# could I have bruised my baby's feet in Close Parent babysling...? :( :(



## maybethisit

Can anyone help, I am trying not to freak out but have just found bruising on the soles and inner sides of my beautiful baby's feet - she has not been out of my sight and I cannot think how this has happened unless it is either from her kicking her feet in her car seat (maxi cosi Pebble - I've just got in a couple of hours ago from a 3 hour journey with her and she did have a bit of a strop for a minute when first put back into it after a journey break) or from me using the babysling, which I have only started using this weekend. 

She usually cries when I put her in the sling, but then stops straight away and either looks peacefully around her or falls asleep almost instantly, so I thought she must be comfortable. I am using it in a newborn position with her feet and legs supported inside the wrap in what my friend who showed me how to use it described as a 'froggy' position. 

She has no bruises anywhere else and seems fine, alert and relaxed and happy, so I don't think there can be anything wrong with her. I tried googling and all I found were other people with weird foot bruises on their babies and no answers, horrific stories of child abuse or parents being suspected of it, or horrific stories of babies with leukemia, so you can imagine how reassured I now feel. Trying to fight the hysteria with the fact that I am a good parent with a happy healthy-looking, well-fed baby who is fast asleep at this moment snuggled into my shoulder...

PLEASE can anyone shed any light of experience on this, either from baby wraps or from anything else...I feel absolutely awful and afraid that someone will think she has been deliberately harmed, but I can catergorically say that that is impossible as literally nobody has been near her in between me changing her nappy on the journey break, when her feet looked normal, and me changing it again at home and seeing these marks.


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## RaspberryK

Don't panic but I would certainly call your GP. I have no idea if the sling could cause bruising or the kicking but I think it's unlikely?

x


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## Tryingfora4th

Were her feet anywhere near the rings? maybe if you had them tucked in they were against the rings?
I have a close carrier too and it doesnt say on the dvd anything about tucking their feet in or a froggy position.
There's an instucional video on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-0eCD0zEp4

How are her feet looking this morning?
x


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## maybethisit

Tryingfora4th said:


> Were her feet anywhere near the rings? maybe if you had them tucked in they were against the rings?
> I have a close carrier too and it doesnt say on the dvd anything about tucking their feet in or a froggy position.
> There's an instucional video on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-0eCD0zEp4
> 
> How are her feet looking this morning?
> x

Thanks, I don't think they were near the rings - it's a way of holding her in that sort of foetal position newborns like to adopt when they sleep on your chest with their legs tucked up - so her little legs are tucked up with feet together-ish at the bottom of a pouch made by the inner strap, outer strap wrapped around, and she's held upright against my chest in more or less the same position she likes to sleep on me in ordinarily. I got worried when I read your post so I checked the close website and you're right, they don't mention this position, but my friend is a bit of a baby wearing expert who has a home made moby- wrap type sling, very similar to a Close carrier, and when I looked on the Moby website it shows this hold, called the Newborn Hug Hold, so I think it must be ok. I just wonder if maybe I did it a bit wrong and her weight was too much on her feet, cos she was in the sling quite a long time yesterday and when she woke up she did really cry, so I took her out quickly. I wish I knew the answer cos it is a bit nightmarish to see :(


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## Tryingfora4th

I just looked up that hold, it does kinda look like their wee feet might accidentally get squashed but I dont know as I've never tried that way and my baby is too big now to try it, plus she doesnt even like being in the carrier so I've only used it twice so totally not qualified to comment really!

How do her feet look today tho?


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## maybethisit

Tryingfora4th said:


> I just looked up that hold, it does kinda look like their wee feet might accidentally get squashed but I dont know as I've never tried that way and my baby is too big now to try it, plus she doesnt even like being in the carrier so I've only used it twice so totally not qualified to comment really!
> 
> How do her feet look today tho?

Just the same as last night :( I've checked her over carefully again and there's nothing else and they don't look any worse so I don't think it's anything awful like leukemia (not that I'm catastrophising or anything...) - I just feel so horrible seeing them there, I don't want anyone to see them :( Trying to keep rational and sensible about it but I just wish I knew how it had happened...


