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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

14mo drinking milk that's been out for 12 hours

37 replies

sofaaddict · 08/02/2011 18:55

First post in AIBU but my DH and childminder have given me the strong impression that I'm being very PFB about this so wanted to canvas opinion quickly.
Basically - this morning whilst getting me and 14mo DD ready to get out of the house I left her playing with toys on her bedroom floor. I go back in about 3 mins later and she's happily glugging the remains of her milk from the night before that had obviously been accidently left out on the floor when she hadn't finished it. I take it off her straight away but she probably had at least 1oz.
I take her to the CM and tell her what's happened, and to keep an even closer eye on nappies, what she's eaten etc and that I might phone at lunchtime (which I don't normally) as I was worried about her. CM looks at me like I'm crazy, says that she'll be fine of course, the milk won't have gone off in 12 hours overnight etc etc.
Went to work feeling silly, pick her up tonight and CM says she's eaten as normal, played as normal but had slightly runnier nappies. Mention this to DH as it's worried me again and he tells me not to be so silly and she's fine.
So, Mumsnet. Am I being very PFB to in the back of my mind still want to phone NHS Direct and check to see what they say?!? Blush Won't she have really upset her tummy? If not, why do people worry so much about sterilising bottles!!?!?
Confused, please help...

OP posts:
LaWeaselMys · 08/02/2011 18:59

Yes - it has been all day she is obviously fine, you definitely don't need to worry.

tuggy · 08/02/2011 19:04

Dont worry, just PFB! :)

curlymama · 08/02/2011 19:04

You are being normal, not precious. I'd have freaked about something like that years ago too, but really, she will be absolutely fine.

Ring NHs direct if you want, they are unlikely to say much of any use, but if it helps you to hear that she's fine from NHS direct, then do it. That's what they are there for imo. They are great for Mum over reaction moments. Grin

BusyMissIzzy · 08/02/2011 19:04

People sterilise bottles to kill any dangerous bacteria that might get into the milk or the bottle. It's a precaution, it's not because there are always nasty bugs there. So chances are your DD will have been fine. But I wouldn't go leaving bottles out for 12h deliberately, obviously, especially if they've been warmed at some point.

onehotmomma · 08/02/2011 19:06

Agreed just PFB :) if the milk owas off I doubt very much she would have guzzled it Grin

SmethwickBelle · 08/02/2011 19:08

Well milk that's gone off is yoghurt isn't it? I don't think off milk is necessarily terrible for you health wise, it just tastes yucky. So no, I wouldn't worry.

TragicallyHip · 08/02/2011 19:10

Calling NHS is a bit OTT!

All you need to do is keep an eye on her for the day which has already been done. If she had an upset tummy you would know about that by now.

Although we are talking about cows milk and not formula yes?

pigletmania · 08/02/2011 19:14

YABU stop worrying about it. My dd has refused off milk, I am sure that your dd will be the same. NHS direct Smile wouldent go that far. Stop panicking she will be fine.

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 08/02/2011 19:16

If it reassures you, I've had food poisoning from dairy before (cream in my case) and I was heaving my guts up within about 4 or 5 hours - it was dreadful! GP friend said this was completely typical, it strikes very fast so if she's been fine all day, I'm sure she's fine!

And to further reassure you, I once gave dd1 a yoghurt out of my parents' fridge which turned out to be 2 weeks out of date! She was absolutely fine, but I was pretty unimpressed with my parents Grin.

blimp72 · 08/02/2011 19:16

Don't freak she defo wouldn't have drank it if it was off and if she'd gotten an upset tummy the CM would have known all about it[smlie]

Seona1973 · 08/02/2011 19:16

was it cows milk or formula? Cows milk would be less likely to be harmful than off formula.

aPixie · 08/02/2011 19:17

If it didn't taste right, she wouldn't have drunk it.

My ds1 has done something similar and the face he pulled when he tasted it was hilarious and he threw the cup down in such disgust Grin

She'll be fine.

MmeLindt · 08/02/2011 19:18

Was it cow's milk or formula?

Not that it matters, if she was going to be ill then she would have been already.

And it is very unlikely that she would be anyway.

She will be fine.

bubblewrapped · 08/02/2011 19:19

believe me, at 14 months you have MUCH worse things to come that she will eat... Grin

my stepdaughter liked wood lice Hmm

GloriaSmut · 08/02/2011 19:24

Unless your child has underlying health problems, the worst outcome would have been a thoroughly purging bout of vomiting and diarrhoea within 4 to 5 hours of guzzling the milk. It's not happened, ergo, she's going to be just fine.

Please don't ring NHS Direct. They don't have unlimited resources and really can't offer you better advice than you've already had from MN.

Original poster
sofaaddict · 08/02/2011 19:24

Thank you all, I feel much better! Smile. It was cows milk and I don't think it had been warmed before she had it that night (if that makes a difference too?). I will now be very vigilant (sp?!) about putting all bottles back into the the kitchen as soon as she's finished with them. And thank you for being very gentle on my first AIBU! Grin

OP posts:
GloriaSmut · 08/02/2011 19:25

PS. Second what bubblewrapped says.

DS1 and 2 particularly enjoyed G-Cat. DS2 liked it washed down with a coal chaser.

MmeLindt · 08/02/2011 19:27

You would have known had the milk been off when you chucked the remains of the bottle.

I have left milk out of the fridge overnight and it has been fine.

Might not be so great in summer, but in winter you can generally get away with it.

pookamoo · 08/02/2011 19:27

DD usually finishes off whatever's left in her beaker from the night before, early in the morning. She's always been fine.

If it reassures you, a scientist friend of mine said that it would take at least 12 hours for the milk to get enough harmful bacteria, when it is just at room temp.

She probably eats/comes into contact with far worse!

bloomingnora · 08/02/2011 19:33

I was in hospital with DS1 when he had gastroentiritis. The junior doctor who was desperately trying to get him to take some fluid got him a beaker of milk. I took it away from him when I realised it looked like cottage cheese.... It had done that horrible thing of turning from seemingly fine milk into cheese when heated. They were completely unworried! It's lovely that you were concerned but she will be fine. My children have always licked shoes etc but seem to be thriving on it!

BTW DS1 ate a live snail when he was 9 months old. I was picking bits of shell out of his mouth for hours afterwards Grin

Original poster
sofaaddict · 08/02/2011 19:53

These messages have really made me smile - thank you! Still feel abit silly for being so worried (no wonder my CM looked at me so stangely!) but I am a natural worrier anyway, so things like this always throw me. Loving the strange things that children have eaten that I have to look forward to!

OP posts:
ThePowerofOne · 08/02/2011 22:35

I know the OP has already posted but just wanted to add my don't worry about it to the other posters.

My DS has done this too. He also had a runny nappy for a day but it doesn't seem to have done him any harm.

He's also eaten a worm, cat food, fluff, a chilli seed (made his eyes and nose water) and a whole host of other things, I've no doubt not noticed.

Morloth · 08/02/2011 23:59

Your are being a bit PFB wait until you see some of the things she is going to eat/drink as she gets her independence, toddlers are disgusting.

kaid100 · 09/02/2011 01:06

If it helps, I was told that every hour you leave milk out of the fridge knocks one day off the Best Before Date. That said, it's instinct not to drink off-milk, so I'm sure your child will be fine.

piprabbit · 09/02/2011 01:25

Op - did you say that you are still sterilising bottles at 14mo? Or did I get the wrong end of the stick?

I think you are being PFB, for the best reasons but a little OTT.

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