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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be upset I lost my sons umbilical cord and some baby teeth?

80 replies

Annoyedatmyself8 · 29/08/2025 07:41

Currently renovating house and I have misplaced (but possibly accidentally thrown away) a container containing my son’s umbilical cord clip which I’ve saved for years and some baby teeth. I still have some of his milk teeth in his first tooth/first curl box but I stupidly didn’t put the others in there. Spent ages looking all over the house for them, everywhere I can think of and cannot find them. I have his siblings’ things still. Realistically is this going to bother him or me in the future or am I just hormonal (am currently pregnant) and massively overthinking things?

OP posts:
Nylen · 29/08/2025 18:48

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

DisabledDemon · 29/08/2025 19:13

Katflapkit · 29/08/2025 07:55

Bloody hell - what are you doing, saving parts to build another one?

Brilliant!

Ruggerlass · 29/08/2025 19:50

The only things I’ve kept are the scan photos, ID bands and cot name tags. Tbh keeping the cord and teeth is just weird. I doubt your children will thank you for the body parts.

MotherofPearl · 29/08/2025 19:54

AffableApple · 29/08/2025 18:01

OMG 😂

Laughs in also-saved-umbilical-cord-for-unknown-reason!

Edited

Me too. I have a somewhat ghoulish collection of my DC’s teeth, umbilical cords and locks of hair from their first hair cuts. I know it’s a bit odd and probably atavistic, but there we go.

DappledThings · 29/08/2025 19:55

SIL is the only other person I've known keep a bit of cord stump. Absolutely weird. DH insisted on keeping the first of each of their teeth. Think he has them in a box somewhere. It wouldn't have crossed my mind to keep them.

My mum gave me a bag of all my milk teeth when I was about 25. No idea what she thought I'd want it for. Went straight in the bin

Pinepeak2434 · 29/08/2025 19:55

My 15 and 18 year olds have just discovered I kept their umbilical cords and they couldn't understand why - they thought it was disgusting.

Itsnottheheatitsthehumidity · 29/08/2025 20:03

Umbilical cord? Ew, gross. Medical waste. Gak. 🤢

Teeth aren't as bad but I haven't kept anything once attached to my daughter. When she had her first haircut the stylist offered to put some hair in a bag for safekeeping. I was like, why?

I'm very unsentimental though.

Muffsies · 29/08/2025 20:12

I've got a glass box with all 3 of my kid's baby teeth in it. Most people think it's disgusting and ghoulish. My kids just roll their eyes at their weird mum. I'd be sad if I lost it, so I completely understand, especially as your child is still young and you have another on the way, these things can seem important.

However, I do wonder why on earth I've got these things. My eldest is 23 now, he's saving up for his first home, he's a quantum computing engineer ffs. What the hell have I got his baby teeth for? What purpose do they serve? What was I thinking I was going to do with them??

Thelnebriati · 29/08/2025 20:18

I am the worst parent on this thread. DS found the box and was disgusted, he asked me to throw it out and I did. And I then got massively upset when I remembered the box also contained some of my favourite dogs puppy teeth. I really wish I'd remembered and kept them, and IDK why it matters so much. I've got some nice photos of them.

tinyspiny · 29/08/2025 20:21

If you think the issue is that you have his siblings bits then only ever share the same amount with them . The only teeth I have saved are our late dogs puppy teeth , I don’t have either of my now adult children’s teeth .

Muffsies · 29/08/2025 20:23

Thelnebriati · 29/08/2025 20:18

I am the worst parent on this thread. DS found the box and was disgusted, he asked me to throw it out and I did. And I then got massively upset when I remembered the box also contained some of my favourite dogs puppy teeth. I really wish I'd remembered and kept them, and IDK why it matters so much. I've got some nice photos of them.

I guess it a physical connection to the past? It's something more tangible and personal than a photo. Humans have a long history of keeping relics of family and important people, as weird as that is!

The victorians would keep hair, teeth and allsorts. Even had them made into brooches and lockets.

BatchCookBabe · 29/08/2025 20:38

I can't see anything wrong with keeping 'keepsakes!' Even if they are body parts!!! 😂

I have from my DC - baby teeth, and locks of hair (both had/have gorgeous curly blonde hair.) I also have locks of my own hair, (from when I was 21,) and one of my teeth that was extracted (that had a bigger root than the tooth.) 🦷

Also a lock of my (now deceased) mum's hair, and a baby tooth that belonged to my brother. My brother in law has some gallstones, (from when he had gallbladder surgery,) and DH has some bits of fractured bone that were removed from his knee after he had had an accident some years ago.

Oh, and I am pretty sure I have my grandmother's false teeth somewhere! 😁
I know! Bunch of ghouls we are. 💀 😆

Have you found the stuff yet @Annoyedatmyself8 ???

JustMeAndTheFish · 29/08/2025 20:39

PersephoneParlormaid · 29/08/2025 07:55

I’ve kept my kids teeth and they think it’s weird, so don’t worry yourself about it.

I kept my kids teeth too, but they’re now in their 30s and think I’m weird. With hindsight I may agree… but what on earth do I do with them?

IzzyHandsIsMySpiritAnimal · 29/08/2025 20:40

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 07:41

I feel for the poor sod that comes across this when you sell your house!

Absolutely- Urgh.
Someone offered to get me a box to keep DCs teeth etc. in but obviously the look of wtf on my face soon put them off the idea.

OldGothsFadeToGrey · 29/08/2025 20:40

I left my son’s 3rd lost tooth in a drawer in the villa we stayed in on holiday. Distraught.

It wasn’t cleaned very well so expect a future guest will get a surprise!

BeaLola · 29/08/2025 20:42

I really wouldn't worry - if he's anything like my DS he would just bin it when you handed it over.

I came across my DS17 baby teeth the other day- not sure why I'm keeping them ....

smallglassbottle · 29/08/2025 20:43

Honestly, nobody else is bothered about these things. I had to throw the teeth out because I accidentally mixed up ds1's and ds2's and when I showed ds2 his clip with some gnarly cord in it he was horrified and called me weird 😂

gotmyknickersinatwist · 29/08/2025 21:54

How Victorian

UnhappyHobbit · 29/08/2025 22:10

I would be upset too. Sorry op, I hope they turn up

EnchantedQuill · 29/08/2025 22:16

That’s so grim

Diversion · 29/08/2025 22:28

I kept baby boxes for all of my children, first outfits, christening outfits, cards from birthdays 0-10, baby books, birth ankle tags and lots of other things which were important to me. We had a big clear out this year and passed the boxes onto them as they are now adults and have left home. They all looked through them and I guess most of it has been thrown away. The only things I have left are their still white terry nappies which make great dusters and a whole load of baby teeth which I will probably make into jewellery or something because I am a bit weird like that. Your child will not care that you lost his umbilical cord.

pinkdelight · 29/08/2025 23:25

Maybe you can mummify one of his turds to treasure instead.

Diblin93 · 30/08/2025 00:19

You’re sweating the small stuff. Man up

ErinBell01 · 30/08/2025 00:28

I have a lock of baby hair in a wee plastic bag, but I've no idea which DC it belongs to! I should throw it out but can't bring myself to do that. It's probably the older DC's as you do these things for the first and get bored/forget for the subsequent ones.

FrodoBiggins · 30/08/2025 00:29

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 07:41

I feel for the poor sod that comes across this when you sell your house!

😂