Baby has a big purple bruised swollen lower lip, we don't know how it happened & bit worried

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

It seems to have come up overnight, he definitely didn't have it last night. Is it just a bang or something else?

[Twiglett]

well from how you describe it it certainly sounds like he's banged it

the good thing is that lips heal quickly .. put something cool on it and see how the swelling is later

what else do you think it could be?

[tink123]

could be a sign of allergic reaction. Did he have any thing new last night

[belgo]

Is he ill in any way? Any other symptoms?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Not ill at all no, he's fine. it's not swollen so much it looks like an alleric reaction, I don't think he had anything new or unusual yesterday. I don't know what I thought it could be, it just gave me a scare when I saw it, really!

My other thought was could it be cause by sucking on the lip, perhaps?

[belgo]

It could be caused by sucking his lip. Most likely he banged it, or bit it.

[Twiglett]

IME allergic responses like skin discoloration and swelling happens very quickly after ingesting the allergen so I think you'd notice if it was an allergic reaction as you'd still be there

[KatyMac]

Or he could have been bitten (by a gnat) overnight?

[Twiglett]

ahh yes the insect bite .. could be an insect bite to be fair

[Tommy]

might he just have bumped it in his cot?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

He's asleep on my lap and I've just had a better look at the lip, there IS a small red dot there in fact! so it could be a bite OR a bang. I'd feel terrible if it was a gnat bite.

Oh god, now I have images of kissing bugs and allsorts in my head. Sodding wildlife documentaries. Sodding google!!

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

I think he most likely has just banged it, and I'm being silly.

[KatyMac]

How would it be your fault if a gnat bit him?

[belgo]

Don't feel bad or guilty. An insect bite is a good suggestion of what it is.

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

I don't know Katymac, spose I'm being daft (he's my first and is rather precious)

thanks everyone.

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Hmm, sorry I'm being a prat but I'm still worried about this, it looks more black and possibly a bit more swollen than earlier I think, but I've been catching him sucking on it a bit so maybe he's made it worse? I've taken a couple of quick photos so you can tell me to pull myself together:

photo 1

photo 2

It looks more black/purplish in real life, the photo seems a bit washed out. What do you think?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

bump

[HonoriaGlossop]

If this were me I'd phone NHS direct for advice. I'm sure it's fine, and nothing to worry about, and as you say he's happy in himself - from the look it's more like a bruise I would think...

but as you can't be sure how it got there, I would get advice from NHS direct, they will see to your query quite quickly as it's for a baby and IMO it's always better to get stuff run past a qualified person, if you're at all concerned - no-one will mind if it's for nothing, they'd rather be on the safe side with a baby

[Tommy]

it looks a bit lke a blood blister-type thing which may have been caused by him sucking it. Do you have a Walk in clinic near you? It will be har to describe to NHS direct and they will probably tell you to go to A&E

[NurkMagiggy]

I would think it might have been knocked on something and just come up later...doesn't look swollen to me. He is delightful

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Hi, sorry was off getting him bathed etc

I did call nhs direct after reading your post, honoria, they said a nurse would call back, they haven't called yet but I'm not too concerned as I do think you're right. Sorry, I don't know why I've worried so much about this today, it's the first time he's ever had an injury of any kind I spose. I haven't been able to take my eyes off his lip all day.

Thanks Nurk, I know, I'm forever snuggling him!

[beanaz]

Would have made me jump too to be honest! My little one always seems to have cuts/scratches/bumps and i never know how ahe gets them! My only conclusion is that she knocks herself on the cot a lot!! Admittedly, don't seem to have quite so much trouble with this now she can sit herself up normally, not with the whole roll-over-try- throwing-yourself-backwards-that-might-work thing!! Let us know when you find out won't you? I'm intrigued now- plus will help us all out if we ever have this in future!

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Oh, the nurse just called, she asked me all the necessary questions but then just said that it was one of those things, it is most probably a bum, but could be that he's bitten it, or sucked it in his sleep. She said she thinks it's highly unlikely it's anything to be concerned about, but just to keep an eye on it as purple lips can be a sign of breathing difficulties in babies. (But it isn't THAT kind of purple at all, it's localised and blackish purple like maybe he's sucked or banged a blood vessel in his lip)

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Er, it's most probably a BUMP, not a bum.

I don't think there's a bum growing on his face, honestly.

[Tommy]

lol - hope it gets better soon

[LynetteScavo]

I bet he's sucked it in the night.

I know someone wo rushed their DD to A&E one morning to be told her bruised/swollen lip was caused by sucking. - she usually had a dummy, and it must have fallen out of her mouth.

Does he usually have a dummy?