Baby fell and cut her lip, how do I stop the bleeding?

I can imagine the panic when blood comes from your child's mouth — it scares any parent.

To stop bleeding from mouth cuts:

• Apply gentle pressure with a clean, damp gauze or soft cloth to the bleeding area. Since it's inside the mouth, steady pressure is tricky; try to hold for 5-10 minutes.
• Have her sit upright and tilt her head slightly forward — this prevents blood from going down her throat.
• Offer ice to suck (if old enough) or apply a cold compress to the outside of the lip; this reduces swelling and bleeding.

Do you need stitches: Mouth cuts usually heal without stitches because the oral lining repairs itself very quickly. But go to the emergency room if:

• Bleeding doesn't stop after 10-15 minutes of pressure
• There's a deep cut through both inner and outer lip skin
• The cut is larger than 1 cm or damages the lip edge (vermillion border)
• Your daughter has trouble speaking, eating, or drinking

If bleeding is controlled and the wound is small, you can monitor at home — mouth cuts heal in days. A gentle saltwater rinse helps with cleanliness. If the wound shows signs of infection (increasing redness, swelling, inflammation), see a pediatrician.