8 MONTH OLD FELL DOWN THE STAIRS!!! TOP TO BOTTOM!!

[whatamess100]

I feel fucking horrendous, 8m ds, just stared crawling, just got a gate and not put it up yet, went to the loo with him,took my eye off the ball for 30 seconds because older ds (8) was sat with him, next min he fell down the stairs, i chased him down but i just wasnt quick enough, he cryed but nothing like i was expecting, ive seen worse when hes fell back on his bum when he trys to pull himself up. he has a lump on the side of his head but its only small. i feel fucking awful, im such a shit mother, im tired and i fucked up. He's alert, chatting,babbling and blowing raspberries.

Do i take him the drs or A and e? Or just monitor.

Im still shaking,please be kind i know im shit.

Don't beat yourself to a pulp. They are wee buggers when they get crawling, Jensen Button in a baby gro.
I would take him to A&E just to be on the safe side. He's probably fine but just for reassurance x

What surface did he fall onto?

@Paulettamcgee Honestly, the part I underestimated in becoming a parent is the lifelong worry!

My god, I feel this. Starts as soon as you know you're pregnant, and just never stops.

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone here. Your baby fell down the stairs and sustained a head injury, but you've done nothing about it other than ask MN. Get your husband home NOW to sort out the other child(ren) and you get that poor baby to the hospital. The hospital are going to ask you what time the baby got injured at. It will look terrible that you've left it all day to have him looked at.

She went hours ago!

For a head bump you need to get medical attention I would say

That was still hours after it happened.

My adopted daughter age 2 fell head first too to bottom with no carpets, they were getting replaced that afternoon. I was standing right beside her and couldn't catch her. She was officially still in foster placement with us waiting on adoption so we had to phone social workers too and take her to a&e.
I was literally shitting my pants with fear.
She was fine. Got a lecture from social workers. Two weeks later she tripped coming out the car put her teeth through her top lip .like right through. Another trip to hospital and call to SWD. Got a visit from them this time out the blue to check on her.
Then the icing on the cake. Two weeks later. She fell in the duck pond while out for a walk she was a wee bit in front and literally just did a right turn and into the water. She was covered in slime and crap. Actually pulled her up with a lily pad on her head.
I couldn't face the social workers that time and I have to say I hid that one. We had to take her clothes off at the pond she was stinking and slimy and then walk 15 mins back to the car with my hubbys T-shirt wrapped round her. So he was topless and she was almost naked. The looks we got!!!
She's now 12 and is the most accident prone child I have ever met!! U name it she's done it!

OP:- Don't beat yourself up! It's done now and u will make yourself feel worse without anyone else doing it for you. If you were a shit mum u wouldn't be beating urself up, u would be not bothering. U are giving urself a hard time without anyone else.
I pro would take her to the hospital just for a check up purely for her age but as a nurse believe me they have seen it all before, do not worry. Better safe than sorry.

Hope your little one is ok! These things happen, in a blink of an eye. It doesn’t make you a bad mum.
We (almost) most mums have been through bumps and scrapes!

Mine just turned 2 and she has fallen down the stairs twice. Once was of her own accord when she outran her dad, the second was only a few weeks ago when I fell while holding her. She was absolutely fine - not a mark on her - both times. Both times A&E were happy to see her and treated it as a major trauma until they knew otherwise. I felt like I'd been hit by car the most recent time and had to call an ambulance but she was totally unfazed playing with teddies while I was strapped to a board in resus 🤦🏼‍♀️ I got all my damage from protecting her and being tense when I hit the floor unlike babies who go floppy! Yours is more than likely totally fine but do get him checked just in case.

I would feel the same as you. However it was an accident. Please don’t blame yourself. We mums have so many things to do and multitask frantically constantly.
You are shocked and panicking.
Id go to A & E as pp have suggested. Just for peace of mind. Otherwise you are going to make yourself feel ill worrying. I’m sure everything is fine.
I think an 8 year old sibling is fine to watch a younger sibling in certain circumstances for a couple of minutes but I wouldnt leave them in charge at the top of the stairs again or where there are other potential dangers once a baby is mobile. They aren’t mature enough and won’t preempt danger like a we would.
I am a lone parent and used to put DS in the play pen whilst I nipped upstairs for a wee or went to make a brew. Before he could roll etc I would leave him on his play mat and ask a sibling to keep an eye on him. Once he become mobile it was too risky as they move so quickly.

