Is this dangerous?

My dds (especially Lorien) has this thing where she leans on her head. I can't really explain but I'm sure lots of you know what I'm talking about. she is basically standing up and then puts her head down to the floor. She doesn't even use her hands to balance herself. She uses her head!!! It is scaring the crap out of dh and I and we try to stop her from doing it but she goes right back to it. It obviously feels good or interesting to her but it looks like she could snap her neck. She almost looks like she is going to do a tumblesault (is that the word?) but her legs are straight. She does it in crib as well. Is this incredibly dangerous? Should we continue to try and stop her when we see her doing it. I know kids this age are flexible and what not but it's really scary to watch her when she is doing it eventhough she is totally smiling away while she does it.

 

If it hurt...she wouldn't be doing it. My Marissa did that all the time & I worried too. DH assured me that she was fine - & dh is senstive about necks because his is so damaged his head is practically held on by paperclips! Now, at 3, Marissa somersaults all over the house. It is just an interesting view on the world for her...she'll move on to something else that gives you heart attacks soon!

 

Both of my girls went through that too, especially one. She did it for months and thought it was funny. After we realized she wasn't going to hurt her neck, we laughed right along with her. Now at 17 months, she literally does somersaults from this position all the time. I never knew a 1 year old could somersault before, but one of mine does! I don't think you should be worried. Enjoy it and get pictures of it. You'll cherish the funny memory someday.

 

In my experience, it's not dangerous. All my kids did that and I eventually turned it into lessons on somersaulting.

 

Several of my nieces, Emma and Sean all did/do it. I think they just like to see the world from a different perspective. And like Nikki said, if it hurt they wouldn't do it. Sean spends more time upside down than right side up.

 

The girls do this all the time. Megan started it about a month or so ago and then Haley started a few weeks ago. It looks like she is trying to flip herself over but she hasn't figured out how to do that yet. The girls laugh when they do it, thin it is funny.

 

My kids do that too!! I don't worry about it. It's like they want to do a somersault but can't get over. Maybe help her get her legs over and finish the maneuver and she won't be standing on her head as long. They love it when I flip their feet over for them.