Feeling very bad

[thatdarncat]

DD fell off the couch today hurting her head and face. She's 7 months. Got her checked out and the paramedics weren't concerned (thank God). I feel so careless and frankly sick to my stomach. I turned my attention away for one minute (was in the same room but out of arms reach, was cleaning up a big pool of vomit that she left before her fall, hence my attention not being fully on her). I'm so fearful of any future accidents and doubting my abilities as a responsible parent.

It is worrying when it first happens but you are not a bad mum. I doubt if there is a single poster on Mn who hasn't done something similar.

Did the paramedics give you any information on minor head injuries?

Yeah they did, they were very helpful. Just keep replaying it over and over and shuddering each time I think about it.

Oh bless you, there's hundreds of threads on here like yours. Hundreds. Everybody does it at some point and we're not all that bad. Really we're not!

My ds1 rolled off the bed onto floorboards when he was 7mo. He cried but not for long - I was more traumatised than he was by far. You did the right thing getting him checked out, but these things happen very easily, and you are not a bad or neglectful mum. You just don't have eyes in the back of your head. Something similar has happened to many of us. x

My DS crawled off the bed onto wooden floorboards (he couldn't crawl 5 mins earlier). Long after he recovered (he was basically fine by the time we reached the hospital) I was still berating myself but with lots of lovely MNers reassured me that I wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last. So I have the same message for you - and I totally understand how you are feeling right now.

He is now a healthy 18 month old rushing round cheerfully causing his own bumps and bruises...

Thank you so much everyone. It means so much to have kind words and support.

I lifted my 3 week old DS2 in the bathroom and smacked his head on the edge of a cabinet door cue much screaming and an egg shaped lump

Then I key DS1at about 9 months kick himself against the table whilst in a booster seat strapped to a chair, he fell onto the corner of the coffee table MASSIVE bump on his head trip to A&E all fine

Honestly give yourself a break we ALL do it xxxx

This happened to me too. I felt awful but realised that to ds I am still his mummy and he still trusts me, and I am more use to him when I'm happy and fun than when I am sad and feeling guilty. It is such a shock, but try not to give yor self a hard time. You are not alone, and you are not a bad mum.

Yesterday I let the plastic thingy from the top of a blender fall on my baby. We have a tiny kitchen and he was in his chair against a cupboard. I opened the top half of the cupboard and it was wedged up against it so fell about 4 feet on to my 5 month olds head. There was a little red mark for about half an hour and it made him jump and cry. All I can think is -what if it had been a tin of beans?? I really just didn't think- trying to get tea ready etc. I still feel absolutely terrible. Needless to say it won't be happening again

Hugs NickyEds, you must have got a terrible fright. Glad your LO is ok and as you say, at least it wasn't anything heavy. Kids eh?x

You worry about them all the time x

I dropped my water bottle on DS's head when he was 5 weeks old.

Things like this happen, don't be hard on yourself

Don't beat yourself up. We have all been there - and some of us quite a few times!

She is fine and will have lots more bumps over the years.

DS1 slid down the stairs (steep ones too, that can't have a stair-gate), head first on his stomach when he was around 16 months (lay on the landing peering over the edge when I turned my back to close a door and I turned round to see him punt himself over the edge like he was on a skeleton bob).

He rolled over and round as he went and I'll never forget the sight as I ran down after him praying his head would miss the brick pillar at the bottom (it did).

I gathered him up as he sobbed, ran back upstairs with him, cuddled him and then placed him lovingly on the bed as I straightened his cot bedding to pop him in there while I tried to stop shaking and decided if we needed an ambulance.

Turned round at a scream to find him falling backwards off the bed (which he'd previously done for the first time at 10 months) and hitting his head on a wardrobe shelf on the way down.

Really not my finest morning as a mother . He was fine - just shocked after both incidents rather than injured. After cuddles and when I'd convinced myself there actually wasn't a mark on him, he had a lovely doze while I drank tea, sobbed and phoned DH at work to try and calm myself down

Plenty of bumps and bruises since - he'll be 2 next month and doesn't seem any the worse for it.

DS2 is three months so it's only a matter of time before it starts again! DS1 hasn't already sat on DS2 accidentally...twice...oh no, that hasn't happened at all....

Im glad she is ok! Seriously tho it happens. My DD is 20 months tomorrow and has had 4/5 bad falls

7ish months - launched herself forward off the sofa. I had stuck head round the door to speak to DH. Puked on me but no marks

9months - was sitting on a Eurostar seat; DH took his had off her for a second, train lurched and she slid off the seat and under the table! No marks.

11 months - fell off the changing unit and smacked her head off our wooden bed end. Hideous harry potter style dent on her forehead - neither me or DH still really know how it happened - he was standing next to her and I was in the room! Took a while but no lasting scar.

Around the same time she lobbed herself over and out of her cot in a fit of temper - I have no idea how she got away with that without any damage.

18 months - she fell / walked into her bedroom door just before we left to see the parentals - she's been walking for months and is very sturdy. Still has a tiny scar.

I had a large lump of hardcore dropped on my head as a toddler - probably should have been looked over at a&e but my Dad insisted I was fine lol (evidently I was but I do have a dent!)