Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Worst day of our lives- my poor baby

110 replies

CarbieDoll · 19/08/2018 17:38

Accident today my stupidity caused toddler cut his head open- been in hospital all afternoon it looks horrific poor baby. They’ve glued it twice and we need to see plastic surgeon on tues to see if he needs stitches.
My poor baby boy I feel so desperately sad for him and sick with guilt.

OP posts:
letsdolunch321 · 19/08/2018 19:56

Be kind to yourself, firstly little man is alive (harsh but true) secondly he probably won’t remember the incident.

We all have times of if only I had done this/that differently.

My daughter was 4 when a pub circular table fell on her pinning her to the floor as her and another little girl were running round the table. Thankfully, she only received a mouth injury, it could of been fatal if the table had trapped her neck area.

We counted our blessings that day

Rockandrollwithit · 19/08/2018 19:57

Sorry but I agree with CatPatrol. I envy that this is the worst day of your life regarding your child.

It's horrible that this has happened, but it was a complete accident and the worst outcome is that your child has a small scar.

Racecardriver · 19/08/2018 20:00

This happened to my son. He was literally fast asleep in bed five minutes beforehand (I looked on him) next thing I know he's sobbing and I walk into his room to find him absolutely covered in blood. He'd stood up and then fallen into a wall. He split his head open on a fucking wall. I nearly died. He actually really enjoyed going to the ER though. Seeing them that way is incredibly difficult. I really feel for you but don't blame yourself. This kind of stuff just happens. Short of putting them in padded cells there isn't much you can do sometimes except hold them until they feel better Flowers

AssassinatedBeauty · 19/08/2018 20:03

That is an accident. It's not your fault, these things just happen. We're fortunate to have access to immediate free health care which will mean minimum scarring. In all likelihood, the scar will be unnoticeable in the long run, and your child won't have any long term issues from it. It really isn't worth beating yourself up about it.

littlemisscomper · 19/08/2018 20:04

Awww, I'm sorry OP. Ditto what everyone else has said - these things happen!! My brother had to have a GA to have his tongue stitched after slipping on a wet floor as a toddler, and of course, he was fine! When will they do it? I know it's hard as you'll just want to keep fussing him and apologizing but try not to, as he'll pick up on your anxiety and it'll scare him. Try to focus on the positives instead (He's having special 'Mummy time' if you're taking time off work/there are loads of fun toys in the playroom/the nurses are super nice and smiley) that sort of thing.

marshallzumarubble · 19/08/2018 20:05

Oh please try not to feel too guilty. These things happen and the reason is you are a great mum is because you feel guilty about it. A crap mum wouldn't care

To make you feel better....

When my son was 11 months old he managed to climb up the stairs and fall nearly the full flight. It was complete miscommunication on my and DH's part; he thought I had him downstairs and accidentally left the bottom stairgate open, I thought he had taken him up with him. It was horrific. He screamed, we sobbed and rushed him to the doctor who took one look at him running around and trying to get into the sharps bin, said he was fine and advised us to go home and have a glass of wine!

Three days later he was a pageboy at a wedding and I had to continuously explain the bruised cheek and carpet burn above his eye. I felt awful.

Nononannette · 19/08/2018 20:08

I came on ready to offer condolences. It's an awful thing to go through but your title isn't very diplomatic considering what some posters on here have been through.

venetiaswirl · 19/08/2018 20:10

OP - another one wanting to make you feel better. Daughter when 3 fell and cut her lip open - needed hospital treatment but they stitched it so well that she went on to do modelling from when she reached 17 for nearly 10 years. She has a lovely face - no scars visible at all.
We've all been there Flowers

VladmirsPoutine · 19/08/2018 20:11

nononanette It's not a competition. When these things happen they do genuinely feel like the worst moment in the world. You don't need to make the OP feel worse by disingenuously suggesting that others have it worse. I'm sure she knows that but we are where we are.

SmallestInTheClass · 19/08/2018 20:13

He slipped, you didn't push him. It might not feel like it but it really isn't your fault. Its an accident, and if anything is to blame it's a slippery floor. There are lots of those around so it could happen anywhere. Hand hold is what you need now and real life hugs. It's a hard day for all us parents when we realise we can't protect them from everything. Don't let this be about you being a bad parent, which you're so clearly not. Cheesy though it sounds, your DC will learn more about a happy life from how to bounce back from the bad stuff than from you blaming yourself. He might not be aware of that now, but he will as he gets older. I know because I'm as guilty as you are of blaming myself every time anything goes wrong but really trying to learn not to, especially in front of my DC who are older Flowers

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 19/08/2018 20:16

I dislocated my 3 year old's elbow. he was holding my hand and slipped on some ice, so I pulled his arm upwards to stop him from banging his head on the road. Instead there was a sickening noise and he started screaming his poor head off. I had to carry him half a mile home and when his dad arrived to take him to hospital I was too ashamed to go with them.

About the scar- I have a facial scar and it's in a place where it can't be hidden. It has caused me exactly zero problems (except for that lost cover of Vogue, woe is me!). So don't think you have blighted his life because you haven't.

