Mommies make mistakes

MissusTexas

I know a lot of the FTM are expressing their totally normal fears about being responsible for these new precious people coming into their lives, so how about we S(+)TM tell some of our mistake stories?

Mistakes WILL happen and the best we can hope for is that none will have lasting effects.

When DD was about 3 months old we met up for lunch with a few other D12 bumpie friends for lunch. After lunch, we decided to drive to a park and walk the babies around in the strollers. When we arrived at the park I went to take DD out of her infant seat and realized that she was not buckled in! I started bawling right there and had bad anxiety about driving with her for a good year after that happened. The park wasn't far from the restaurant, but we still had to get on a highway and drive a couple of exits to the park. It was a horrible feeling.

I know I've made many more mistakes but that was my first huge one that has always stuck out in my mind. Mommy guilt is the worst!

jlsweets

Last summer when my son was 2 we were at an outdoor event where there were tons of little kids and 2 entertainer singers. At the end of the show all the kids are in a huge circle and all these bubbles come flying down. I had my eye on him the whole time but all of a sudden couldn't see him anymore. Immediate panic mode, it was the most horrific feeling. It was right off a major highway and I couldn't find him anywhere. It was like the world was spinning around me.
I was Screaming his name and there were just swarms of people that weren't paying any attention. Finally after about 10-15 mins but felt like eternity, I saw an old woman holding his hand in the parking lot. She said she found him wandering in the parking lot saying mommy. There were tons of cars leaving the event too I can't even think of the outcome that could have happened. I started crying when I saw him and was so upset with myself. Never did I think I would lose my own kid! After talking to some mom friends about it after the event , most admitted to loosing sight of their kids at some point so did make me feel a little better but quite a horrible feeling. It was that moment that I realized how much of my world he is and cant fathom the thought of parents that have to go through the loss of a child.

Miz_Liz

When DS was born he had a lot of gas issues and such and so I was working with the LC at the pedi's to try to find ways to help alleviate some of the gas and pains he seemed to be having. They put me on a really bland diet and one of the things I could have was apple sauce, so I assumed if I could have that, I could have apple juice too. Well, I drank it like it was going out of style since everything I had to eat was so bland, it was one of the best things going for me. Well, later when talking to her again I mentioned it and she said apple juice is one of the gassiest things, so I was actually making him worse by drinking it. I felt so horrible. I have had others I am sure, but I just remember that feeling of, "OMG, I am the one doing this to him!" and feeling like such a bad mom.

bpwife&mama

DS was about 6 months and I was changing his diaper on our bed. I literally just turned my body to grab wipes and he rolled off the bed onto the ground! Thank god it was carpeted! I sobbed for an hour while he played happily. He was/is totally fine.

MissusTexas

bpwife&mama said:

DS was about 6 months and I was changing his diaper on our bed. I literally just turned my body to grab wipes and he rolled off the bed onto the ground! Thank god it was carpeted! I sobbed for an hour while he played happily. He was/is totally fine.

This never happened to me but I swear it has happened to almost every one of my friends! Very common!

I just remembered this one: when DD was about 4/5 months old I clipped a paci clip on her onesie and it took me a good couple of minutes to figure out why she was crying so hard- I had clipped it to her NIPPLE!

cosplaymom

My 2-year-old fell down the stairs this week and hit the back of her head on the hardwood floor. Ouch! Fortunately she was ok. No fractures, nausea or blackouts. I watched her like a hawk the rest of the day and she slept with me so I could wake her every two hours to make sure she would respond. I didn't sleep at all that night and to top it off I was having horrible pelvic pain. One good thing cane out of it though: my daughter remembers falling and she is now being extra careful going down the stairs and not trying to carry anything.

MouseMama817

This is a great thread. I'm about to be a FTM and am very anxious about getting it right. Thanks for starting this!

saroos3137

We live in a tri-level house with about 6-8 steps between each level. When DS had just begun crawling, I had him down in the living room, and decided to quickly run up to the kitchen. I was gone maybe 10 seconds when I heard him fall down the stairs to the basement and start screaming. I raced down to him and he was sitting up, crying.. I called DH at work freaking out that DS might have a concussion. He works in Sports Medicine and deals with tons of concussions, and assured me that DS was probably just fine and to keep an eye on him. He was right - DS was completely fine, but I was a nervous mess for a while, and baby gates were put up right away. 

Lalala2326

I was grocery shopping with DD one time and while putting groceries in the car I used to just set her in her bucket seat without strapping her in cause she wasn't mobile enough to get out while I put the groceries in the trunk. Well, I was thinking to myself that day that I wouldn't be able to do that much longer cause she was getting stronger. Not 5 seconds after thinking that I heard a scream and looked over. My daughter had managed to wiggle herself out of her car seat onto the seat and then fell out of the car and hit her head on the pavement. Fortunately, my car was low to the ground and all she had was a tiny scrape on her forehead, but I felt like the worse mom in the world...

