Most traumatic day I've had since becoming a mom (long)

inamra

Not all of it though...I had a great time meeting up with Jaime & miss A for lunch (see TN for PIP!)

BUT, after lunch, I was running some errands and getting stuff around town before heading back to SD (where we were staying). After getting all that stuff done, I started driving back. Halfway through our trip, B started wailing his head off. I even drove with one hand behind me, holding his paci in, but still no go. I was going 70mph (his favorite speed on the car) and still no good. So I had to stop and nurse him. I pulled over to a vista point to nurse, but there were all these bees swarming the parking lot, so I didn't roll down the windows, but it was getting really warm and stuffy so I held the door open a teeny crack. After nursing, I changed him, then I put him back in the car seat and closed the door and went to get in the driver's side. The door was locked! Then, after trying all the doors, I realized that all the doors was locked and the only one that was open was the side door where I sat to nurse him and I had manually locked it when I opened and closed the door after buckling him in the car seat.

I WAS FREAKING OUT! I had my keys in the ignition, wallet and phone and 6wk old baby (!!!!) locked in the car with the windows all rolled up! AHH! My first response though was to get help so I was relatively calm but my heart was racing. I asked a family with 3 kids if I could borrow their phone. I called MH because I figured he could call AAA for me since I don't know the number since my card was in my wallet, locked in the car. MH was in a conference and didn't pick up since he didn't recognize the phone number and figured it was spam. The wife ended up calling 411, getting AAA's number, while I used the husband's phone to call 911. I started to scan the area for any rocks I could use the break the window if I needed to...

AAA ended up coming 5 min before the fire dept, and they were fast. AAA got there in ~15min but honestly, those 15 min were the longest 15 min ever! After calling for help and when we were waiting, I broke down and started sobbing! I couldn't help feeling like the worst mom in the world! And it didn't help when I looked in the window and B was wailing his head off (but I could only see it, not hear him cry at all, which freaked me out more at how soundproof the car was)! I felt SO BAD! but after a while, he sat there calmly, just looking out the window (probably wondering why mommy is standing outside crying her eyes out) *sigh*, I'm just glad it's all over now and he was okay...

mrspresley

OMG i would have been freaking out too!! but you are not the worst mom ever, you got help as quickly as you could and you even had the foresight to look around for a rock to break the window to get in if need be.  i know it must have been soooo scary (in dallas with triple digit heat we would never be able to wait 15 min for help to come in a car w/closed windows) but you did everything right once you realized what was wrong!

redshoegirl

OMG how scary! I'd have been freaking out too - but I agree with Jaime, you are NOT the worst mama ever! It was an accident and you got help as fast as you could. (((big hugs)))

sanae78

OMG, how scary! You are so not a bad mom - it could totally happen to anyone. So glad everything turned out ok.

mrs.winter

OMG!  Huge hugs to you! I can not imagine and that is one of my fears.  Our car locks are really weird so I've started to keep one door open at all times. 

You are NOT a bad mother at all!  You did what you needed to do. 

I bet you were freaked out. 

SirenSong

Oh you poor darlin! You must have been going out of your mind.

If this experience makes you the worst mom ever, than I have news for you; most moms will be sharing that title with you because this kind of thing can (and often does) happen to ALL OF US! So, that kinda cancels out the 'worst mom ever' tag.

*Hugs* to you, you did the absolute best you could in that situation and you made it ok again, by seeking help. You did good, mama!

 

lola808

Oh no! I'm so sorry this happened to you. Honestly, I think about this ALL the time. My car alarm beeper thing doesn't work, so I have to manually lock and unlock the doors, and I'm always afraid I'll make the mistake... because I'm so often juggling eight billion things and/or a fussy baby. Plus the car is always an oven when we first get in and my poor little guy pours sweats like a monster in no time.

On the bright side, at least help came quickly and B is just fine. And at least you didn't have to smash open a window with a rock (and worry about the flying glass) to save your child, like happens in my imagination. I hope you feel better soon! It really could happen to anyone...

MrsNJSwimmer

OMG I would have freaked out too!  I hope you're feeling more calm today.  I am afraid of doing that same thing.  It's one of the reasons I don't want to get rid of OnStar or get a car that doesn't have it.  I'm sorry this happened to you.  But you're all ok so that's what matters!  HUGS!

eacerna

Oh my goodness. poor thing!! I would have freaked out too!!! I can understand how you would feel that way but like what other pp said, you are not a bad mother. It's an accident and nobody wanted that to happen so don't be too hard on yourself. The important thing is you and LO are safe.

vanilla15

oh hon, that is no doubt traumatic, but you were quick on your feet and that is all that matters.  Baby B is just fine & that is such an easy mistake to make.  Before this car, I was notorious for locking my keys in the car.  Now my Honda won't let you lock your keys in.  The remote won't work when keys are in the ignition & you can't manually lock it except from outside with the key.  I tell you Pop-a-Lock took a hit when I got this car!

Sorry you had a stressful day, but very glad to hear everything worked out.

inamra

lola808:

On the bright side, at least help came quickly and B is just fine. And at least you didn't have to smash open a window with a rock (and worry about the flying glass) to save your child, like happens in my imagination. I hope you feel better soon! It really could happen to anyone...

Yes! I was totally thinking "CRAP! Which window should I break??" the whole time too.

I think I'm a bit more calm about it today, although the horrible feeling I got watching my baby cry through the window and not being able to get to him is still replaying in my head =( Thanks everyone for your words of comfort! I think mrs.winter's idea of leaving a door open at all times is good. It was just that there were so many bees around, otherwise, I would've opened the window already since it was warm.

Since yesterday, I kept on thinking of ways to prevent this from happening again. I could always just make sure my keys are with/on me, keeping a door open whenever possible, memorizing AAA's number?

You know what car companies should make? A bracelet and/or anklet for babies/kids that will unlock the car door if the car is not on OR left in park for 5 minutes and it detects that the bracelet/anklet is inside and that the windows are all shut. I don't know, maybe there's a flaw with that idea that I'm not thinking of now, but all I can think of is how to prevent my LO from being in this situation again...

SanHawaii08

OMG!  i too, would have been *completely* traumatized.  you did all the right things though, and thank *goodness* B is safe and no harm done!  good for you for keeping it all together until help was on the way.  you did great.  this is definitely one of my big fears, since i did lock my keys in the car (in the trunk actually!) once in high school, and my aunt did while we were on vacation once.  we were in yellowstone, no locksmith around for hours, and my uncle ended up breaking the window with an ax - it took him (a fairly strong, over 6' tall man) 3 swings!  so yeah...i'm so glad AAA was able to get the door open for you!  and calling 911 was smart too

SanHawaii08

inamra:

Since yesterday, I kept on thinking of ways to prevent this from happening again. I could always just make sure my keys are with/on me, keeping a door open whenever possible, memorizing AAA's number?

since locking my keys in the trunk in high school, i am careful to *always* have my keys on me when i get out of the car, and to not put them down!  ...except for when i get gas, i just realized - then i leave them in the car.  hrm...

myday1708

Scary! Glad everything worked out! Hugs.

HulaLove

That's really scary!  I'm glad it all worked out.

I always put my keys in the cup holder in the backseat door when I'm getting E out.  I'm going to start leaving them in my diaper bag outside the car.