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## Tryingfora4th

You'll probably never find out how it happened, but if you're really worried give your HV a ring but try not to worry too much about it, these things happen, you'll soon see that over the next 5-10-15 years :winkwink:

:hug:


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## maybethisit

Tryingfora4th said:


> You'll probably never find out how it happened, but if you're really worried give your HV a ring but try not to worry too much about it, these things happen, you'll soon see that over the next 5-10-15 years :winkwink:
> 
> :hug:

thanks x I've thought about ringing the HV but to be honest I am a bit afraid she might think it's child abuse :( that's probably stupid but you know, unexplained bruising on a baby, I know what I would be thinking... :(


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## Tryingfora4th

I dont think your HV would think that at all. xx


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## maybethisit

Tryingfora4th said:


> I dont think your HV would think that at all. xx

You're probably right, I'm probably over reacting and being a bit paranoid because it just seems so awful to have this on a 6 week old :( I think I might just call her, she might be able to put my mind at rest, she's been a HV for a long time so must have come across all kinds of weird things and might just say 'oh yeah, that happens'


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## maybethisit

ps thanks for the support. I really don't want to be put off using the sling also as we are trying to practice attachment parenting and she seems to love being in it by and large (presumably when i'm not hurting her feet...) xx


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## Tryingfora4th

An odd bruise here or there wouldnt make someone automatically think child abuse, there are so many other factors involved.

Give her a ring, thats what she is there for :)

xx


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## Tryingfora4th

She's probably big enough to let her feet out in the carrier now, or you could try the cradle carry in it.
I wish my LO liked it in hers!

xx


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## maybethisit

Trouble is I only know how to do this hold! I found the instructions really hard to follow...Am trying now to phone HV for advice having got a grip on myself and not being so silly but NOW I can't find the little red book for her phone number! I always keep it in the changing bag but must have taken it out to make room for her clothes for the weekend trip. Of course, the mother who doesn't know how her 6 week old got bruised WOULD lose the little red book... :(


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## aliss

Aw hun give yourself a break. I dropped my 8 week old right on his head and the nurses laughed at me, saying everyone does it at one point or another. Yours is just a little bruise :) 

Oh, and the time I dropped him on the carpet doing the back carry :rofl: Poor thing probably has brain damage.

But anyways, please don't feel bad - these things happen. You may want to try legs out early on, my boy never cared much for froggy.


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## maybethisit

aliss said:


> Aw hun give yourself a break. I dropped my 8 week old right on his head and the nurses laughed at me, saying everyone does it at one point or another. Yours is just a little bruise :)
> 
> Oh, and the time I dropped him on the carpet doing the back carry :rofl: Poor thing probably has brain damage.
> 
> But anyways, please don't feel bad - these things happen. You may want to try legs out early on, my boy never cared much for froggy.

Thanks! :) I feel a bit better now, I took her to the GP as a bit freaked that there might be actually something wrong with her - he told me to come straight in to the surgery which scared me even more so I was worrying about leukemia by the time we got there, but he doesn't seem too worried, just said keep an eye on it and take her back Friday and that he's not even sure it actually is bruising (not quite sure what else it could be). I think the worst thing was that I had no idea how it had happened - if I'd dropped her at least I'd know why!! 

She seems to love being in the froggy position (and is so adorably cute like that) but I don't know if I dare use it again - think I might go back to my babywearing guru friend and get her to teach me how to do the legs-out hold (I have a mental block about the instructions) xx


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## deafgal

get a baby bjorn (or other carrier) it should be easy to use. and you can tell if her bruising is caused by the sling if it improves.


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## Adela Quested

x


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## New2Bumps

Here's my two pence worth! I don't think the froggy hold is appropriate for close baby carriers. Although similar to the Moby type wrap the weight isn't distributed as evenly and instead is concentrated on the square where the 2 parts of fabric meet. If your LOs feet were there then there would be quite a bit of pressure. Not enough to hurt her and I doubt enough to bruise but maybe she would get pins and needles or numb toes and that's why she cried when you took her out. She is only little still so I guess has sensitive feet that would easily bruise but even if it has bruised her slightly it's nothing major - it won't be hurting her now and won't last. I'd just put it down to experience and maybe try and get a Moby type wrap. If you Google 'Victoria Sling Lady' - she makes Moby style wraps which have had great reviews and are about 1/3 the price - about £10 to £20 I think. Then you can do the lovley froggy hold lots and move on to the others later on (and sell your close baby carrier maybe if it won't let you do the hold you want). Froggy is a lovely hold and so natural for them I can understand why you really want her in that hold, especially as she seems to love it! xxx


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## veganmum2be

dont beat yourself up about it :hugs:

i too would look at getting another sling for that carry, i also reccomend victoria the slinglady for stretchy wraps.


