Hearing your baby cry out in pain after accidentally knocking into something or bumping their head is one of the worst feelings in the world. No parent wants to see their little one cry, and it’s always a little distressing wondering whether they could have really hurt themselves in the process.

However, when it comes to injuries like bruises, it’s important to remember that this is a very common occurrence for a baby as soon as they are able to walk around freely. After all, once your little one gets going with crawling and walking, they’ll be excited to explore and roam. The odd bump or bruise is inevitable.

However, even though bruises can happen to babies regularly, it’s best to educate yourself on the topic. This way, you’ll know how you can treat them, when you should call the doctor, and when they might indicate something a little more serious.

To start with, let’s talk about what causes bruises.

What causes bruises?

Bruises are a result of your baby knocking or bumping their skin, which causes tiny blood vessels to break and leak blood. The bruise appears when the blood seeps into the tissues under the skin. You’ll soon find that the bruise will fade to yellow and then disappear completely. You’re most likely to find bruises on your baby’s shins, knees and on their head.

Now that we know what causes your baby’s bruises, let’s talk about how you can easily treat them at home.

How can I treat my baby’s bruise?

Use a cold compress to cool the bruise. You can make a compress by soaking a cloth or flannel in cold water. Alternatively, you could wrap an ice pack in a towel.

Keep the pack pressed against the bruise for 10 minutes. This will give the compress enough time to work. However, we know it can be difficult to keep your baby still and calm for this long, so perhaps try to combine this with a calm activity such as cuddling or reading.

Apply a compress several times a day during the initial 24 hours after the bruise.

Consider applying arnica gel or cream. Arnica cream or gel has anti-inflammatory properties and, therefore, can be helpful in reducing bruising. However, it’s important to always follow the instructions on the packet.

Give your baby infant paracetamol or infant ibuprofen. This will help with any pain they are in.

Having discussed these simple, effective ways to deal with your baby’s bruise at home, we thought it would be helpful to talk about the situations in which calling a doctor would be necessary.

When should I call the doctor?

Your baby appears to be dazed or upset for over 24 hours.

The bruise your baby has isn’t disappearing after 2 weeks.

You should also consider how your baby got that bruise. For instance, if they endured an accident like falling down the stairs, then you should always call the doctor.

Finally, we know it can be frightening to consider the possibility that your baby’s bruise could indicate a more serious problem. However, it’s best to know how to recognise these scenarios if and when they happen.

How will I know when bruising indicates a serious problem?

If your baby has banged their head hard and a bruise develops behind their ear. This could indicate a fractured skull.

Otherwise, it’s also important to note that you should always seek help and advice if you are worried about your baby's bruises, and how they acquired them. The NSPCC is always available to contact on 0808 800 5000. Alternatively, you can always contact your country’s child protection agencies.

What should I do if my baby bruises themselves?

Unii looks at how to treat a baby’s bruises.