Ambermom043

Really with parenting mistakes, it's a matter of "when", and not "if." I think they are more than likely bound to happen at some point, and FTMs should remember that it happens to even the best of moms. So when your lil' munchkin falls off the bed or something, it IS scary, and normal to be upset with yourself, but just try not to beat yourself up too bad! I don't know a mom who hasn't had a scare at some point. Just do your best, cause that's all you can do! I think this thread will help us realize that too, so thanks for starting/sharing!

hclzmm14

When I had to switch to formula due to my supply dwindling to nothing, I really knew nothing about it. The directions on the canister said to use bottled water or to boil tap water. So, for about two whole months I was boiling water and mixing formula right into it in a pitcher. I can't remember how I realized you are not supposed to do that (it boils all the nutrients out of the formula basically) but I felt like a total failure and like I was starving my baby. Which I probably was. So note to FTMs, boil the water and let it cool first. Learn from my dumb ass please.

Wering

Oh boy. I could name a few! 

• A LC had brought it to my attention that my daughter might have a dairy intolerance when she was 3 weeks. At her 4 week appointment, the pediatrician told me, "No Way." So I had a giant ice cream cone (nursing). And she had a terrible night with crying and fussing. The next day, there was blood in her diaper and she was diagnosed with a dairy intolerance. Way to go, mom.
• When DD was little (less than 3 months), I tried to clip her fingernails. Um, yeah, I nearly clipped the top of her finger off. After that, I bit her fingernails off while she was nursing until she was nearly 18 months!
• DD was probably 4 months old when I had her on the bed - turned to grab one thing - and she fell right off head first. It happens SO fast!
• Christmas Day 2014 featured 5 stitches courtesy of her falling head first into the TV stand. Nothing we could have done would have prevented it. Well, except taking the TV stand out of the room.
  

 

EastonRhy

I have dropped my cell phone on my ds head, I woke up one night and found him laying on the floor wedged between the bed and a portable wooden closet (he never woke up or cried). When he was about 3 maybe 4 months my little sister(16) was getting ready for school and holding him and when she leaned over she didn't secure him and he did his first back flip right onto the floor, I felt like the worst mom in the world because I couldn't keep him awake but 2 hours later he was up and ready for a feeding like nothing ever happened. I think we've all been there at some point. It happens. I have a happy super smart and excited 2 year old now. I felt like the shittiest mom ever when something happened but I learned you can't always control every single little thing that happens.

Sbuxtonteaches

When my 8 year old was about 6 months, he would wiggle and wiggle when I changed his diaper. I handed him the powder to play with to keep him from rolling around. It was medicated powder because he had a rash. The next thing I knew, he had managed to open it and it was all over his face and nose. He inhaled it. He was coughing and wheezing instantly. We called an ambulance because it was medicated and poison control advised us to do so. I was a wreck. He had to spend the night. They tried to give him an IV but I cried and begged them not to because as I explained it was my fault he was here please don't hurt him (baby arms are so hard to IV). They actually listened to me which stumped every nurse that came near him. So basically -'don't give the baby anything but a toy to play with when they roll and wiggle during a diaper change. It was the worst night ever!!!

clempka23

When my 3 year old was about 7 months, I had him on my bed while I was putting some clothes away, had my back turned for 10 seconds or so and THUMP! He was on the ground screaming. After a few minutes of crying he was alright, just felt terrible.

And to add, just this morning we were building letter blocks and it came time for clean up, so I was "helping" my 3 y/o, had some blocks in my hand and went to bed down to put them in the bag when 3 of them fell out of my hand and hit him right on the head. He immediately started crying and I felt so bad! Those wooden blocks are no joke. Told him I was sorry and all was well after about 5 minutes of him sobbing.

These things happen! I like what PP has said, it's not a matter of "if" it's a matter of "when"!

abbybaby19

When my son was little, I slept on a couch holding him. I was very paranoid and anxious about him being away from me. Anyway, when he was about 6 months he flipped right out of my arms onto the floor. I only noticed that he was out of my arms because his crying woke me up. I sobbed for a long time and had to have someone else watch over him because I was so upset. He only cried for a couple minutes and was just fine, but I felt absolutely awful.

breezymeema7

I put DD2 into her high chair for lunch as usual (she was probably 12ish months old.) It had straps and buckles on the seat and then the tray snapped on to the seat. I didn't buckle her up and just snapped the tray on. I turned around to pick up DD1 and get her on her seat for lunch when I heard DD2 kick her tray. She kicked it hard enough to unsnap it. She then fell out, face first, onto the kitchen floor. It was slow motion and I watched her face bounce off the floor. I have never been so scared. I just held her as we both bawled our eyes out. Bah...I'm crying now as a write this. It was so scary and I have never felt like such a failure before. Thank the Lord that he created babies to be so bendy and durable.

bpwife&mama

Did I mention my now 3 year old broke his collar bone last year? He was coming down the basement stairs to find me in the basement and he slid down the stairs and broke it. Of course I picked him up (under his armpits, poor kid!) and checked his head and limbs. He was still sobbing when I noticed the little bone sticking up under his skin on his collar bone. I felt like such a shit bag mom

kat+1

Gave my son his second bath. Hubby was out and my mom had just left, this was not the first time I had bathed a baby so I was confident I knew how to do it on my own.
The bath and wash part went great he was all clean and smelled cute I took him out put him in a hooded baby towel that I had been given at my shower and took him off to the nursery to get diapered and dressed. In the 5 second it took me to walk to the other room babies lips were blue and he looked frozen... I started crying and roped off my shirt got a heavy blanket and sat skin to skin for an hour till hubby came home. I was a mess , hubby laughter and grab a big beach towel and wrapped our son up and took him off to get dressed.