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## Tryingfora4th

how long can you do that position? I looks so cosy and cuddly but I'm guessing 4 months is too old for it?


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## maybethisit

Adela Quested said:


> I guess you thought of this by now but it's not dye that's come off something is it? That was the first thing I thought of.
> Hopefully it's all cleared up by now but try not to worry too much. Babies are tough little things!

Thanks - I didn't think of it but was googling and someone had suggested that to someone else, but it's definitely not dye - there are red marks as well. Her socks are all pale pinkish and the baby sling is khaki - but thanks for the thought! x


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## maybethisit

New2Bumps said:


> Here's my two pence worth! I don't think the froggy hold is appropriate for close baby carriers. Although similar to the Moby type wrap the weight isn't distributed as evenly and instead is concentrated on the square where the 2 parts of fabric meet. If your LOs feet were there then there would be quite a bit of pressure. Not enough to hurt her and I doubt enough to bruise but maybe she would get pins and needles or numb toes and that's why she cried when you took her out. She is only little still so I guess has sensitive feet that would easily bruise but even if it has bruised her slightly it's nothing major - it won't be hurting her now and won't last. I'd just put it down to experience and maybe try and get a Moby type wrap. If you Google 'Victoria Sling Lady' - she makes Moby style wraps which have had great reviews and are about 1/3 the price - about £10 to £20 I think. Then you can do the lovley froggy hold lots and move on to the others later on (and sell your close baby carrier maybe if it won't let you do the hold you want). xxx

Thanks for this - I think you might be right, I do seriously suspect that this is the most likely explanation - the bruising is really very faint with the red marks being more conspicuous and as I say the GP said he wasn't sure it was really bruising at all - I think he said it might be small broken blood vessels or something - although i kinda thought that's what bruises were! But that would make sense, and my friend who showed me has a much stretchier sling than the Close carrier, as she commented when she was showing me how to put Amelie in. I think I'll have a look at that sling site, thank you :) xx


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## patch2006uk

deafgal said:


> get a baby bjorn (or other carrier) it should be easy to use. and you can tell if her bruising is caused by the sling if it improves.

I'm sorry, but WHAT? Swap your anatomically correct close carrier for a cheap, mass produced, uncomfortable crotch dangler?? Please don't choose a baby bjorn over a sling.

As for the bruising, I would stop wrapping LO's feet into the sling. Google front cross carry and just have her feet dangling. We started with the close and it's such a good starter sling. Easy to put on and get LO into :)


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## NuKe

^wss. 

to the OP, nobody would think you are harming your lo, you are obviously besotted with her! check out bigmamaslings.co.uk as well, they have a great page explaining all the different types of sling and what they are best for. hope ur lo's feet are better today :flower:


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## lozzy21

Maybe some one has just been holding her feet a little to tightly when changing her nappy if shes been wiggling? Its easy to do since there skin is to delicate? 

We had her legs up in the froggy position untill shes was about 4 months old in a wrap but i agree i dont think thats the best carrier if you want to use that position.

My LO is 9 months old now and all-ways covered in bruises that i dont know how shes got, usually on her head :dohh:


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## NuKe

same here Loz, poppys forehead has usually got at least one bruise, and her legs too. once they start walking its all downhill!


