Close Call

I read a post a while back that a busy mom of two kids had written. She spoke of watching her little one in the bathtub, distractedly checking her emails on her phone, while intermittently splashing water with her baby. Present, but not present. Within seconds her baby went underwater. Seconds. And in that time the baby managed to inhale water and choked pretty badly. I don't remember the exact details, but the baby was okay. The post was written as a reflection and a reminder that things happen in an instant with these squirmy, curious little babes.

That post was one that stuck with me. Last Thursday, just like any other night, I found myself sitting next to the tub with my own little one splashing away in her baby bathtub. She sits up now on her own in the tub and has some toys she loves to play with while she's in there.

My hands were in the tub, my body was right next to her. I wasn't on my phone or busy doing other things, because you know, I had read that post. I had learned from her mistakes. But my mind was elsewhere. Thinking about packing for the weekend, work, and anything else but my baby in the tub. And in that very moment she dove for a toy, and in she went, face first under the water.

It happened in an instant and lasted for a split second before I yanked her out. She couldn't breathe from all the water she inhaled. My mind froze and all I could think to do was to slap her on the back and mentally scream, "breathe, breathe, BREATHE!!!".

I yelled for Adam and within what was about 30 seconds she began to clear her airway on her own.

It felt like an eternity.

She was fine after coughing up some water and within minutes was back to her usual self. These things happen, and with curious babies, they happen more often than we'd like. Instead of beating myself up for not being a good parent, not paying enough attention, I've chosen to use it as a learning experience. I've since asked a lot of other moms what they would do or have done. They've all listened to the story like, "oh yeah...something like that has happened to me too" and then passed on their sage advice that will hopefully stick with me the next time something frightening happens.

Until then, I'm just relieved to know that this sweet bath time face is going to keep on smiling up at me from her little pink tub.