Swissgemma · 19/08/2018 20:17

Oh my. a year ago my then just 2 year old was having breakfast next to me in a cafe on a high bench. he was being a toddler and kept standing up and being told to sit down. As I said, 'stop being a duck you'll fall' that's exactly what he did. he fell a metre and half (approx - I'm 5'9" and can;'t touch the floor) straight down. he smashed his upper arm so badly he needed an hour long ambulance transfer to a specialist hospital to have surgery within an 4 hours of the fall to save his arm. accidents happen.

KisstheTeapot14 · 19/08/2018 20:19

Feels awful at the time, but in later years many such events pass into family legend and are recounted at gatherings etc.

Remember the time x fell off the bed/table/ate yew berries etc.

Few of us escape without a visit (or 6) to A&E through childhood/parenthood. Just glad the NHS is there to patch up accidentally damaged children. As others have said, children heal very well as a rule. Lots of cuddles and a hot bath/glass of wine when you get home. Don't beat yourself up, we all do the best we can and hindsight is wonderful!

CatchIt · 19/08/2018 20:25

Oh bless you.

If it makes you feel any better, ds (2) tumbled over the gate as I was giving a family some directions.

Ds was busy looking at their little boy and waving at him and before we knew it he literally went head over heels onto the other side! He was a bit shocked but ok.

If you were that mum and dad, hello! 👋

NorthernLurker · 19/08/2018 20:26

Well this was an accident. Very clearly from your description you could not have anticipated it or prevented it.
My oldest dd ended up with a dent on her forehead at a similar age. I tripped putting her in her buggy and she cracked her head on the cross bar of a chair. I was beside myself, ran round to a & e with her as we lived by the hospital and cried all over the admissions desk. I couldn't believe that had happened. She was fine. It did scar, it's hard to describe but basically more of a dent in the skin than a cut so no edges to pull together. It's a small scar and as she's grown so has her skull and her skin so what was a scar over her eye has moved up her head and is now near her hairline. You only see it if you know it's there. The same will happen with your son.

wandathealien · 19/08/2018 20:29

I once opened a door that my toddler was stood behind I was unaware until the door scrunched into his foot and he cried, cut right into his toe . One hysterical phone call by me to my mum one trip up a&e and one delighted toddler who felt very special that he had to keep his foot up and got to hop for a little bit. He had a couple of butterfly stitches to keep it clean and an X-ray to make sure it wasn't broke (it wasn't)
A&e were great because parents aren't superheroes accidents happen no matter what
Be kind to yourself Smile

Soubriquet · 19/08/2018 20:32

I was woken up at stupid o clock one morning to a screaming Ds and a sobbing Dh

He was holding Ds face out and fell off a step. Both him and Ds fell forward on the laminate floor.

Sod's law that this was the only time he had ever taken a dummy which shattered in his mouth.

His right half of his face swelled up and his lip and mouth were cut.

Called an ambulance as he was only 9 weeks old.

Went to hospital and after a quick check over by the doctor, we was told to keep an eye on him and then we went home.

After 24 hours, most of the swelling had gone. By day 3, he didn't look as if he had ever been injured.

Don't beat yourself up OP

Accidents happen

Rebecca36 · 19/08/2018 20:34

Poor baby and poor you. Accidents happen, do forgive yourself. He'll be fine.

Elderflower14 · 19/08/2018 20:35

Sending a huge hug and hand hold. My Ds2 has dyspraxia and when he was small had no saving reactions. He fell once at school and blacked both eyes. I took him down the shop one day and he was running ahead of me, tripped fell and didn't put his hands down. He completely skinned his nose. Blood everywhere. I had to take him back to his Dadda like that and I was very upset.

GertrudeCB · 19/08/2018 20:36

Oh op, Flowersfor you, the shock must have been awful.

hettie · 19/08/2018 20:39

Dc1 still has a faint scar from when I let the baby back pack fall over in IKEA and he crashed into the side of a pallet....Horrible bump and gash and mummy angstonly now visibly when he frowns

AnnieAnoniMoose · 19/08/2018 20:40

Oh lovely, I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t done that that ..we...we were just luckier it was on carpet, or, or they landed differently. You were unlucky, that’s all. He WILL be fine, it’s unlikely to scar and if it does it’ll most likely end up in his hairline.

I understand you FEEL awful, but you are NOT awful. It was an accident.

MrsJayy · 19/08/2018 20:40

Goodness me his bang on the head is such a random accident don't beat yourself up toomuch the guilt will go away eventuallyFlowers apparently rosehip oil is great for scars my sister was raving about it she used it on an operation scar.

Flashinggreen · 19/08/2018 20:40

Ask for chloramphenicol to put on the wound, wet wound healing helps heal and when the scab has gone massage with high concentration vit e oil (can be bought in health food shops).

I only know these things from an accident which was my fault, through and through lip cut to my then 6YO.

It does get easier x

Puzzledandpissedoff · 19/08/2018 20:43

Here's both hands to hold, OP Flowers

Don't forget that blood goes an awfully long way and always looks worse than it is; my own DS got an dreadful cheek cut that looked like something out of WW3 and you'd honestly never know now

And please know that this couldn't possibly have been LESS your fault; it's the very definition of a genuine accident (and if it's the last one he has I'll be very surprised!!)

Swipe left for the next trending thread