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## maybethisit

patch2006uk said:


> deafgal said:
> 
> 
> get a baby bjorn (or other carrier) it should be easy to use. and you can tell if her bruising is caused by the sling if it improves.
> 
> I'm sorry, but WHAT? Swap your anatomically correct close carrier for a cheap, mass produced, uncomfortable crotch dangler?? Please don't choose a baby bjorn over a sling.
> 
> As for the bruising, I would stop wrapping LO's feet into the sling. Google front cross carry and just have her feet dangling. We started with the close and it's such a good starter sling. Easy to put on and get LO into :)Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice x I think what I might do is get a cheap version of soft fabric moby wrap for now from victoria sling lady so that she can still snuggle like that, then move on to the feet dangling position in the Close carrier when she grows out of it...if I can get the hang of it - we tried it at home and even with OH helping it was a bit of a disaster, the instructions I find just really hard to follow even with a video demonstration :dohh:


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## maybethisit

NuKe said:


> ^wss.
> 
> to the OP, nobody would think you are harming your lo, you are obviously besotted with her! check out bigmamaslings.co.uk as well, they have a great page explaining all the different types of sling and what they are best for. hope ur lo's feet are better today :flower:

aw thanks you just made me cry!! she is kinda the light of my life - I used to think it was really soppy when people wrote that on their signatures until I had her...

I think the marks have faded a bit today and she is still perfectly fine in herself apart from a stinky cold she has developed overnight so I think I am going to go with the sling theory as the cause. Thanks very much for the link, will check it out xx


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## maybethisit

lozzy21 said:


> Maybe some one has just been holding her feet a little to tightly when changing her nappy if shes been wiggling? Its easy to do since there skin is to delicate?
> 
> We had her legs up in the froggy position untill shes was about 4 months old in a wrap but i agree i dont think thats the best carrier if you want to use that position.
> 
> My LO is 9 months old now and all-ways covered in bruises that i dont know how shes got, usually on her head :dohh:

I wondered about that too, but as nobody except me had changed her nappy that weekend (we went away without OH to visit an old friend of mine) I don't think that was it - also the bruising is on the inside of the foot and the sole, not where you actually hold the feet when nappy changing. Good thought though! And thanks for the bruising stories, makes me feel like I'm not the only one xx

How hard is it to wrap a Moby wrap...?? The thing I really liked about the Close carrier is that it is all set up for you so that you just bung it over your head once it's adjusted to fit - my spacially-unaware brain can cope with that but I was afraid I'd never get the hang of something more complicated - is it just a long strip that you have to tie or are there any rings...or is it just that you can get used to it...? I also have visions of me tying it up too loose or with rubbish knots and the whole thing just falling off. I saw the 'born free' Moby design online though and coveted it quite a lot... :D x


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## Aunty E

patch2006uk said:


> deafgal said:
> 
> 
> get a baby bjorn (or other carrier) it should be easy to use. and you can tell if her bruising is caused by the sling if it improves.
> 
> I'm sorry, but WHAT? Swap your anatomically correct close carrier for a cheap, mass produced, uncomfortable crotch dangler?? Please don't choose a baby bjorn over a sling.
> :)Click to expand...

WOW that's rude. Seriously. Leaving aside the fact that I am still completely unconvinced by the notion that the baby Bjorn is uncomfortable and bad for babies given both of mine have loved it, along with thousands of other babies across the world, it was just a suggestion from someone trying to help the OP. Way to bite her head off.

As a matter of fact Teddy loathed being in the close carrier, absolutely howled every time I put him in it. He really likes our connecta, which is a simple buckled soft carrier if you want to look it up.


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## lozzy21

maybethisit said:


> lozzy21 said:
> 
> 
> Maybe some one has just been holding her feet a little to tightly when changing her nappy if shes been wiggling? Its easy to do since there skin is to delicate?
> 
> We had her legs up in the froggy position untill shes was about 4 months old in a wrap but i agree i dont think thats the best carrier if you want to use that position.
> 
> My LO is 9 months old now and all-ways covered in bruises that i dont know how shes got, usually on her head :dohh:
> 
> I wondered about that too, but as nobody except me had changed her nappy that weekend (we went away without OH to visit an old friend of mine) I don't think that was it - also the bruising is on the inside of the foot and the sole, not where you actually hold the feet when nappy changing. Good thought though! And thanks for the bruising stories, makes me feel like I'm not the only one xx
> 
> How hard is it to wrap a Moby wrap...?? The thing I really liked about the Close carrier is that it is all set up for you so that you just bung it over your head once it's adjusted to fit - my spacially-unaware brain can cope with that but I was afraid I'd never get the hang of something more complicated - is it just a long strip that you have to tie or are there any rings...or is it just that you can get used to it...? I also have visions of me tying it up too loose or with rubbish knots and the whole thing just falling off. I saw the 'born free' Moby design online though and coveted it quite a lot... :D xClick to expand...

