Clumsy mummy

[MandyD]

My son's 3, clean and dry in the day but we haven't started nights yet. Last night I'd run out of disposables so I used an old Huggies Pull Up. The industrial strength elastic snapped back (with my hand still inside) and my fingernail scratched his penis. There's a 2mm scratch half way down just below the foreskin level. He cried and cried and I feel so guilty.

I walloped on antiseptic cream, his dad reassured him that he'd done it himself loads of times and it would be fine. I made a big show of cutting off all my fingernails, we won't use the pull-ups again. Is there anything else I can do to cheer him up? It still hurts him this morning and he hasn't wanted to use the toilet yet. How long will it take him to get over it?

Poor little thing! I've no experience of this type of injury but I'm sure he'll be fine. You've said sorry and I think that's OK too. No point floggy yourself, it'll be ok & there'll be plenty more guilt opportunities to come. I'm sure half the time they lay it on thck just to make you feel worse!

mandyd - It was pure and simply an accident so don't beat yourself up about it. It's a very sensitive area (like fingertips and tongues) so even though the cut is small it hurts out of all relation to it's size. Perhaps if wee is touching it, it's stinging and making it sore too. How about trying some sudocrem or other antiseptic barrier cream. Young children heal up very quickly so I'm sure in a day or two he'll be much better. Just keep an eye out for infection. If I (or most other mothers for that matter) had a £ for everytime I'd accidently knocked mine, tripped them over with the buggy etc, I'd be a billionaire! HTH.