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Worried after dropping 5 week old baby

30 replies

NewDad78 · 17/12/2007 11:58

I feel terrible today as this morning was carrying our 5 week old back upstairs to mum for a feed in her moses basket when one of the handles slipped and Sophie slipped out and ended up on the wooden floor face down. I don't really know how it happened as all seemed to be in slow motion but suddenly she was on the floor. I don't think she fell very far but I just feel so bad about it. She seemed ok after going to mum for a feed but I'm worried that I've hurt her and it just makes me feel sick thinking of her on the floor. Should we get her checked out? She seems to be ok and is feeding, acting normally. I just feel like I've let her down as a dad.

OP posts:
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cece · 17/12/2007 12:00

Something similar happened to my dd and she landed on a pavement. However, you will feel better yourself if you take her to A&E to get checked out. Believe me they will rush you through with such a little one. We were in and out in less than an hour with ours, and it was 1 am on a Saturday night...

scorpio1 · 17/12/2007 12:01

just take her to A&E or ring your surgery, they will prob x-ray her head to be on the very safe side.

dont worry, im sure she is fine.

SquonkaClaus · 17/12/2007 12:02

If she is ok, feeding normally, sleeping normally and generally being herself, I really wouldn't worry too much. BUT if you are at all worried, then get her checked out just to put your mind at rest.

Babies bounce.

Honestly, they do. You are not a bad daddy and from what you say, it's not even as if you dropped her, the moses basket kind of didn't work! It's a horrible feeling, and I know you feel guilty (even though there is no need). Please try not to dwell on it.

and... can everyone who has NEVER dropped their baby please stand up?

(see, everyone's sitting down )

and congratulations on your daughter, btw.

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JingleBelgoHoHoHo · 17/12/2007 12:02

Yes I would take her to a&e to get her checked out. Try not to blame yourself - most have us have down something similar at some point!

But because she is so young, it's best to get her checked. Most likely she will be fine - they are very flexible at this age.

RudolphtheBluenosesaintdeer · 17/12/2007 12:03

Oh dear - huge hugs for you both ...

I would get her checked out just for peace of mind, she is probably fine but just so that you can rest easy i would have a doctor look her over.

Good luck ...let us know how she is xx

TinySocks · 17/12/2007 12:04

You haven't let her down at all. Accidents like these happen. You sound like an adoring concerned dad. If she seems fine and is feeding okay I wouldn't be worried, but if you want to be reassured you could take her to the doctor.
My friend's DD fell off a high bed at 3 months and she is absolutely fine.
Try not to worry or feel upset.

WigWamBam · 17/12/2007 12:05

If she's feeding and acting normally then there's no need to worry - and certainly no need to feel you've let her down.

When dd was about three months old, one of our friends asked me "Well, have you dropped her on her head yet?" and sniggered ... I was horrified, but of course now I realise that he said it precicely because almost everyone does something like that at some point.

Go easy on yourself - it's the first time, but it probably won't be the last you do something that makes your heart flip.

HarkTheHassledAngelsSing · 17/12/2007 12:05

I tipped 5 week old DS2 out of his car seat onto the pavement, and DH dropped 6 week old DS3 in the garden - don't beat yourself up about it; these things happen to a lot of people.
I think go with your instincts - if DD seems fine, alert, relaxed then don't worry but I'd second that getting her checked out for your own peace of mind might be a good idea. A&E will be quite used to clumsy parents .

orangehead · 17/12/2007 12:09

I would take her to get checked, it better to be safe than sorry but Im sure she will be fine. If it makes you feel any better I will confess mine. I was bf ds2 he was about 2 months old, with my spare hand was picking up my cup of coffee from the side of me as ds2 shoved his hand in the air and the hot coffee went all over him . He screamed and I quickly stripped his clothes off him. Fortunetly the coffee had been there a few mins so not to hot and he was fine

NewDad78 · 17/12/2007 13:46

It makes me feel so much better to have all your replies. I've been home in my lunch hour and she does seem ok. That said, getting her checked out would put both of our minds at ease.

Will let you know....

