Longest minute of my life :(

[Hulababy]

What a nightmare. Took 22mo DD to Leeds for day today and had lunch in Debenhams cafe. She was playing with the ELC toys on a little table in the cafe and I was sat watching her - very close. She then had a peek behind a partioning wall so I calle dher back. But then she decided to go behind the wall. I got up and went to the other side to grab her but when I got there she'd disappeared entirely. I look around and she was nowehere to eb seen. I asked people queing for food as that was where the wall was next to and the counter/till girl but no one said they'd see her. So starting panicing (as you do) and calling her. Another assistant relasised and called some kitchen staff out to look too. Then a lady from the shop floor came in with DD asking who she belonged too. She'd been heading out the cafe across the shop. She'd only been out of sight no longer than 60 seconds but it felt like a lifetime.

I couldn't stop shaking, but packed up and left embarrassed and relieved. Headed straight to enarest toilets elsewhere still shaking, bursat into tears and was really sick Dreaded telling DH later but luckily he was fine about it and more concerned about me.

Really annoying thing is was that DD must have had to walk by a whole queue of customers (quite busy) o get out yet no one said they saw her, or tried to stop her.

Just needed to get it off my chest - thanks for listening.

I think it is completely natural that you felt so emotional. If ds goes out of my sight like that in a shop, my feelings just come out right in front of everyone, as I shout his name and run around saying I've lost my baby! I suppose this has the advantage that everyone in the whole shop realizes that a mother is looking for her child, but afterwards it is quite embarrassing because invariably, as in your case, he has only gone a few yards away.

Hulababy,

Your poor love - it could happen to anyone. Don't beat yourself up about it (hard I know)

Oh God, how awful, you poor thing. Glad everything is okay.

Absolutely horrible experience, Hulababy, thank goodness for the lady who brought your dd back to you.

Thank you everyone. Feel much better today, although had some troublesome dreams last night Didn't do wonders for my heart palpatations but a sleep helped that too.

prettycandles - I could have kissed that woman, but was so embarassed (and ashamed too) that I just wanted to grab DD and leave asap. I too had done the running round the place, calling out her name in a blind panic. I couldn't even remember what she was wearing!

BUT, it's done and was yesterday. I hope she doesn't do it to me again, but having read experiences on here (and the other thread) I suspect she may And we had a really lovely day at Sundown Adventure Land today. She didn't go out of my sight once and, no, I didn't have her strapped in the pushchair or reins the whole time either

Hula - something like that has happened to me too (and probable most mums). It stops your heart doesn't it! Glad you are feeling better today!

oh it is horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE! the number of awful thoughts that flooded into my mind when I couldn't find ds in Ikea a couple of years ago! I remember having to force myself to stop the thoughts and get on with finding him before I became a blob of jelly, and as you say Hulababy, it was only for about a minute in real time but for me, time just seemed to stand still and it felt like forever.

My brother went missing for a whole day once - he was only 5! We were staying in a rented cottage in Devon and he got up very early one morning, picked up his fishing rod and let himself out the house very quietly. All hell broke loose when the rest of the family got up and couldn't find him ....... the police got involved eventually.
I remember sitting there with my mum and grandma and they were in floods of tears while my dad was looking for him.

To cut a long story short, he had gone down to the beach and then walked about two miles along the front before settling down to fish for the day! The police eventually found him and brought him home about 6.00pm that night!

I used to tire of hearing this story when I was growing up, almost wondering what all the fuss was about. Now I've got my own children it sounds absolutely horrific!! Worst nightmare.

I always used to write our home phone number and then my mobile number on the back of their hand - Mummy: xxx xxx xxx. My dh used to think I was mad but I always felt a little more happy knowing it was there. Now they are a bit older they have relevant phone numbers on paper in their pockets - you never know and now that dh takes ds to football and rugby matches and concerts it is very easy to get separated in these crowds - even he likes the idea that should the 'I will meet you here if we get separated' instruction fails, ds can contact him or me if necessary.

When my two were toddlers they were both the type to run away the second you let go of them. I was therefore terrified one year when we were due to go on holiday to a very busy Spanish resort. So I got hold of a few of these patient ID tags used in hospital and put the hotel name on them. They are virtually indestructible and it was a great comfort knowing that the kids were 'tagged'.

I lost DS1, then 3, when I was massively pg with DS3, at a country fair. There was an enormous stagnant lake round the back of the fields they were using & I was convinced he'd drowned. I had another family from school looking for him as well & it was about 20 minutes before he was found- just round in the next batch of stalls were we'd been earlier.

Then lost the same child at Camber Sands a few years ago! (Can't remember exactly when- he'd have been 10 ish) He doesn't like the sea & went back to the towels but missed them & got lost. The hardest thing was trying to decide what to do for the best- should I leave the others (younger) on their own in case he comes back, or drag them up the beach with me?

The lost children's ranger asked if he was likely to have gone off with friends or gone back to the water & I just got more & more upset because he is a very shy child who hates water! I got an exciting ride across the sand in the range rover, then the ranger left me with the other children (who I'd abandoned) & went off to find him. He was missing for 1 hour & 45 minutes. When the ranger came back with him both DS1 & I burst into tears!!

I was imagining having to ring DH & tell him I'd lost him, and/or wait for the beach to empty... (& needless to say, his bathers were NOT the colour I'd told the ranger..... )