I'm a Dr. Sorry to hear, A&e now pls if not already, that's a huge fall even if an adult, far bigger as a tiny baby. I'd be considering a safe guarding referral for anyone that didn't, hope they're ok

Hi op.

Not to be unkind as you've had a fright but the advice is usually call 999 or a and e job if someone has fallen downstairs top to bottom.
I'm sure your ds is fine but as he has also sustained a bump to the head and you didn't see him fall, really he needed to be taken straight to a and e not waiting at home.
If he had only bumped his head and not fallen downstairs it's a monitoring situation at home, but in this case it's the falling from height down the stairs that makes it an a and e situation as you don't know how hard the impact was.
Hope everything is ok.

I can't read this thread anymore.

Op obviously every single sensible person would call taxi, forget the school run and take all of the kids to the A&E straight away?

Why was the school run and waiting for your partner that important?

It sounds like a frightening experience I hope your little one is OK. Id' take the advice to go to A & E. I'ts better that they made a lot of noise than that they were quiet, from my experience.
You will grow in confidence and be less flustered as you get used to each new stage.
The first time I bathed my first born I didn't realise how slippery and wriggly they'd be and they shot out of my grasp, bomped their little head as they shot under the water. I was in a total panic and rushed to GP but they were absolutely fine. We were due to leave for 6 hour drive to a wedding and my worry that DC might suddenly take ill on the journey. GP roundly told me off for being concerned about a wedding, but I couldn't articulate properly it was the journey I was worried about in case they'd swallowed water (hadn't) as I was so flustered.

If it had happened when they were a little bit older I would have realised that they were absolutely fine. But I think it's always better to get them checked if you are worried.

You see them every day so you quickly learn the speed at which they are capable of doing things and how to protect them.
I think that this might be one of the main reasons why some are reluctant to let relatives take them overnight too soon, they are just not used to how quickly very small children can get into things and forget how early they can roll off the bed. You know these things as you see them everyday.
Hope everything is OK x

DS1 rolled off the bed (my fault) and DS2 fell off a caravan bench and banged the back of his head (DH’s fault). Accidents happen - but get him to A&E. In both cases the Dr emphasised that they should be there.

Ah these things happen. Let us know how you get on x

Yes, I agree with this - very much my fear. PIL wondering why car seats were needed for short journeys or passing cups of tea over baby’s head. I think I realised quickly that being an experienced parent does not necessarily mean being a safe carer for babies and toddlers.

DD2 must have been a tiny bit older as she could talk, but gleefully told nursery how she “rolled all the way down the stairs like a sausage”…. I was going to tell them just in case she reported a headache or anything, but she got there first.

No damage done at all, she didn’t even have a bruise on her, but that was all the way from the top to the bottom because she was meant to be carefully walking down them but got it wrong.

Obviously keep an eye on him, but don’t beat yourself up about it! It won’t be the last accident he has.

It wasn't a bump, the baby fell down a flight of stairs, top to bottom.

Don't forget 'posting online'.

Is it just me thinking that most children have fallen down the stairs top to bottom before, and that the vast majority of parents don't take them to A and E? I mean....my kid did this at 10 months and I called 111. They eventually advised urgent care (not A&E though!) I thought I was being a prudent first time mum taking her!

Come on, probably most kids have had an accident - but I've always taken to a and e straight away.

Hi @whatamess100 Please come back after your visit to A&E and let us know how both you and your little one are.

I am expecting your LO to be fine, and for you to be the who needs some TLC, so I hope when you get back your DP encourages you to relax in whatever your favourite way is, and he takes over all of the parenting and partnering "duties" for the rest of the day! 🌺

I would like to think they will spend the time installing the stair gate and baby proofing the house rather than slobbing about tbh.