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Original poster

My toddler nearly drowned this morning

28 replies

swedishmum · 12/03/2006 18:04

While I was out this morning dh decided totake ds (9), dd3 (2) and the 8 month labrador to the woods (something I'd never do because I can't keep my eye on everyone at once....). Next thing I get in Sainsbury's is phone call to say dd fell in septic pond - ds was getting the blame for her running down a bank (50m away from dh) and ending up up to her neck in slime. Ds jumped in - it was up to his chest - and held her above the surface until dh dragged them out. Poor ds is still in shock - I told dh he shouldn't have a) taken the baby and b) left her so far away from him. Fortunately she's OK. Scary. Why do men think they can do 4 things at once when the things are as important as the baby's safety?

OP posts:
waterfalls · 12/03/2006 18:08

Thank god she is ok, and your ds is very brave.

charliecat · 12/03/2006 18:10

OMG, well done your ds, sounds like a great brother to have, bet they were all shook up.

bossykate · 12/03/2006 18:10

i am so glad she is ok. agree your ds sounds like a star. i bet your dh will be watching her very closely from now on.

Original poster
swedishmum · 12/03/2006 18:11

Yes ds is gorgeous and I'm very proud of him (says totally unbiased mum!!)

OP posts:
moondog · 12/03/2006 18:11

OMG!
My blood
runs cold at the thought of this.
The child of a school friend drowned at a party in the family home. Everyone thought he was with someone else and in reality had wandered off and fallen in the swimming pool.

Thank God your baby is ok, thank God!!

Northerner · 12/03/2006 18:12

Well done to your ds, if it hadn't been for him going in after her I dread to think what would have happenned Sad

He's one brave boy. Is he getting a treat?

PeachyClair · 12/03/2006 18:15

Hero DS! Grin

What a star

\link{http://www.cardweb.com/graphic/cardweb/superhero_flash.jpg\picture of your ds}

Hulababy · 12/03/2006 18:19

Thank goodness all is okay now and your baby is save. Well done to your DS; he sounds a star!

coppertop · 12/03/2006 18:23

Well done to your quick-thinking ds! What a shock it must've been for all of you.

Original poster
swedishmum · 12/03/2006 18:26

Just showed PeachyClair's pic to ds - he's very impressed! Unfortunately large drink I'm now having isn't working on my youthful looks but there's always tomorrow. We're just thanking our lucky stars tonight.

OP posts:
bossykate · 12/03/2006 18:28

how about a life-saving course for your ds? it was obviously fine this time but actually afaik it is actually v. bad practice to "jump in". don't want to put a downer on his bravery, but it might be something he'd enjoy anyway?

cutekids · 12/03/2006 18:38

very scary.on the first day of our holiday last year, we took our kids down to the kiddies' pool.we usually buy armbands etc.whilst we are away but as it was mid-afternoon, i very stupidly said, "we'll watch them, they'll be fine".however, i got distracted by some photos i was taking on my camera. i was showing hubbie and remember seeing "a little girl swimming under water" (there was an identical little girl with the same cossie on at the time) and thinking she must be a good swimmer.suddenly,luckily within a couple of secs it dawned on me that it was our little girl! i screamed;hubbie ran in and,thank God,she was ok.but i often get flashbacks of it. (needless to say, we bought armbands,etc.,straightaway after.)

WideWebWitch · 12/03/2006 18:45

Bloody hell, poor you and them, thank god she's ok. Sod the youthful looks, drink the wine! Your ds is very brave.

moondog · 12/03/2006 21:51

On a lighter note,must tell you Swedishmum that although my 5 year old dd swims well,she spends a lot of time underwater.

In Turkey last year,while we were all frolicking in the pool,suddenly heard much shouting. Turkish woman was tugging the arm of her dh,who was reading the paper and minding his own business (fully clotherd)whilst gesticulating madly at.....our dd.

It was like a film,despite my screaming (in vvv bad Turkish 'It's ok,she can swime,it's OK!!') he leapt up,hurled himself into the poolthrashed over to dd,who was most surprised to find herself snatched up by burly puffing Turk!!

