To think normal mothers wouldn't do this?

[pinkyp]

Was at a party at a play centre today with my ds - other kids were also there that wernt at the party. I found a seat, a mum I know sat next to me, there was a woman with a tiny baby sat at the opposite side to us. The woman started talking to the mum and next min got up walking off leaving the baby. The mum turned to me and said the woman had nipped out for a cig and asked her to watch her 3 week old, she didn't know her. Ten mins later the woman came back then went away for 5 more mins for a drink. Me and the other mum moved when the party had lunch and 2 times when we looked over the baby had been left on her own. The last time we saw her other boy (5) was watching the baby whilst she was having a fag.

Now I'm no perfect mum but to leave a 3 week old baby with a stranger then alone twice and again with a 5 year old watching for a cig is a bit...well shit really?

Baby was in a car seat so could of been taken with the mum, not ideal when smoking but surely better than risk being taken. Or maybe the mum could of not had 4 fags in the space of 1&1/2hrs perhaps just one? You could see the mums back through the window from where we were sat inside so not even looking.

[WorraLiberty]

The chances of any child snatcher hanging about in a play centre with staff, crowds and CCTV is more remote than me suddenly having a fling with Prince William.

Take away the fag thing (which will get you loads of YANBUs) and replace it with Mother running after toddler in soft play.

That (I imagine) will change the outlook.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

No, you are right.

But fast forward a few years to the parents who leave their DC in the car when they 'pop' into the shops.
Or drop the older one off at school.
Maybe she thought because you were all mums then she was okay to dump leave her baby and nip out for her oh-so-important fag.

But how many people would've gone catsbummsyface if she'd taken a tiny baby out to share her Lambert and Butler.?

[pinkyp]

But the fag thing is important as she left the room, walked through the seating area to the outside, not just ran after her ds in the same room.

[LondonKitty]

Yes, Worra, that's a good point.

But it is still a bit odd...

[mrsruffallo]

She gave birth 3 weks ago, I imagine she is not thinking straight. Still, everything worked out in the end didn't it?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Worra I was in Boots The Chemist in Romford (I'm sure you know it, you're from my neck of the woods IIRC) before the Liberty was ponced up, they had two main doors.

I heard the cry of a woman who'd had her baby taken as she stood at the perfume counter. They sidled up behind her and walked away.
Luckily the security were redhot and shut the doors.The abductor had walked slowly round to the other door to not draw attention.

I had no idea that a human being could make such a heartbreaking sound as this mum.


Busy,busy shop. Baby taken.

[pinkyp]

If it was just once then I'd not even bother mentioning it but 4 times seems a bit taking the piss??

Good point about cctv but imagine of it HAD happened she'd be to blame surely?

[WorraLiberty]

But the fag thing is important as she left the room, walked through the seating area to the outside, not just ran after her ds in the same room.

No it's not.

The fact she left her baby is what's important here...not her nicotine intake.

And I say that as a non smoker by the way.

[solidgoldbrass]

I used to ask mums I didn't know to mind baby DS in his buggy while I went to the loo at festivals, because I couldn't find my mates, desperately needed the loo and there was no way I could get the buggy up the steps of the Portaloo, let alone inside it. The odds are extremely good that, within the space of a few minutes, your baby will be safe with a couple of other mums around.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

And Prince Williams off bounds now.

But gappy toothed, ginger red haired, piggy eyed Prince Harry is still available.

[pinkyp]

Mrsruff - I left before her so I don't know.

[TheSockPuppet]

It wouldn't be the child snatcher element I'd be worried about as that is very unlikely, but if the baby had thrown up all over itself, choked, the 5 yr old giving it something it shouldn't have, a hyper child accidentally running into the car seat, etc, when you and your friend had left with the party.

[WorraLiberty]

70's I know it well

But that kind of proves my point.

Taking you eye off the baby to buy perfume or taking your eye off the baby to have a fag....it's still taking your eye off the baby.

The woman the OP describes could have left the baby to continually run after a lively toddler....but she sill would have trusted the other people around to mind her baby.

I just think with this sort of thread, the 'nicotine' thing changes the whole dynamic.

[pinkyp]

Worral - you misunderstood . I don't care that she smokes. What I ment was that she didn't just leave her baby to nipp after her ds in soft play or get a drink from the next room. She left her baby and then buggered off outside (several exits to the building so baby could of been taking through one of many)

[mrsruffallo]

I quite fancy Harry. Not piggy-eyed at all.

[savoycabbage]

I don't leave my dds in the car when I get petrol because I once saw a car being stolen from a forecourt. But yesterday I was going to a party at a play centre and there was a woman in the car park trying and failing to find a space. She looked so stressed out and her dd was crying and her baby was asleep so I asked her if I could do anything to help her. I saw that her dd was going to a party too as she had a present and I said that if she wanted I would take her dd in with mine. She said OK and I did. I didn't steal her as most people are not child snatchers.

She was in a difficult situation and she must have assessed the situation and made an informed decision that I wasn't a nutter.

[WorraLiberty]

And the amount of typos in that last post tells me it's time for bed

Night all

[mrsruffallo]

Well exactly savoy. This baby snatching paranoia is Britain Gorn Mad.

[pinkyp]

Up with ds2 with a high temp waiting for it to drop, desperate for bed

I can see leaving her baby with a stranger she's weighed up and judged to be trustworthy enough in the space of 5 mins is not as bad as leaving her alone.

So iabu?

[leftmysociallifeatthedoor]

Oh give her a break. She's probably knackered and stressed. Ok, yes, it wasn't ideal but it was especially risky - wouldn't a potential abductor have had to walk past her on the way out?

Fwiw I was parked in my car at the supermarket the other day, a small baby was sleeping in the car next to us, no-one around, I waited bloody ages for the parents to return before I left and didn't say anything cos I'm a wuss. That was really not on.

[leftmysociallifeatthedoor]

Wasn't especially risky.

[pinkyp]

You could leave the building out off 3 exists that I saw, the might of had more I don't know.

[leftmysociallifeatthedoor]

Ok, I see I crossposted cos I took ages to post.

Re the several exits - aren't they manned? I've never been to a soft play with more than one main enstrance / exit.

[pinkyp]

It's a soft play at a family pub, there's 2 main big eating areas and in each of there's there's an exit to outside (one to front car park one to side). There's a exit at the bar (in middle of eating areas)

[pinkyp]

I'll accept it if iabu - I thought it was a bit crap and normal ppl didn't do this...but maybe I was wrong.