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Original poster

HELP - 11 MO FELL DOWN STAIRS!!!!! WORST MOTHER IN THE WORLD!!!!!

28 replies

Weejy · 01/06/2007 10:29

I AM OFFICIALLY THE WORST MOTHER IN THE WORLD!!!! I WAS UPSTAIRS TODAY, 11 MO DS IN HIS COT PLAYING, I TOOK SOME WASHING DOWNSTAIRS AND WHEN I CAME BACK UP I DIDN'T SHUT THE STAIRGATE. DS WAS BORED IN HIS COT SO I GOT HIM OUT, PUT HIM ON THE FLOOR, SHUT THE DOORS TO ROOMS I DIDN'T WANT HIM IN AND PUT SOME IRONING AWAY. NEXT THING I HEARD WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THEN A SCREAM. DS HAD FALLEN DOWN THE STAIRS. I PICKED HIM UP, HE WAS SCREAMING, I WAS SOBBING, PHONED HUBBY WHO RUSHED HOME, DS IS OK, NO SIGNS OF INJURY BUT I NOW DON'T FEEL HAPPY BEING ON MY OWN WITH HIM AS I FEEL LIKE I AM INCOMPETENT!!!!! I HAVE A FRIEND COMING ROUND FOR THE DAY, THANK GOODNESS, BUT CAN ANYONE HELP ME OUT HERE? HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS HAPPEN OR AM I THE ONLY COMPLETE F*&^%$NG IDIOT USELESS MOTHER IN THE WORLD THAT WOULD LET THIS HAPPEN?!?! PLEASE HELP ME, FEELING VERY VERY LOW AT THE MO.

OP posts:

tortoiseSHELL · 01/06/2007 10:30

Weejy - please don't worry - it's SO SO common. Dd and ds1 have both fallen down the stairs. I know how you feel - ds1 fell off our bed when he was 5 months, and I felt TERRIBLE. It happens, you are not a bad mother!

Nbg · 01/06/2007 10:31

Awwwww weejy, these things happen.
He's ok, thats the main thing. Dont beat yourself up.

I could give you a huge list of things that my children have done!

Mumpbump · 01/06/2007 10:31

Doubt you'll let it happen again though. I wouldn't worry too much. One of my friends dropped her baby on a wooden floor when he was quite young. I regularly thump ds' head into things when I'm picking him up/carrying him through doorways, etc. The main thing is he's not hurt and I am sure you will be ultra careful after this. Don't beat yourself up...

kittypants · 01/06/2007 10:32

if that makes you a bad mother then were all guilty of that and worse.dont blame yourself,it was an accident.you said hes ok,so please dont worry(although i know you will!).

Tigana · 01/06/2007 10:32

You are SO NORMAL.
Babies do this.
It is part of growing up

Please! I re-subluxed my ds's elbow yesterday, less than 2 days after it was fixed! (holding his hand, he fell, I tried to 'stop' the fall, yanked on his arm and popped the joint).
Wanna competition?

fluffyanimal · 01/06/2007 10:32

You're not incompetent, you made a mistake. It happens. I'm sure other mums have done similar. Try not to feel too bad.

How is your ds now? Keep an eye on him for injuries that may show up later.

QueenofBleach · 01/06/2007 10:35

Been there done that got the tshirt a long with many others, it happened, please don't neat yourself up, he fine which is the ,main thing.

CountTo10 · 01/06/2007 10:35

I know everyone has said it but don't beat yourself up. We've all got countless stories of things that have happened to our kids - mine fell of the bed, went off in a lift on his own, touched the iron!! But he sounds like he's fine just a bit shaken and you responded quickly etc and the fact that you are so upset about it shows that you are a hugely loving and caring mother which makes you a fantastic one. So have a bit of a cry with your friend and a huge glass of wine later once your ds is in bed.

hockeypuck · 01/06/2007 10:35

Weejy - you are not a bad mother! You are a normal mother who loves her child dearly. ALL MOTHERS (and I defy anyone to prove me wrong) at some point are responsible for their child falling off something.

DD - fell off the sofa at 10 weeks! onto a wooden floor (she couldnt even roll, I just absentmindedly put her on the edge and went into the kitchen!)

DS - fell out of the back door and down 3 concrete steps onto a concrete path at 11 months. (I hadn;t shut the door when I was hanging out washing and he wanted to come and see me)

It happens to everyone, it is the worst day of your life and you never forget it, but you live and learn.

It doesn;t make you a bad mother. In fact it makes you a good mother to be so concerned about it.

Have your friend over, have a good blub, eat chocolate or drink wine and give your son cuddles all day, whatever it takes for you to get through the day. I PROMISE you will feel much much better in the morning.

GreebosWhiskers · 01/06/2007 10:38

I've lost count of the times my lot have done stuff like this. It was an accident & accidents happen. As long as he's fine that's all that matters.

Original poster

Weejy · 01/06/2007 10:38

Thanks guys, very, very much.

