Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Did I do the right thing?

30 replies

WhenSunnyGetsBlue · 13/09/2024 08:16

I had a trip in the ambulance with my 6 month old daughter yesterday evening and am feeling guilty that I overreacted and wasted the doctor's time. What would you have done?

6:30pm. My daughter was fast asleep on my then suddenly out of nowhere started projectile vomiting like nothing I've ever seen. She looked very pale and in shock. No crying. I got her out of her clothes and onto the bath. She was a bit floppy in the bath head drooping down, eyes were rolling a bit. I was obviously concerned as this is out of character. Got her dry and changed and the the vomiting started again. At this point I called 111. Spoke to out of hours and they said to keep an eye on her, someone would call later but to call 999 if she got worse. Shortly after she began to heave, her whole face when red like a tomato, she went completely floppy in my arms. She then vomited again but now it is mostly clear fluid.

I just freaked out and called 999. More vomiting on the phone. I was by myself with her. No car or anything so it would have been a 30 minute journey on the bus to A&E.

She didn't look herself at all. Was just staring into space. Paramedics were fab, they checked her over but wanted to take her in because she is so tiny. She was spacey in the ambulance but after an hour started to perk up, got her colour back and was sticking her tongue out at the doctors. They wanted to see if she could keep down a feed, which she did, no trouble. We went home after a couple of hours.

Looking back I probably overreacted. But I was just so scared, nothing like that has ever happened before. What would you have done?

She is fine this morning, apart from some especially rancid nappies. She probably just picked up a bug from somewhere.

OP posts:
AppropriateAdult · 13/09/2024 09:21

The vast majority of kids who attend A&E do not need to be admitted and are sent home soon afterwards, OP. This is how the system has to work. You were absolutely right to bring her in this time, don't give it another thought.

BlueFlint · 13/09/2024 09:24

Of course you did the right thing, don't doubt yourself for a minute. Sounds very scary, and you know your baby best. What a relief that she's ok. If things had gone south instead of improving and you had still been at home, it would have been very very scary indeed. Well done for trusting your instincts!

Whatisyourfavouriteflower · 13/09/2024 09:39

Projectile vomiting is really really scary. My DS had it when tiny, many years ago, and we were advised to take him to A & E. He didn't even have the additional symptoms you describe, which must have been terrifying.
You did exactly the right thing OP.

WhenSunnyGetsBlue · 13/09/2024 09:45

Thank you so much for all the reassuring comments. I wouldn't go to A&E myself unless possibly my leg had fallen off. But it is terrifying when they are tiny, I felt completely helpless. Usually she's up at 5am, but still fast asleep now. I think she quite enjoyed her midnight bus journey home!

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 13/09/2024 10:05

You did the right thing. Always better to be safer with babies.

I had to ring an ambulance once when my dd was 13 months. No matter what we did, we couldn’t get her to stop crying and it wasn’t like her at all. Calling an ambulance seemed a bit much but we were desperate. However, once we got there, the doctors realised something was actually wrong. She had bronchitis and needed IV antibiotics and oxygen. One of her lungs was completely covered in infection and the other was 70% full.

She was kept in for a week.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page