Feel like a terrible mum

[Pinkxmas1997]

Hi guys, I’m(27F) a first time mum to an amazing little girl (5 months)..today when getting her out of the car I have scratched the back of her head on her little bald spot. It looks red and sore and I just feel so awful about it!!! She already hates the car as it is so was already crying when I lifted her out the car seat, then I caught the back of her wee head and the crying intensified!!! so she was definitely hurt:( I know it will heal and she wont remember..but will I remember this feeling forever?

Plenty is happening, you will forget about this, accidents happen and its fine.

What did her head catch on? That looks a bit of a nasty cut rather than a bump so it may need medical advice

Ahh you poor thing, it's horrible when we accidentally boink our kids!

I fell over holding DD once and she was fine after 5 minutes whereas I cried for days thinking about it!

You're defo not a bad mum!!

@GranPepper it was just my fingernail I never hit her head on anything and I have cleaned it

@Echobelly thank you!! I hope it heals soon I feel so guilty every time I see it:(

She won't remember it at all! Babies do experience discomfort - teething, hunger, colic - without sustaining any emotional injury. A momentary sting from a little scratch won't have any impact on her whatsoever.

@LadyBaddington thanks you so much, I feel so guilty every time I see it:(

It's a little scratch babies inflict worse on themselves with their own nails.

Looks like a superficial scratch to me.

@sprigatito thank you for the reassurance 💐

I'm sure you have. My son fell over once while happily playing on a sheepskin rug and bumped himself on a cabinet and got a bruise. I'd just keep a wee eye on it because it's the head and the skin looks as if it's broken. It's very likely to be fine. Kind regards

I know it's an awful feeling. When DS1 scratched his forehead I cried buckets and felt like I had ruined him! But it's traumatic for you, not her

My son grabbed my razor when I was in the bath with him when he was tiny. His little thumb was bleeding and the guilt was unreal! He's 17 now and I still feel a pang when I remember it, his little face... There will likely be a few more incidents as she grows up but nothing that will traumatise her as much as it will you 😁 they're tough little things ❤️

It will be fine, you didn't mean to. ❤️ But I would cut your nails a little shorter just in case.

You are so right I remember being so clumsy growing up and always having a bruise somewhere😂 Awww it’s just awful to see her cry😪every time I see it I cuddle her in close and apologise ☹️ thanks for all the kind words!!! I really appreciate it..maybe I’ll stop crying soon😵‍💫😂

I have filed them all short and blunt!! I don’t want repeat of this again😅😅

Scratches always look worse on babies because they have such sensitive skin so it won’t be as bad as it looks! Please don’t worry I elbowed my son in the face this morning when I was clearing up his toys he was right behind me! It happens!

They do always look so bad!!! She has only scratched her face a couple times and they have always looked so red!! Thank you for the kind words🥰

Oh I did this, I cut my nails off and had a cry, it’s ok, accidents happen, it wasn’t intentional and it’ll heal fast.

This is exactly what I’ve done😂🥰 thank you for being so kind x

Ok OP. Breathe!

I have three children under 6 and they have all had accidents. I have bumped their heads getting them out of the car. I cut the top of both my babies fingers when I was trying to clip their nails and felt truly awful (oh the irony of cutting a 6 weeks olds nails so they don’t scratch themselves to then cut the skin on their finger!) I bundled my toddler up in so many layers to go for a walk when she tripped and fell she couldn’t get her arms infront of her quickly enough and got terribly nasty cut down her face.

these things happen. You WILL make mistakes and next time you will do something just a fraction differently.

take it from me a seasoned parent of young children - they will survive and the person it’s always hardest on is the person caring for them when the accident happened.

your daughter will not remember. It’s a shallow superficial cut and she has likely forgotten already.

you are doing great, the fact you are beating yourself up about it shows you love her and care. That’s a great parent

Hats off to you for having 3 little ones under 6 that truly is amazing. I know just by how you have replied to me so kindly that you must be a fabulous mum❤️ I know I sound like a total snowflake crying about a scratch but I just never want to hurt her..I want to be the person that makes it better when she does get hurt☹️ thank you so much x

Don't worry these things happen! Give the scratch a wash with a wet cotton ball and keep an eye on it as it heals. She'll already have forgotten and you'll get over it!

Oh OP, I feel you! The mum guilt never ends :(

I once accidentally caught LO’s finger in his Highchair when I was putting the table on. He had a little bruise there for a while. I felt guilty for so long! But we are only human, and these things happen.

You sound like a lovely, caring mum!

Things that I accidentally did to my tiny baby:

• scratched her with my engagement ring and it wouldn't stop bleeding at 5 weeks
• left her on a bed at 3 months, she rolled off and smashed her head on hard wood floor
• bashed her head on a door frame while walking around with her.
• husband knelt on her fingers during tummy time at about 2 months.

All accidents. All felt like the end of the world. Now as a toddler she smacks me in the face accidentally with plastic toys multiple times a day. She's getting her own back,