DH left bleach down toilet.. so scared

[bleachintoilet]

I know there was a similar post recently but can’t find it to read the comments for reassurance. DH put bleach down the toilet and I peed on it before it got flushed. Realised as soon as I stood up, when I smelled the bleach. I’m terrified any harm could come to my baby. Please be kind, I am receiving support for perinatal anxiety but I really can’t get out my head that bleach fumes could have got up there and hurt/poisoned the baby. I am not feeling him or her moving yet so can’t rely on that for assurance. Does anybody know if it will be ok or is it harmful?

I understood. Thank you for taking the time to do this, it’s really nice of you x

your welcome, all the best.

I use bleach a lot, and continued to do so in pregnancy - regularly down the toilet (and likely not always flushed before needing to go when baby was pressing on my bladder) and in the sink etc. I have 2 healthy boys. Baby will be fine, don’t allow these intrusive thoughts to get to you - you’re protecting your baby with your body x

I’m trying to imagine any situation in which someone would pour a lifer of bleach into a toilet, and then get the Watford football team round to piss a lifer of urine (a huge amount) into the bowl with it. The mind boggles at the weird things on Mumsnet.

it was to show how much the mix would need to be before it was likely to be quite harmful

Hi OP, im sure everyone that has posted already is correct. I wanted to ask- how did you get the support, I’m in very early pregnancy and my anxiety is off the scale!

Everything will be fine OP, and I am so sorry for your loss of your previous baby. I felt the same when i was expecting my rainbow baby and suffered terribly with anxiety. I didn't let myself get excited as I was certain I wouldn't get to bring my little one home and worried about every small thing. I couldnt relax at all. My rainbow baby was born and i was lucky to bring my ds home. He is now a football, crazy, beautiful 12 year old and my world. Congratulations on your rainbow pregnancy.

Please don’t worry. I know all too well that the thoughts seem so terrifying at the time, but this is a very daft, anxiety induced fear and in a few years down the line you’ll look back on this and find it funny, I promise! However scary things seem now, it does get better in the future. Are you under the perinatal MH midwife?

seconding that your baby will be totally safe, so glad you’re getting support for your anxiety and it’s obvious you have so much love and care for your little one, they’re lucky to have you 🩷🌈

You are NOT being silly, @bleachintoilet!!!
You want to protect your baby and there’s nothing silly about that.

Once, I poured bleach and a toilet cleaning product in my toilet and left for work.
About 9 hours later I arrived home and opened the door and could barely breathe because the two products mixed together made a toxic brew of what - I don’t know.
I held my breath and ran into the loo and flushed the toilet and then opened all the windows.
And I never did that again.
Congratulations on your rainbow baby and sending love from California. ❤️

@bleachintoilet sending a big hug, the pregancy anxiety, especially after a loss, is insane.
I needed counselling a few times for intrusive thoughts, the NHS were pretty good once I'd given birth to get me in counselling within a 12 week time frame after having the baby. I'd recommend talking with someone trained, just to give you techniques to calm down your worries and stressors.

Youre really not alone though, pregancy and new mum anxiety is horrible, please be lovely to yourself x

Whilst your fear is irrational, there is context for it. Well done for being able to distinguish the irrationality.

Sometimes Mumsnet can be a harsh place. I posted here when pregnant and on our baby moon that I had got sand inside my nipple and it was irritated and we couldn’t get it out.
tried multiple showers and wipes. I was super anxious because I had been hospitalised with cellulitis of the breast a few years previously and we were on an island with limited medical care. I was so worried and didn’t know what to do. I made the mistake of saying my partner had even tried using his mouth, which (as I’m autistic) made logical sense to me because the mouth has much more sensitive and it was the only way he could feel the sand. I was hoping that women who had breast fed might have some ideas for how to get rid of the sand before infection set in, or how to treat an infection without antibiotics, or if there were any creams or salves that could help that normal treated mastitis. Instead they all just focused on the husband thing.

