Mumsnet Talk

Shop is approx 200-300 yards from my house. I have to cross a road and that's it.

Baby is 4m, asleep in cot, not under a blanket so no suffocation risk....

Shop know I have a baby, am scared they'll judge me as bad mum!

NO. Put baby in pram. Do NOT leave a 4mo baby alone in the house. At all. PLEASE.

can you see the house from the shop? I might if it was urgent. My garden is longer than 300yds and I have mowed it with the baby asleep in the house, so I guess it's not a big deal.

lift baby put baby in pram cover with blankie there done in seconds dont leave your baby at home even if it is for a few minutes ,

you might as well just wait til they wake up and carry them over there with you though, really. any trip out is exciting for a 4 month old

Ok last time I went I timed myself as 3minutes. But I won't go. Just DP back late after shop closed. He's sleeping so I don't want to wake him to stuff him into a pram suit.

Sorry but YABU. My garden is pretty much that length (not a stealth boast, we rent and live in the sticks) and I wouldn't do that.

Its just too far, and in that space, there are too many obstacles and risks in my opinion.

I don't think you are a bad mum, but in my opinion YABU.

No. I would take baby with me. Too much can happen in even a short amount of time, it is just not worth it.

Yes, shop is practically opposite my house (house hidden by big hedge and trees)

Ooh Hippo that wasn't a dig at you either. I just wasn't comfortable doing it, our shite baby monitor cut out half way up the lawn

It is tempting to just run isnt it when will the baby wake probably before the shop shuts, It isnt worth it imo ,

What if you got hit by a car on your way over? Or a fire started in your house?

YABU. it's just not worth it. I know the chances are slim, but what if something happened to delay you?

Not worth the risk IMO

I won't do it

I wouldn't but at 4mo DS rarely slept for more than 20mins at a go. Could you not go when baby wakes up?

You wouldn't be a bad mum, but you would be making a bad parenting choice.

Your DS doesn't have a choice.

I should point out that I have never done this nor will I but if you think about it, what are the chances of things going wrong. Given that most accidents happen in the home, the chances of the mother coming to harm and so not being able to reach her baby in the event of a fire/house collapsing etc (which are also quite rare events in themselves) are actually LESS if she goes to the shop than if she stayed at home. And she's no more likely to notice the baby is in distress if she's in the kitchen with the washing machine on/vacuuming the living room while the baby is asleep in the other room, etc than if she was in the shop.

I'm like everyone else in that I've internalised the message that thou must never go out and leave baby unattended, but I do find myself wondering what we expect to happen.

Obviously the risks are multiplied the further away you go, but the local shop?

what if .. what if .. what if... none of the 100's of what if's we could all ask are likley to happen

but what if one of them did .. could you ever live with yourself if harm befell your baby ... no of course you couldnt ..

what do you need, do you have a helpfukl neighbour/friend

I would, so flame me.

I had a nightmare last night that I'd gone out while my toddler was napping. I jumped into it at the point that I was desperately trying to get back and things kept happening to stop me. So, no, I wouldn't do it!

I would.

<sits next to pictish in flame proof suit>

Can you pick me up some milk?

But if you leave a 4mo alone to go to the local shop, then how far would be acceptable when they are 4yo? It's the justification that concerns me. If the OP was involved in an incident in the shop, or was a witness to an incident, and she was made to wait until the police got there - how would she explain that she HAD to leave because her 4mo baby was at home alone? Do you think the attending Police Officer would just ignore it, or do you think that they would be calling Social Services?

You can NEVER tell what is going to happen, and IMO, leaving a 4mo baby alone at home is JUST NOT WORTH IT. I don't think it is that hard to lift a sleeping baby and put them into the pram. What is so essential that it cannot be left until tomorrow anyway? If it IS essential, then you either need to plan better and go BEFORE your baby is asleep, put the baby in the pram and take them with you OR go without. Those are the three options.

If a Lone Parent even thought of doing this, then SS would be in there like a shot. It should be no different just because someone is unable to work out the correct thing to do when their partner is late back from work.

Oh, and OP - just because there are no blankets in the cot, doesn't mean that there is no suffocation risk.

I rang my neighbour first but they're out.

YABU - but I understand why you want too. Are they are nice, small, friendly place? could you phone them, explain the situation and ask if someone will pop over to you?

But Hunty, a 4 mo is immobile & unable to destroy the house/themselves in the process. Big difference.