Toddler fell badly and can’t stop blaming myself.

[Elgr02]

Hi all, new here

Last week my DS fell into our fireplace and cut open his forehead. It was around a centimetre and was quite deep so we ended up opting to have stitches under GA as opposed to gluing and steri strips in the hope that the healing/scar would be better. Everything went well, it looks very neat and he was back to his usual self very quickly.
I just can’t stop beating myself up over it. Why had I not ever had cushions around the fireplace or some sort of protection? What if I had done things differently that day? I feel dreadful that he will now have a mark on his perfect little face and had to go under a general anaesthetic at such a young age. I am anxious about going back to playgroups and letting other people see it. He has always been so solid on his feet and rarely falls, rarely even goes into the room with the fireplace in as he has a completely separate playroom.
I know there is plenty worse injuries that happen and I am just fortunate there was no head injury and he is with us safe and sound and is his usual self. But I just can’t stop thinking about it.
Please can anyone advise if they have been through the same sort of thing?! When will I stop feeling like the world’s worst mother?!

Children fall over, you can be careful but it still happens.

I totally understand this. Our toddler had a horrible accident when he fell off a scooter, chipped a front tooth and had to have his lip stitched up under GA. I was one of the worst moments of my life. I literally took my eye off him for a second.

it’s hard but it is unrealistic to think you can protect them from absolutely everything. Toddlers approach every day like a game of total wipeout and for every accident they have you will have saved them from 100 more.

Aw you’re probably having a bit of a reaction to the shock of it. Be kind to yourself, we’ve all been there.

Definitely be kind to yourself! Toddlers will find a way to injure themselves. It's just what they do. Sounds like you just had some bad luck with where you little one fell. For what it's worth I know so many kids who have had to get stitches from big falls, it's so common.

Be kind to yourself, you could bubble wrap your entire city and all the toddlers will still find a way to injure themselves.

When a mum with toddler triplets I knew turned up at A&E three times in a fortnight the staff made her a cup of tea and lightheartedly offered her a parking permit.

My DS managed a chipped tooth, a few stitches and a dislocation before his third birthday but has survived into adulthood.

It does get easier as they grow into a bit of sense. Until then, go on doing your best but don't fret, they are resilient little monsters.

Kids have accidents, and we all feel guilty about it.
But honestly? Don’t beat yourself up. We can toddler-proof our homes up the wazoo and there will still be a way for them to hurt themselves.
When my eldest was a baby, I was holding her and she was having a tantrum because she wanted her cup that was in the elasticated bottle pocket in the changing bag. I tried to get the cup out with one hand, it got caught in the elastic, then came flying out and I punched her square in the face 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣 Total accident. But I felt so guilty and beat myself up with all the “I should have’s”.
DS cut his head open pretty badly when he was 2 by trying to climb up onto my bed and falling headfirst into the corner of the nightstand.
Youngest DD recently tripped over her own feet and fell face-first onto the tile floor.
Kids fall 🤷🏻‍♀️ No one is going to call you a bad parent for having a healthy, active, inquisitive child who has an accident!