I ended up getting the thread deleted as everyone was horrific to me. It took lots of warm compresses to get the sand out, and guess what? I learned that from treatments for mastitis that I googled, but I shouldn’t have bothered with MN. I was looking for guidance and reassurance and just got piled on and made to feel terrible.

So I feel for you OP. When anxiety sets in and you’re a bit desperate and you have a medical history that directly feeds into it, MN can be pretty brutal.

Pregnancy messes with your head - and the heads of others.

While you and baby will be fine it may be an idea to keep the window open, if only a crack. Bathrooms can be smelly places and fresh air will cure that. Actually, it's a good idea for the rest of the house.

Take care of yourself and find ways to chill. Let your pregnancy team help you if it's difficult. And look forward to your little one arriving.

It's absolutely fine. I cleaned with bleach my whole pregnancy.

i know where you're coming from - but don't worru
i took my baby to a and e because she was lying near a years old empty dried out tube of super glue which I was sure (why? How?) she'd somehow ingested!!!!

Just wanted to offer a virtual hug OP. I have been where you are, the paranoia and anxiety are completely normal after a loss. It’s great that you’re receiving perinatal support, keep utilising that and I wish you a very gentle pregnancy. I have two rainbows who are the light of my life now but the journey to get there was unbearably hard. Be kind to yourself.

I am actively working to address it so that I can be the best mummy possible

One word of advice

Don't focus on being "the best mummy possible". You are creating a stick to beat yourself with in years to come.

What your baby needs best is their own lovely imperfect mummy, doing a good enough job. Getting it a bit wrong sometimes is part of the journey.

Irrational fears in pregnancy are really common, if you are a mum and never had weird dreams or odd anxieties you are very lucky. When they become severe you get professional help. Increasing the amount of magnesium in your diet can be beneficial. Good sources are greens, nuts, seeds, dry beans, whole grains, wheat germ, wheat and oat bran but it's also a great excuse to have some dark chocolate.

Edit to agree with the post above, You'll love your child and care for them and no-one is perfect.

OP, don't worry, it will be OK.
It is just your over worried taking control of you at the minute.

You'll laugh at this post in years to come when you're holding your happy and healthy kid.

Try and remember that the body is designed to hold and grow the baby while keeping it safe. Nothing can get in. There are some rare complications that happen hence our worry but they are so, so rare!

I had a few moments like this. I had a roast dinner and a few weeks later I called the midwife panicking that I had just learned that rare beef is a big no and I couldn't remember how cooked the beef was and had I ruined everything! It's normal!

It’ll be fine, but you definitely need some help for anxiety. It’s worth its weight in gold for you and your baby (when born).

Think about all the chemicals in a swimming pool where lots of pregnant women are swimming happily submerged in it! NHS recommends swimming during pregnancy for maintaining fitness and weight with no concern about the chemicals going up your hoo-ha and poisoning the baby. As pp's have said, baby is protected by a mucus plug and a sac of fluid.

Congratulation by the way!

I’m 31w and have been weeing on bleach almost daily as I’m the first wee of the day. I don’t even think about these things. Baby is fine. Don’t worry.

Baby will not be harmed in any way. But it’s understandable that you worry more than most. After my losses I was far more nervous with DS2 than with DS1.

I accepted a reassurance after GP checked for DS1’s heartbeat when I fell over crossing the road (twisted ankle) at 8 months. No anxiety.

With DS2 I sat on a bench while on holiday and when I stood up there was a red stain on the back of my dress in the bum area. DH got me back to the hotel room and although there was no blood, I kept checking and checking, convinced that there must be. Took ages for DH to calm me down even after he’d gone back to the bench and realised it was someone’s spilled fruit compote that had stained my dress.

You and your baby will be absoloutey fine try not to worry, easier said than done. I weed over bleach a few times when pregnant after 3 losses, both my children are very healthy albeit a little bit nuts but aren't they all haha. Hope you get some support too xx