Accidentally spilled tea on my baby

[BigPoipleOne]

I accidentally spilled tea on my 24 week old baby yesterday evening. It was just a few drops but he was very upset and I'm worried I have done lasting harm. I took off his clothes and put some cotton wool with water on the affected area. I called the phone number 111 but it is not available where I live. I called into Boots this morning and the pharmacist didn't say much, just said "Accidents happen" and "There's not much you can do". He agreed with my suggestion of Sudocrem so I put on a bit of that. He also auggested Calpol but my baby is in fine form today and no temperature so I didnt give any Calpol. I'm trying to attach a photo of what the area looked like a few minutes after I spilled the tea, and another photo taken this morning.
I feel really awful. A midwife in the hospital where he was born told me even a slight burn to a baby's skin can have lasting damaging impact on the baby's immune system.

He will be absolutely fine. His skin is barely pink.

Who still counts in weeks when you’re up to 24!!!

You took off the clothes and cooled the area down which was the right thing to do. There is very unlikely to be any lasting damage, it hasn’t even blistered.

The same scold on a newborn might have been more serious but your baby isn’t newborn anymore.

Never drink anything hot whilst holding a child. Never ever.

This is unrealistic advice, some babies won’t be put down, some babies breastfeed for hours, some babies only contact nap.

Your baby will be absolutely fine.
This is a good warning though not to have hot drinks anywhere near a young child. Take it as a win that you know this now!

One of mine was like that. I decided that them not being burnt was more important than my coffee habit. It's not difficult.
I could still drink coffee occasionally, but just couldn't choose when 🤷 I survived.

I burnt my now 8yo in a similar fashion - I'd microwaved something for sterilising and some hot water got on his leg (horrendous reflux, he wouldn't be put down, screamed like he was being pulled apart limb from limb if I dared try to put him down.)
He's fine. You wouldn't know anything had happened.
All parents have, or will, at some point accidentally bump their kids on the car door, kids rolled off the sofa, (you get the idea) you're not a bad parent! These things happen. Please don't beat yourself up about it.

Yes, I agree with you. I just had hot drinks when they were asleep.

He’ll be fine OP. For future, you need to run cold water over the area for at least 10 minutes to stop further damage.

Putting some cold water over the area would have been more effective than cotton wool dipped in water

Damage their immune system?

Baby will be fine. You shouldn’t be drinking hot drinks when holding them so hopefully you’ve learnt that lesson. I don’t understand why you didn’t give calpol. It’s nothing to do with a fever- your baby was in pain from a burn. The chemist is suggesting calpol to help ease the pain.

This! I have one of these babies and it’s HARD. I do have my tea extra milky though and always have done which makes the drink less hot… unfortunately he does just have to cry when I’m cooking dinner because I’m so scared of oil spluttering on him when he’s in the carrier

OP - he will be fine!! He knows he is very loved

It’ll be fine. But get a couple of leakproof travel mugs! I always used those for my baby, all contact naps for 12 months…

I would suggest you go and do a paediatric first aid course, so you’re equipped with what to do when accidents happen? Burns should we run under cold running water for 10 minutes, a piece of wet cotton wool won’t do it. Also, Calpol is paracetamol. It’s a painkiller, not just an antipyrexic. If something is hurting your child then you give them pain relief.

Maybe look into a first aid course as well, as that’s not how you should treat a burn.

I spilt gravy on my daughters head at a similar age. She was fine. I may have just licked it off

I have also done this, OP. Take this as a warning. Do a baby first aid course so you are better prepared next time (first aid advice is to run tepid water over the burn for 20mins - 10mins is the old outdated rule) and buy a travel cup or similar with a lid so it doesnt happen again.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/burns-and-scalds/

It's correct advice.

It’s good advice. A hot drink isn’t that necessary.

Boots pharmacist is absolutely right about accidents happening - and they probably see quite a lot of anxious parents worried about what are in reality little things. Of course you feel awful when you make them cry (I panicked and sobbed when I drew blood accidentally while trying to cut my oldest's nails when they were a few weeks old!) but no real harm done.

This op.

You need to know what to do as it sounds like you didn't treat either the scald or the potential pain correctly I'm sorry to say.

I took a Red Cross first Aid course when I was pregnant. I am completely useless.
I just feel like I have done harm to my baby, who has been in a good mood all day. But nothing will reasurre me that I haven't done permanent harm to him, and my uselessness as a mother is becoming more apparent to me every day.

You made a mistake. People make mistakes. Just don’t do it again! Don’t spiral over this and get a grip.

Also, you caring is a good thing .. sadly there are too many parents who don’t care. So you’re morale’s, you do care. And you got through six months which is tough.

This is ridiculous OP as you haven’t done him permanent harm. I remember whacking my baby’s head getting in the car. I then went and bloody did it again.

It’s fine. Give yourself a shake and stop drinking hot drinks when holding him.