Its not hard to learn at all, i had it masterd in two goes. Its just a long strip that you tie round yourself, no rings. 

You cant realy tie it too loose, you would feel baby slipping but they wouldent be able to fall and a basic double knot does just fine.


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## patch2006uk

Aunty E said:


> patch2006uk said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> deafgal said:
> 
> 
> get a baby bjorn (or other carrier) it should be easy to use. and you can tell if her bruising is caused by the sling if it improves.
> 
> I'm sorry, but WHAT? Swap your anatomically correct close carrier for a cheap, mass produced, uncomfortable crotch dangler?? Please don't choose a baby bjorn over a sling.
> :)Click to expand...
> 
> WOW that's rude. Seriously. Leaving aside the fact that I am still completely unconvinced by the notion that the baby Bjorn is uncomfortable and bad for babies given both of mine have loved it, along with thousands of other babies across the world, it was just a suggestion from someone trying to help the OP. Way to bite her head off.
> 
> As a matter of fact Teddy loathed being in the close carrier, absolutely howled every time I put him in it. He really likes our connecta, which is a simple buckled soft carrier if you want to look it up.Click to expand...

Sorry you thought it was rude. Can't please everyone :flower:

As for how hard a moby is to tie, it's certainly a learning curve. I compare it to learning how to tie shoe laces. The first few times you're all fingers and thumbs and struggle to get the tightness right, but with a bit of practice you could do it in your sleep! :)


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## maybethisit

thanks people, I had a look at the victoria sling lady site and some picture instructions for how to tie wraps and it actually doesn't look too horrendously complicated so I've ordered one (red!) from her cos they are so reasonable. Really excited now for it to come :)


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## maybethisit

just to say, the marks are hardly visible today - had our return appointment to GP this morning and he said that because there was no colour change, it couldn't be bruising - he said it could be some sort of 'vascular blush' (at least I think that's what he said), whatever that means - anyway he's written on her record that it's not bruising, which also makes me feel better, and he felt her tummy (presumably for signs of horrible diseases) and said he was happy with that - in fact he said she was a very healthy, happy little girl (this was after she threw up milk onto his hand too lol). He didn't seem to have any idea if the sling could have caused it but I reckon it's pretty clear. Thanks for all the support and advice - now should be out on errands but trying to hang on for the postman just in case my new wrap arrives!! :wacko: xxx


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## deafgal

patch2006uk said:


> deafgal said:
> 
> 
> get a baby bjorn (or other carrier) it should be easy to use. and you can tell if her bruising is caused by the sling if it improves.
> 
> I'm sorry, but WHAT? Swap your anatomically correct close carrier for a cheap, mass produced, uncomfortable crotch dangler?? Please don't choose a baby bjorn over a sling.
> 
> As for the bruising, I would stop wrapping LO's feet into the sling. Google front cross carry and just have her feet dangling. We started with the close and it's such a good starter sling. Easy to put on and get LO into :)Click to expand...

I wrote "or other carriers" so whatever is out there. If her baby bruise easily, it could be helpful. I work in a nursing home where people bruise at the slightest bump, even get wounds easily, you gotta use that cause less pressure. So I could only think of Baby bjorn at the moment as alot of people (and babies) liked it


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## New2Bumps

maybethisit said:


> just to say, the marks are hardly visible today - had our return appointment to GP this morning and he said that because there was no colour change, it couldn't be bruising - he said it could be some sort of 'vascular blush' (at least I think that's what he said), whatever that means - anyway he's written on her record that it's not bruising, which also makes me feel better, and he felt her tummy (presumably for signs of horrible diseases) and said he was happy with that - in fact he said she was a very healthy, happy little girl (this was after she threw up milk onto his hand too lol). He didn't seem to have any idea if the sling could have caused it but I reckon it's pretty clear. Thanks for all the support and advice - now should be out on errands but trying to hang on for the postman just in case my new wrap arrives!! :wacko: xxx


:happydance: brilliant news :)


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