I’m really sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds incredibly stressful, and it’s completely understandable to feel overwhelmed with guilt and anxiety after such a frightening incident. You were in a moment of panic, and it’s important to remember that accidents can happen to anyone.
Your baby was checked by doctors and is fine, which is a relief. It’s natural to worry, but they’re trained to detect injuries, and it sounds like she received the care she needed. Try to be gentle with yourself, what happened doesn’t define your ability to care for her.
It might help to talk to someone about your feelings, whether it’s a friend, family member, or a professional. You’re not alone in feeling this way; many parents go through similar experiences. Over time, with support and self-compassion, those feelings of guilt and anxiety can lessen. Your love and care for your daughter are what truly matter, and she knows that too. Take it one day at a time.
When you’re choking, it’s understandable to panic.
Keep her close; you are still her safety net in this world. She does not blame or shame you. She’s okay. She only needs her mother and some cuddling. It’ll be OK.
When my sister was a newborn, my mom fell asleep while holding her in a rocking chair, and my sister tumbled out onto the floor.
When my son was under 2 months old, I somehow forgot he was in a carrier (how does that even happen? ) and bent over to open the laundry machine door, which accidentally hit his poor little head.
My sister was cutting her 4-month-old daughter’s nails and was doing well until she accidentally snipped a bit of skin, causing her baby to bleed.
The list goes on! I think every mom I know has at least one story like this. You did nothing wrong, and your baby is healthy and safe, so there’s no reason to feel guilty!
Last week, I had my newborn on the changing table when a mosquito buzzed by her face. In my instinct to swat it away, I clumsily ended up swatting my baby instead. She immediately started crying, and I felt awful. I scooped her up and rushed outside, knowing that fresh air can help calm a newborn. Thankfully, she settled down in just a few minutes and only had a faint red mark on her face.
While we were outside, my dog dropped his ball in front of me. I went to kick it, but, of course, I accidentally kicked my dog in the face instead! Both my baby and dog are perfectly fine, but it’s clear I’m quite the klutz!
A few weeks ago, I smacked a mosquito on my two-year-old, who was astonished. She had no context for what happened, and I smacked her out of nowhere I felt awful.
I went to grab something and had my son on my lap, and I popped his ankle but didn’t break anything, but he was in pain and shock that he wouldn’t stop wailing for so long, and I felt terrible, but all he needed was to sleep and be hugged.
Yes, piggybacking. I took my kid out of her cradle yesterday and turned her to face me sitting up. Her arm got snagged when she was crushed against me, and I felt a slight pop. I gasped and moved her about to check if she was wounded. Then she started wailing. So, cue me bawling. I felt better only after she relaxed and flailed her arms.
Yup. I left my eight-month-old for 10 seconds, and he slashed three of his fingers on a fridge grate. I heard him weep. I was annoyed and hunting for anything, and I didn’t notice he was bleeding for several seconds. I’ll carry the shame with me for the rest of my life! It occurs, and it does not mean you are a bad mother. We are almost always with our children. It is not feasible to be flawless (or even decent) at all times.
My mother, when I was just a year old, accidentally pushed my hand against the minivan car door as it closed. I didn’t love her any less as a baby, and my hand is fully functional. It will be okay!