Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

ds, me and bump tumble downstairs

20 replies

worrimum · 02/09/2004 18:59

Unfortunately - I seem to be having a bad week of it this week. Today, ds (17 months), myself, bump (18 weeks) and a glass, fell/tripped from the top of our stairs all the way to the bottom - crashing through the stairgate (drilled to the wall - this flung off - luckily broke the fall) and ended up in a heap on our backs on the wooden hall floor amidst smashed glass!! I tried to remain calm for my toddler's sake - he was obviously shocked and cried a bit but seemed fine other than that. Then it hit me that I was pregnant so I called the maternity ward, hardly believing that my very normal, mundane day had now turned into a scene from Casualty. They said that as long as I had no pain/bleeding and I could feel the baby move- all would be well. (The baby has only just started kicking so it's difficult to tell what is movement and what isn't!) As for my ds - who was now watching the Tweenies quite happily - she said I should call NHS Direct. On calling them - they insisted they send a paramedic and TWO ambulances! The paramedic sent the ambulances away as it was clear we were ok. On seeing him out, ds cut his toe on a shard of glass on the floor (from the smashed glass - which fortunately had not gone in either of our eyes - though there was a speck on ds's cheek.....!) I had to call back the maternity unit to say I had felt movement. They said if I wanted to I could listen to the baby's heartbeat, but as it was moving all was ok anyway and there would be no need. (I still am rubbing my tummy as I am not totally convinced of movement - but as you know by now I am a worrier - and at 18 weeks pregnant, they don't move alot anyway so its tricky!)
By now my dh had come home from London - He found me spread eagled on the settee covered in blue bruises but consoling myself with Tesco cookies and chocolate.
Several hours on, I am still in shock and really, really scared of stairs now (our stairs are very narrow - if you trip, you cannot regain your step - especially with toddler on hip! I fell down them when pregnant with ds but not half as bad, and several times since - but never from top to bottom unable to hold anything to stop myself!!) Sorry to go on again!!! I just had to get it off my chest. I feel lucky that we made it fairy unscathed - but I'm still worried about head injury to ds. I'd know by now wouldn't I?And unborn baby. Poor thing. Oh dear - this seems to be a rotten week! You must hting I'm disaster prone but I'm not usually!

OP posts:

coppertop · 02/09/2004 19:18

Sorry to hear you're having such a lousy week but glad that you, ds and bump are all okay. I'm also impressed with your choice of comfort food. I hope next week is better. Buy yourself a lottery ticket for next week. After the cr@ppy week you've had you must be due for some good luck.

whizzz · 02/09/2004 19:19

Poor you !!! Glad you are all OK. When I was pregnant we had really steep stairs and I always made sure I was holding the rail. Always a mistake though trying to carry too much down in one go. Take it easy !

JiminyCricket · 02/09/2004 19:23

Poor you..bet you'll always be super careful now though! Hope both babes OK, sounds like all the signs are good. As for you, hope the chocolate helped!

JanH · 02/09/2004 19:31

You must have a guardian angel who turned away for a second and turned back just in time - it sounds a horrific fall, esp with the glass, anything could have happened, so glad you are all OK!

Chinchilla · 02/09/2004 19:34

Hope you are feeling better now.

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 15:25

Thanks for your messages. I feel very bruised today - but over the shock of it. My ds has not a mark on him however! And baby still kicking so presume all is well there. I feel really bad now - and think what could have happened. I know I shouldn't carry my ds plus things in my other hand downstairs but don't we all do that? Maybe it's just me?! I wasn't even rushing down the stairs I simply missed a step. Please can anyone make me feel better? I know I shouldn't keep tormenting myself about what could have happened, but I'm so frightened by it - and can't stop going over it in my mind.

OP posts:

mears · 03/09/2004 15:30

My friend who is a paediatric nurse fell downstairs carrying her toddler and broke her DD's leg! So it could have been much worse . Yes we all do things that can be a bit dodgy and we learn from them. You will have learned not to carry your ds down the stairs with a glass in your hand Thankfully you were all OK, best not to beat yourself up about it.

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 15:33

Thanks mears,

good to know I'm not alone. Plastic cups upstairs only now! Maybe there's something to be said about living in a bungalow...........