Baby was fine but I was scared for life. I no longer have ANY baby towels in my house and our son has his own big fluffy beach towel and now his sister will have one too.

I felt like I was such a failure, how could I be trusted with this baby if I can't even keep him warm.... But he's 1 years old and he has had many more baths and he loves them, and his comfy towel!!!!!

kettlekitten

Oh... So many I wouldn't even know where to begin!

The worst for me is that I've smacked my DD a few times because I've been frustrated and lashed out. Not that I am 'anti-smacking' but I think it should be done only if a child continues to do something that can actually harm him/herself or others. I certainly don't think it should be done to alleviate MY frustration and anger (thankfully when I've done it it's been on a nappy-clad bottom and not particularly hard). I felt like SUCH a terrible human being for doing it and, thankfully, I've worked out ways of diverting any episodes of frustration to avoid doing it again. And DD still loves me - yay!

Bickey11

Ive done nothing wrong i am perfect...i have a 17 year old perfect specimen and an 8 year old perfect specimen and i've done NOTHING but parent them perfectly

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HONESTLY, i think my list of things i've done right is probably shorter than the list of things i've done "wrong"

chavemann10

With DS1, we moved when he was about 4wks old and the house we moved into didn't have a tub, so I decided to bath him with me in the shower (I was 19 and had no experience with babies). Needless to say, soapy babies are extra slippery and he slid down my body and legs straight to the tiled shower floor. I flipped out and called 911. He's now a perfectly healthy 11yr old.

My 3yr old DD has permanent bruises on her legs and face, because she is quite possibly the clumsiest child ever. If there is a wall around, she'll walk into it. But the worst one was when we moved into the new house just after her first birthday. The previous owners never put a railing up on the porch. I didn't think much of it, until she walked straight off the edge(4.5ft drop). DH had to put up a railing that night before I would allow her to go outside.

AshleyM0125

chavemann10 said:

With DS1, we moved when he was about 4wks old and the house we moved into didn't have a tub, so I decided to bath him with me in the shower (I was 19 and had no experience with babies). Needless to say, soapy babies are extra slippery and he slid down my body and legs straight to the tiled shower floor. I flipped out and called 911. He's now a perfectly healthy 11yr old. My 3yr old DD has permanent bruises on her legs and face, because she is quite possibly the clumsiest child ever. If there is a wall around, she'll walk into it. But the worst one was when we moved into the new house just after her first birthday. The previous owners never put a railing up on the porch. I didn't think much of it, until she walked straight off the edge(4.5ft drop). DH had to put up a railing that night before I would allow her to go outside.

This!!! My daughter constantly has bruised and scrapes all over her. She is 18 months and just fell off the bed (not for the first time, mind you) 2 weeks ago. The bruise on her cheek is FINALLY almost gone. Her knee was scraped up at daycare. One of her teachers was upset, saying she hadn't noticed the scrape for about 20 minutes after it happened- but she doesn't cry for stuff like that. She's fallen and been bleeding before and didn't cry, so I didn't realize she'd been hurt.

 

I love this thread- it makes me feel a WHOLE lot better knowing I'm not alone!

saroos3137

I just thought of another one. Before DH remodeled our bathroom, the shower had a shelf/ledge that reached to the edge of the tub and was just high enough for DS to reach from the bathroom floor. I kept all of my razors on this shelf, and last summer, I had him in the bathroom with me while I went pee. In that 20 seconds, he managed to reach one of my razors and cut his finger. It wasn't a bad cut, but it bled like crazy. I felt terrible.

Ambermom043

chavemann10 said:

With DS1, we moved when he was about 4wks old and the house we moved into didn't have a tub, so I decided to bath him with me in the shower (I was 19 and had no experience with babies). Needless to say, soapy babies are extra slippery and he slid down my body and legs straight to the tiled shower floor. I flipped out and called 911. He's now a perfectly healthy 11yr old.

My 3yr old DD has permanent bruises on her legs and face, because she is quite possibly the clumsiest child ever. If there is a wall around, she'll walk into it. But the worst one was when we moved into the new house just after her first birthday. The previous owners never put a railing up on the porch. I didn't think much of it, until she walked straight off the edge(4.5ft drop). DH had to put up a railing that night before I would allow her to go outside.

Awe! I can just picture your little "soapy baby" sliding to the floor! lol I know it's not funny that he got hurt, but for some reason, picturing a little slippery baby made me laugh!;P I'm glad he's fine!