My daughter who's turning one drowned/slipped for 2-3 seconds

[Skysha]

I just wanted to see if I can get any advice. I was giving my baby girl a bath and I turned my back to get tissue which was in the same room and she fell frontwards into the water for max 3 seconds. She's a little girl who's small for her age as it is and I'm just so worried I can't get it out my head. I feel like such a terrible mum how could I let this happen. I'd never leave the room or anything like that but all it took was for me to get tissue across the room and she almost drowned. I'm so scared I can't sleep eat talk. This just happened an hour ago before bedtime and she seems fine sleeping but I've just read up on secondary/dry drowning and now I'm loosing the plot. My husband thinks I'm being silly because she has no symptoms but in my eyes she already seems quieter or is that down to the fact she is sleepy. I guess I have to wait until the morning and day to see how she gets on.

She didn’t almost drown, because you are a good mum who didn’t leave the room. You saved her.
You just got a very vivid demonstration of why babies can’t be left, even for a moment.

Can’t be left in the bath, I mean.

Agree with DameSylvie. Your daughter is fine. I did something very similar with ds1, many others will have done too. Please rest your mind and forgive yourself.

You got a massive shock! What are the symptoms to look for, and what if any, is she displaying?

If you are truly worried there would be no harm in calling 111 for advice. But it sounds like you saved her, well done. Be kind to yourself.

Dry drowning risk has passed. That would be an immediate thing.

Keep an over a couple days for difficulty breathing or even a persistent cough, generally unwell/irritable. If so go to doc and she will be easily treated.

I really don’t think you need to worry. She’ll be fine.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. She didn’t drown. You were there and she’s in bed safe and sound.

It's natural to be scared but as others have said the risk of drowning is now passed. Would it help to get a bath mat or seated support chair for the bath so you could be less anxious? www.johnlewis.com/safety-1st-swivel-baby-bath-seat-pastel/p415312?sku=231915023&&s_kwcid=2dxLIA&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-c_iBRChARIsAGCOpB3b5mSPBhNofX3xQorgHTVfryS9bjeDevmh1__LTljKdDNx5nV4l6EaAmOxEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

It's happened to all of mine, all were fine. That's not giving you medical advice but just trying to reassure you. I read that the dry drowning thing has been blown out of proportion from a viral post and it doesn't actually exist.

Oh you poor thing OP.

Trust me, all of us Mums have been there! I remember my little boy went under the water swimming when he was little and was fine. But that night when he went to bed, I started looking up dry drowning and couldn’t sleep for worrying.

It’s just a mum thing and there will be plenty more of them.

It shows you’re a good one as you were right there to save her and have looked after her and even tho she is fine, you are still worrying and making sure you know what to look for Incase something was wrong.

You are doing all the right things, you know your stuff and you know how to look after your little girl.

And don’t worry if your DH says your worrying over nothing. Mine did (still does!) too, but it’s our job to worry.

Try to relax, breathe and think good thoughts. Keep an eye on your LO and know you got this!

Sorry to go against the grain but secondary drowning does exist and is a risk for up to 48 hours after the event. I'd be calling 111 to get their advice ASAP.

I agree with holly secondary drowning doesn't happen "straight away" I know this from personal experience. Don't take medical advice from MN. Always err on the side of caution. Ring 111

This happened to me with a younger baby and I remember phoning the out of hours GP in hysterics. He was very sympathetic and understanding.

Do you have a minor injuries unit so they could check her over in person & then you can forget about it

Thank you for all your kind helpful messages. I stayed up most nights and was a very difficult for me as I suffer from mental health too. I did call NHS direct and said she should be fine but give a call if she seems any different or unwell and she seems totally fine. I can't help but not feel fine and waiting for something bad to happen. Iv been stuck to her like glue today and she's a twin. But thank you all for the messages

Glad she's fine OP! Lovely to hear the update. Hope you can relax now she's clearly over it

Please get MN to change the thread title, your child DID NOT DROWN, she fell in the water. Be careful in the future and get help for your anxiety.
Children have natural reflexes to water in their face.
I suggest a basic first aid course might help you long term.

She has a reflex which would have stopped her just breathing in for those few seconds. I took DS to swimming when he was a little baby and we would go under water together.

@budgetneeded
I do try to be careful and I am getting anxiety help
and support and I have a peads first aid certificate already. But thanks for the message

Thisisthelaststraw

Do not give advice if you dont know facts

Dry drowning is not immediate. It can happen within the next 48 hours!

Gosh some dangerous advice can be flung around here sometimes. Totally possible for secondary drowning to not be immediate.

Anyway, so glad your daughter is ok op these things happen

Secondary drowning is a thing but it requires someone to inhale water in the first place. It really doesn’t sound like the ops daughter did. She just got a dunk, her instinct will have been to not inhale in the water. Unless she came up badly choking and spluttering I think it’s safe to assume she’s absolutely fine. And even if she did splutter a bit it’s an indication to keep an eye on her, not panic.

Secondary drowning is when someone gets water in their lungs but then seems to recover. The body sends fluid to the irritated lungs and someone can drown in their own fluids. They WILL be coughing if this is happening.

@christmassnow that’s secondary drowning.

Op my baby does swimming lessons and they practice falling in and rescuing themselves which involves going under water for this long. She is fine. You did the right thing.
Dry drowning would happen immediately as pp have said. Secondary drowning (which I think your confusing with dry drowning) is rare in children this young due to the gag reflex being so strong still making inhalation of water unlikely.
Try to relax. Your okay and so is your baby. Keep an eye on them and maybe ring 111 or the gp if she shows symptoms or your worried.

@Skysha is she still waking in the night for feeds?

If I was hyper worried I would wake her, check her then settle her back to sleep.

She fell in the bath. She didn't drown.

Both my children fall over in the bath still at 3 and almost 2.

It's frightening the first time it happens.

If you're worried call 111.

Thank you she's totally fine now. I worry alot but she's my youngest twin who has been through alot and isn't as strong as her twin older sister. But thank you everyone she is fine now