Cue much thanking,gesticulating,cringing,blushing.
Aaaarghh!!!

He looked sooooo pissed off when it dawned on him that she had been just fine.

I can laugh now. Blush

jura · 13/03/2006 11:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flip · 13/03/2006 11:56

What a star your ds is! How wonderful of him to care about his sister so much. It's an awful story that could have had a tragic ending but it didn't because you have so a caring son. I'm filling up!

Original poster
swedishmum · 13/03/2006 11:58

Dh feeling very sheepish - had lecture from me on child safety!
My main problem now is how the washed cover and straps fit back on the car seat....

OP posts:
Rhubarb · 13/03/2006 12:03

Blimey, that's horrible! Hope you are all ok and recovering now!

My dh is a bit like this, they just don't think about the things that can go wrong. We go out and we are prepared for every catastrophe that could ever happen. They just don't think that way. Bet he feels awful now though.

elastamum · 13/03/2006 12:03

Well done to your DS for being so quick thinking. What a star. Last year a 10 year old boy rescued my DS2 (4) who was swimming just out of his depth in a pool. DS was a bit bemused as he was just swimming (not with great style ) and the boy thought he was in trouble. I was watching him and thought he was fine as I know how he swims. I still thought the boy was great for stepping in to rescue and thanked him and his parents, after all the next child he rescues could be really drowning.

edam · 13/03/2006 12:07

Did anyone swallow any of the water? Might be worth ringing your doc to see if anyone needs treating for swallowing infected water.

Thank goodness they are all OK. Had a heart-stopping moment myself last week - much less dramatic than yours, but scared the life out of me. Ds ran away from me in our local park and made straight for the pond. The grass was all frosty and he was running down a steep slope. I caught him inches from the water... made my blood run cold. I can't swim. And there was no-one else around. He'll be on the wrist strap in the park from now on!

Rhubarb · 13/03/2006 12:16

My dh is similarly careless with ours. Last time we were back in England, we stayed with his mum. She has one of those aeiral runways (sp?) that goes from a tree in the garden, over the very deep and steep sided pond to another large tree where it stops and goes back again. I've not liked dd using it as she's only 5 and I get nervous when I see her dangling over the pond hanging onto this rope (although it does have a piece of wood for her to sit on). Well dh thinks it's great and decided to give dd a really fast run. He pushed her so hard that he actually fell over, she whizzed at top speed across the pond straight towards the very large tree at the other side of it (lucky it has a tyre on it to deflect the impact), she went smack into the tree with some force, I almost cried with helplessness as I saw her, I was convinced that she would let go and fall into the pond, but she clung on tightly and escaped with bruises. He however caught my sharp tongue for days after! But get this, his mother who saw it all said "Oh it wasn't daddy's fault, he didn't know" NOT HIS FAULT! Stupid careless man, of course it was his fault!

spacecadet · 13/03/2006 12:22

how frightening for, thank goodness your dd is ok.
your ds is very brave, very brave indeed, what a remarkable lad.
if it was a septic tank, i woluld get some advice if any water was swallowed.

spacecadet · 13/03/2006 12:25

i remeber when we went to the algarve and eldest ds was just 6, we were in the swimming pool and suddenly he just went under, we thought he was messing about, until he kept appearing gasping for breath then going under again, the time it took to get to him from my side of the pool seemed like an age. h had been videoing aswell, the next shot shows ds with armbands and a rubber ring on!

kateandfelicity · 13/03/2006 12:42

very glad to hear your little one is ok...

when i was about 7 i wanted to learn to 'float' in the pool, so naturally i got 2 pairs of armbands and a rubber ring, put the arm bands round my ankles and rubber ring on... then went upside down with feet sticking out of the water - oops. got dragged out by my uncle...
i was fine - mum was not v impressed. Grin

meggmoo · 13/03/2006 12:46

Bless your ds , what a quick thinking lad.
Thank god.