OP posts:

MadameButterfly · 03/09/2004 15:40

HI there,

we have narrow dog leg stairs, which I fell down when I was 11 weeks pregnant with my daughter. I was carrying hangers down to puts DP's shirts on once I had Ironed them. DP was out at the time, I called him to come home and take me to the hospital. As I was due a scan the following week they said not to worry unless I started to bleed.

The only damaged part was my fingers which were rather bruised.

MY dd seems to be ok after all her falls on wednesday.

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 15:45

Madamebutterfly, thanks for your message - I know I'm not alone then! Glad you were ok Did you say you were carrying your dd as well?

OP posts:

MadameButterfly · 03/09/2004 15:48

I was pregant with her at the time.

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 15:53

Oh yes, sorry, I read your message again! It's frightening isn't it? Still - we live to fight another day Take care.

OP posts:

Chandra · 03/09/2004 15:58

DS has gone down the stairs three times, once as a bump, another one with me at 3m and lastly with Dh who was also carrying a glass with him. The experience has taught us not to chase a dog with a baby in your arms, and to keep one hand free to hold the handrail when the other one is holding a toddler.

Don't think about what could have happen, you are OK, these things happen.

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 16:07

Thanks Chandra,

Its nice of you to reply and it makes me feel so much better - as up a until now I felt rotten and that I was just really rubbish at being a mum. Now I'm not giving myself such a hard time. But I can't help thinking how dangerous the home we live in can be!!

Yes - one does learn from these things! Thank you again

OP posts:

smellymelly · 03/09/2004 16:22

Sounds very scary, I'm glad you are all ok.

Could ds not go down the stairs backwards himself to stop it happening again, you could always go down in front of him in case you are worried.

They do say that most accidents happen in the home...
Put your feet up and get yourself pampered for the rest of the weekend!

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 21:23

Well I'm going to get him into training to go down backwards - he seems to prefer actually walking down?!!! I'll have to get him to do it though. I feel so bruised today - can't move me neck - and don't fancy going through that again!! Won't be on the dancefloor tomorrow night me thinks!!

OP posts:

ebbie22 · 03/09/2004 21:37

You are all a life saver,just less than 2 hours ago,I was puting my dd to bed,she 4got her frog,Grins,so we were going downstairs to get it,as i went to shut the baby gate[why i dont know as she was with me on the stairs}dd let go of the rail and sommersaulted down 3 stairs,
forward rolling,
while i stood in fear and shock,cant of been longer than a second,but felt like hours...
Then started to roll again,I managed to grap her to stop her falling any further...Thankfully no harm done but i keep on thinking but what if... and have cried a few tears since tucking her up in bed...

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 21:51

Dear ebbie22,

I know exactly how you feel (as you know it happened to me yesterday with toddler on my hip, plus baby in my tummy!!) I cried lots too - but realised today, life is too short to dwell on things that happen like this - All worked out well in the end, and I forced myself to stop thinking about it. I think if someone presented us with a book of all the possible things that might happen at home/in a car/anywhere with a small child, we would never be able to become parents!!!
Ok, this has happened to us both, and its horrible, but I bet we have both, without knowing it managed to stop thousands of other mini disasters happening to our children(that could hsve turned out worse) every single day.
Have some chocolate, try to relax and get a good night's sleep (I'm saying this as that's what I should have done last night instead of howling in bed all night to my dh)(nothing rude)

OP posts:

ebbie22 · 03/09/2004 21:59

Thanks,Im ok and hope you are too,Im sure we have children to test us,Today I had felt like the best mummy around [painting,outside in paddling pool,sweets and juice,never has juice or sweetsetc...}and now I feel like I dont even derserve to be her mum...{sad}..
I know dd is ok but i cant believe I let go of her hand....

Original poster

worrimum · 03/09/2004 22:09

ebbie22,

don't give yourself a hard time about not holding her hand - you could have held her hand and she still might have fallen and you with her! Stairs just catch us out at times. I felt really bad that I was holding my ds plus a glass in the other hand (and his cup and a pair of shorts) But as everyone I have had messages from and spoken to since says - we have all done exactly that before. And, we all have let go of our child's hand seconds before they fall off something or down something. You are a great mum its obvious! - I'm sure your dd would vouch for that after the fun day you've given her. That's what she'll be thinking about as she goes to bed - the very fact that you went back for her frog, that you got the paddling pool out, the sweets etc. As you say, these things are sent to try us!! And I'm sure we become better parents form these experienes. (nb: gold is tested with fire before its real gold...!)

OP posts:

Flip