I phoned the HV straight away and she said she could check him out later today if I want. She said to look for sleepiness in case of head injury. It just happens that this coincided with his nap time. I have put him down for a sleep, and keep checking him every 2 minutes!! I will wake him up after an hour, I think, as he never normally has more than an hour at this time of the day.

I NEVER thought something like this would happen to me, I am normally SO careful, but just one slip up is all it takes I guess.

OP posts:

sandcastles · 01/06/2007 10:38

It was an accident, you are not imcompetent!

The fact that you feels bad means that you will be more careful in future.....

Main thing is you are probably feeling far worse than your ds...

dolally · 01/06/2007 10:38

dd 2(at 3 weeks) slid to the floor from her 3 year old sister's lap. I was sitting next but did not anticipate. DD2 was fine and is now a strapping 12yr old but I'll never forget the fright.

You must feel awful, remember you had a big shock too....you are not the worst mother in the world, forgive yourself!!!!

numptysmummy · 01/06/2007 10:40

Don't beat yourself up,we've all been there- Ds2 has a ridge on his head where he fell off the sofa. Doc friend of ours said it will never go as he's overlappped the plates on his head.

sandcastles · 01/06/2007 10:40

"Main thing is you are probably feeling far worse than your ds... "

That should read

"the main thing is, is that he is OK & you are probably feeling far worse than your ds... "

teafortwoandtwofortea · 01/06/2007 10:44

Weejy - when I dropped 8 week old DS2 on the floor (head first ) the doctor said to let him sleep if he wanted to as if he had a concussion he'd have a headache and want to sleep.

let you LO sleep as normal, as long as you can rouse him slightly and he's breathing he'll be ok.

Sunshinemummy · 01/06/2007 10:51

We have three steps between the living room and the kitchen. Kitchen floor is marble. I decided not to put a gate on these steps so DS (14m) could practice on them. On Monday I heard a scream and found him face down on kitchen floor. He has a huge bump on his head and two cuts. I felt awful and also spent the rest of the day checking him for concussion. He's fine but now won't even try the stairs and holds his arms out for me to carry him.

Original poster

Weejy · 01/06/2007 10:56

Thanks again everyone. You don't know how much you have helped me, I am feeling a little better now. Wine and chocolate does sound good, especially as my mate that is coming round is 9 months pregnant so that means all the wine for me tonight!! DS doesn't hate me either and I really thought he would. I hope all the babies bumps, bruises and cuts clear up soon. Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

Weejy · 01/06/2007 10:57

Woops, that should say DH doesn't hate me.

OP posts:

pucca · 01/06/2007 11:00

h god this has brought back a memory for me...

When my ds was about 10 week old, i had put him under his play gym on the floor, my dh had put a radiator cover on but hadnt screwed it to the wall, then my dd somehow managed to pull it over straight onto my ds, i will never forget the fright of the sound he made, or how scared i was to pull it off him, i thought his face would be flat! and as i went to lift it off him, a piece of it (was a extending one so 3 pieces) fell and hit him again...OMG!!

I sobbed all day...was awful!

DaisysGotSausageFeet · 01/06/2007 11:00

weejy....just echoing the other comments on here...

....my DS pushed himself backwards off the changing table when he was 10 weeks old, in spite of having the strap around him....

....he also fell down stairs about 15 months, I was right behind him and his grip slipped out of mine and down he went, into the clothes horse at the bottom which was the only thing stopping him from slamming into the wall...

....there's a list of other things and visits to AndE so don;t beat yourself up.

they're also surprisingly bouncy and flexible and usually come off relativly unscathed

Lolly68 · 01/06/2007 11:03

weejy - please dont beat yourself up over it. It is so common my DD fell down the stairs when she was 7 months (Head first!!). Rushed her down the hospital and they said all is well. She has also feel off the bed!!

Gingermonkey · 01/06/2007 11:17

On monday my niece fell down the stairs because her mummy had forgotten to close the stairgate, on wednesday my nephew fell off his changing table (different mums btw!!!), on sunday DH was spinning DS round, put him on the floor and he walked straight into the door frame....we all do it. I could probably make a 10 page list of every time one of my 2 has hurt themselves because I haven't had the cotton wool wrapped tight enough around them . Oh, and my friend left her iron on the floor after she finished ironing and DD crawled over to it (and you know the rest), another friend left her GHDs on and her DS picked them up (and she's a nurse, a sister in fact). Need I go on???? . You are not the worst mother in the world, if you were you'd have booted him down the stairs and not cared, you are just a normal mummy who has to multi task constantly like the rest of us. >

purpleduck · 01/06/2007 11:54

It happens to everyone! My son fell down a few stairs, caught his ankle really twisted it -i had to rush him to the Drs 2 hours before we left for germany for 3 months!!! It happens, we all make mistakes

Chopster · 01/06/2007 12:01

I've got a few to add too,

My dt2 has sliced the top of his finger nearly off on abiscuit barrel...

... opened and jumped out of his bedroom window, falling 10 foot to the driveway...

...rubbed a bottle of perfume in his eyes and drank some!

All in the past 6 months, (he is 2 btw). It happens to everyone, and I have a particularly adventurous toddler.

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