OP posts:
moljam · 17/12/2007 13:50

i hope shes ok-im sure she will be!please dont blame yourself!as everyone has said these things happen.youve not let her down at all!

ChristmasSendsMePsycho · 17/12/2007 13:59

if poss just ring the docs to get her checked. they will most likely be quicker, and if she is indeed fine, then x-rays will be un-needed (ie, making A&E useless).

when my DD3 was the exact same age she was in her pram....a very bouncy pram at that!.

I was getting DD1 and DD2 ready for school and DD3 was crying for a feed (she was having to wait tho.)

the girls went to rock her in the pram, but got rather too vigorous and ended up tipping the pram up. DD3 went flying, literally, into the hearth of the fireplace, and then lay still crying for said feed. I was horrified, girls wee screaming, and then panic!.

anyhoo.....got girls to school, fed baby to calm her down, and rang the docs who fitted her in immediately.

doc was completely reassuring. baby was fine , (altho I was less so as shock had set in and I got tearful and shaky), and the doctor explain how well babies bounce.

because babies have no expectation of hitting something and it hurting, they don't therefore tense up. it means that when they hit the floor they are so relaxed they 'bounce'. it is the tensing up that hurts most, as when we are rigid we are more likely to break.

that is not to say it is ok to drop them just makes it more likely that will will come of injury free IYGWIM.

hope she is ok, and that you calm down, and more importantly, that mummy forgives and forgets so that she doesn't slyly remind you when baby is a teenager!

moljam · 18/12/2007 14:13

how is she?
and you?

TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 18/12/2007 14:16

Hope your Dd is alright, my DD rolled out of xdps arms when she was a few weeks old, and DS was in his bouncy chair thing, not strapped in, dd tripped over, landed on it and catapulted him in the air. They were both fine.

NoChatroomAtTheInn · 18/12/2007 14:29

I think I did exactly the same with our moses basket when ds1 was tiny. He's 12 now: no signs of damage!

I'm sure that your baby will be fine. Don't feel bad.

NoChatroomAtTheInn · 18/12/2007 14:30

Reading through this thread it seems like babies are catapaulting off various surfaces the length and breadth of Britain!

SpawnChorus · 18/12/2007 14:34

FIL did exactly that to SIL on the journey home from the hospital. It explains a lot (Just kidding - she was absolutely fine). You're definitely not a bad dad for it.

SpawnChorus · 18/12/2007 14:35

NoChatRoom - lolol

(there goes another one!)

moljam · 18/12/2007 14:37

NoChatroomAtTheInn

FairyOnTopOfTheChristmasTree · 18/12/2007 14:40

A friend of mine picked up his DD in the delivery suite, for the first time, and clunked her head on the anglepoise lamp above the bed. ~It really does happen to everyone, you are not a bad dad.

But, if you are in any way worried, take her to the gp and ask them to give her a quick check up. they will be evry used to "over protectice" parents. My GP even said to me when I told her I was worried that I was wasting her time, that she'd rather parents brought their newborns in every day than sat at home and worried about them.

witchandchips · 18/12/2007 14:46

don't think i know anybody who hasn't dropped their baby or whose baby hasn't fallen off the sofa/bed around this time! Get her checked out but i am sure she will be fine.

sparklygothkat · 18/12/2007 14:47

I knocked Callum's head on the handle of his carseat when he was first came home, I forgot how light he was and just grabbed him and hit his head

yuckihatecheesestrings · 18/12/2007 14:49

My DD2 fell off the changing table when she was nine months old, we took her to A&E. It was my fault, I felt awful, they were great about it and not at all judgemental. These things happen.

Best to get her checked out just to be on the safe side.

Bouncingturtlewithtinsel · 18/12/2007 14:54

I'm pretty sure that I dropped at least one of my brothers(twins) when they were a few weeks old. They are fine!
Lots of people have dropped babies, more than would admit it I bet!

GooseyLoosey · 18/12/2007 15:04

Take her to get checked but dh fell down the stairs with ds in his arms at a similar age and ds came to no harm. Hospital had clearly seen it all before when we went.