supplement the knee pads with socks or clothing because the skin should develop adequately. Children often play in bare feet, so safety socks and shoes are generally not needed for toddlers aged one to two years old.
If your baby is crawling on a hard surface such as wood or tile flooring, knee pads can help protect their knees from scrapes and tears. If you like plush carpeting without any rugs, you may want to use knee pads to protect your knees from injury while moving about. On the other hand, if you choose to leave lots of rugs down throughout your house, it’s probably not necessary to buy knee pads for babies still learning how to walk.
Conclusion
While you may not be able to prevent all falls or scraped knees, using baby knee pads on your baby will protect them from any minor abrasions when they are still learning how to walk. For children ages one to two years old, knee pads can be used as a preventative measure for keeping skin clean and healthy.