Dd could have drowned today....

[guiltymother]

...and it was all my fault.

We went swimming today - we go just about every week. We were meeting friends there, but we were running late and by the time we got there our friends were already in the pool. We rushed to get changed and went through to the pool. I normally put dd's armbands on in the changing rooms, but didn't today...

I got into the pool and started chatting to my friend while blowing up dd's armbands. out of the corner of my eye I noticed dd was in the pool - and didn't think anything of it for a second and carried on chatting. Then I realised she shouldn't be and turned to dd...she was under the water with just one arm sticking up...I grabbed her out and she was spluttering and really gasping for breath....luckily she was okay . I have no idea how long she had been sruggling...

She told me later that she put her arm up because she hoped that I would notice her...it makes me sick to think what would have happened if I hadn't...God knows what was going through her mind when she was under the water...

She is 4 BTW and very sensible around the pool usually. It just shows you that a moment of not thinking...

Well, it didn't happen, which was the main thing. Yes, you were at fault but where was the lifeguard? They should have been keeping an eye on things too.

It might make you feel a bit less awful to know that you are not the only `guiltymother' on here. My ds nearly drowned in the bath one day when I popped out of the bathroom for something and by the time I returned he'd wriggled out of his bath seat and was thrashing around in the water (he was only about 6 months old so not able to sit or stand). . He was unresponsive when I got him out so I had to call an ambulance and we spent a night in hospital. He was OK but I still feel so guilty.

We had a close call with ds when he was 2.5 yo in a swimming pool once, chatting with friends, suddenly realised he'd stepped off a shelf in the shallow end into water that was too deep for him... he was behind a very large bloke which is partly why we didn't see him (plus we were too busy chatting ).. He was just about struggling to keep his head up, but very scarey in retrospect...

Gosh poor you - that must have been so frightening.

You are right when you say it didn't happen and that is the main thing - she has been getting more extra special cuddles and kisses tongith that's for sure! i do feel better after writing it down.

There isn't a lifeguard as it is a pool at a hotel - a very small pool. There were only a hanful of people there

Sorry about the name change - I feel so bad I just didn't feel I could post under my normal name

She's alright gm. You were blowing up the armbands which demonstrates that you were actively involved in the situation. A second or two can seem much longer in this situation.

Fenomen,have to say that I am horrified by your tale.If it teaches one other person that you must never leave your baby unattended in the bath......

On a lighter note,my dd (5)swims well but mostly underwater which freaks some people out.

On holiday two weeks ago in Turkey,a woman saw her rfrom the side,started yelling and her dh dived straight in (fully clothed) to 'rescue' a rather bemused dd!

My bellowing 'She's alright! She knows how to swim!' in very poor Turkish was obviously not understood.Ironically,moments before dh and I had been looking at him and talking disparagingly about 'dads who do bugger all and sit with their noses in the newspaper when they should be with their kids.'

guiltymother, this isn't my usual name either, for the same reason!

moondog - thanks for making me laugh My ds learned to swim underwater first too!

Dh and I veered between being mortified and absolutely wetting ourselves.

So many children die from drowning in the bath, a pond, a swimming pool and I also read years ago that an 18mth old died by falling head first into a bucket of soaking nappies. This is tragic. If I am bathing DD 3 or DS 2 and the doorbell rings, tough, I ignore it as I cannot leave them. If I am running a bath and have forgotten something in another room, I take both children out of the bathroom and close the door as I know they are eager to get in. We cannot take a chance even for a minute or two.
Re: swimming, my DH insists that even standing by the side of the pool or being in the garden and the pool cover is open, they must wear their armbands at all times.

Similarly we NEVER leave the paddling pool with watre in it unattended always empty it every night and never leave the garden when the children are in (or near) the water

the swimming instructor at my dd's class today was telling us how, when her ds was only crawling he climbed out of the baby pool and crawled off in to the main pool - luckily the life guard fished him out by his leg but just goes to show it can even happen to a swimming instructor !

My DD has decided that armbands are evil, and seems to like the drowing method

I get some very evil looks when I let her go under (you try keeping hold of a slippery toddler who is convinced she can swim ).

I agree with the others - you were trying to sort out her swimming aides, it just all took longer than planned