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 would also add here that you should stay away from all of the parenting books. There is nothing like a bit of Gina Ford et al to make you feel wrong about everything.

It's nothing to worry about. If it could be harmful as easily as that you would be hearing about it all over the place and it would be all over the label.

Unless she’s worried about the ammonia from your urine mixing with the bleach to form a toxic gas?

OP if you can breathe you’ll be fine & the baby will be fine. The baby doesn’t breath through a hole out your vagene - it gets its oxygen through cord blood. If you’re breathing you’ll be fine & the baby will be fine.

You’re being utterly ridiculous.

just remind yourself there are lots of women who work as cleaners when pregnant, or run businesses where there some degree of chemicals involved and they go on to have healthy babies. If a chemical was harmful to your baby there would be massive warnings on the bottle but in general ordinary household chemicals won’t do you any harm unless you ingest . I can assure you even when pregnant, I was liberal with my toilet bleaching! So you will be fine. I remember the angst well and all the angst when they were born over what to use on their skin and what to feed them . And now I see what they eat as teenagers and wonder why I bothered!

Hi OP, I had health anxiety during pregnancy too (silly things like worrying if I push too hard while pooping I'd have a miscarriage).
I didn't worry about it for more than a few minutes as I'd go off and do something to distract myself rather than thinking about it.
Logical things like eating something and searching if you can eat that in pregnancy is fine, obsessing about things that you can't control/have happened however is when it becomes a problem.
Best thing to do if you have any worries is speak to your midwife as that what they are for, as long as everything is normal down there with baby movements and on the scans I wouldn't worry.
Even when babies have been exposed to things that are harmful in the womb they are surprisingly resilient, most suffer no long term effects.
Hope this helps.

It’s totally normal to worry, I hope you’re getting the mental health support you need. Please try and rationalise though, there is no way anything in that scenario anything could get to baby.

@marmite2023 I'm sorry you had to put up with that situation. Some people are vile bullies.

Just to say I totally understand your anxiety - this was exactly me this time last year. It was a pregnancy after two losses for us.

Some people don’t understand how anxious pregnancy is for some of us. Take care xx

You will be a good mother if you clean toilets with bleach more so that if you over worry about bleach down the loo. I didn 't even know it was a risk and merrily cleaned and urinated away and have 5 very healthy babies.

A litre of urine is not a lot. I once peed in a bottle when camping and it was about half a litre. So the bleach would’ve been well diluted both by OP’s pee and by the water in the toilet and therefore safe. Even if it could get through to baby which it can’t.

Don't worry, it's fine. I understand your anxiety 100 percent. You just want the baby to be safe, I understand.

Awww OP as PPs have said, baby will be fine

Though I did not have anxiety during a pregnancy 30 years ago now, I did have perinatal Depression so I get You.

I never had anxiety until I fell pregnant and then it became all consuming. FWIW CBT really helped me.

If you have any concerns about movement your maternity unit will always be happy to hear from you so perhaps give them a bell if you're still worried.

You need to talk about the levels of anxiety you have about pregnancy.

This is not a healthy level.

@bleachintoilet

Bless you OP. I've nothing more to add to other posters' comments, so just sending you a hug 🤗 instead. 🌹

I can see why you're worried, and just how much you're worried OP. It'd be wrong of me to say "I know what it's like" because we all experience things differently but I can try to empathise - and it must be bloody horrible for you 😢

If the words of a frog on the internet can be of any comfort though, I can hand on heart promise you that both you and baby a perfectly safe and fine, no harm will have come from this at all. The type and concentration of cold water bleach we have for domestic use are nothing to be toyed with, but they are perfectly safe for us all to use in our homes. Everyone knows the risks of using prawns as chewing gum whilst juggling cat poo and clattering off 60 B&H a day during pregnancy, and if bleach was dangerous like that we'd all be talking about it too. You and baby will be just grand😊

At home if I or DW put bleach down the kahzee I'll shut the seat/lid (obviously lol) and leave to bottle stood on it to act as a telltale to whoever goes in next, just in case. Maybe you could try something like that, just to give you some extra peace of mind?

Hi OP, please be reassured that your baby will be absolutely fine, the anxiety you are having must be worrying but i hope you have good support.

Also, it's lovely that other mums on here are giving positive advice, take care x

She already is.

OP, please don't hesitate to talk to whoever is helping you with the perinatal anxiety.
As a PP said, being told "everything will be fine" doesn't get to the root of why you are getting over anxious, and the problem is that as soon as you've 'resolved' one issue you move onto the next.
If you are open to CBT (it's not easy) it can really help you take control of your life so that you can enjoy being pregnant and a Mother.

Oh OP, your post brought back memories of the normal, everyday stuff that can become minefields when pregnant. Your baby will be completely fine - I did this loads of time. As other posters have said, the very brief exposure to fumes probably wouldn’t hurt a breathing baby, but your baby is snuggled inside so many protective layers they definitely won’t notice or come to any harm. Lots of luck with your pregnancy.

I do this probably weekly. I love a good bleach and always forget when I have done it. I’m 34 weeks. All perfect.

Glad you’re feeling better. I have anxiety too & find the Worry Tree exercise extremely helpful x

OP I spent my entire pregnancy like this, it’s so stressful. You and baby will be ok, lots of love xx

I actually experienced this exact thing in early pregnancy and sent myself down a rabbit hole of fear (also have very bad anxiety), it all turned out fine. Don't worry x

Hi OP I was terrified in my first trimester- panicked after eating liquorice once (which was absolutely fine) and many other things. It can be a strange, mysterious and terrifying time. I’m not a very anxious person and I don’t think your anxiety during this stage will have any bearing on you as a mother. Be nice to yourself and take all the support you need.