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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pram left overnight in the garden!

282 replies

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:24

Definetly not "end of the world" stuff, but I got quite angry about this.
We have a double buggy that doesn't fit through our front door so needs to be built up outside every time we want to go out, not an issue. Monday mornings are nursery run mornings, I need to get the 7:20am bus. DW always at work. We're both females.
She was sorting jobs out last night while I got the baby settled for sleep. She came upstairs and told me she had built the pram up and just left it in the garden! We have never done that before and I don't like the idea of it. She said it wasn't going to rain so didn't see the issue. Problem is we saw a rat in the garden last week and after speaking with the neighbours turns out that 3 doors down have a rat problem.
I didn't shout at her but I did irritably tell her to go and get the pram in the house because I didn't want rats touching it and she said I was being absolutely ridiculous.
So..
YABU - Leaving the pram outside (weather approving) clearly saves time.
YANBU - Rats carry diseases and its not safe to leave it out.
And would you leave a pram outside at all regardless of the rats?

OP posts:
Heronwatcher · 30/06/2025 13:52

Pluvia · 30/06/2025 13:00

I don't need to drive but thank you, I have legs to walk and public transport is economically better surely 😊

I look forward to all your future posts about not being able to work because not able to cycle/ walk / bus to your employment and get back in time for school pick-up, not being able to take the kids to after-school events and activities and having to be reliant on others for lifts and all the other 'don't want to drive' threads we see periodically on MN.

Look this very much depends on where the OP lives. I lived in a city and not driving was not an issue at all- very middle class lifestyle with activities every night (swimming, brownies, dancing etc) which we walked to, no more than 10 minutes away. School was 2 mins away. Tube 1 min, mainline station (to city centre and beach) 15 mins. Walking was quicker than driving and much less stressful. If we ever did need to drive there were zip cars on my street. Thousands of people live very happily like this.

I have no sympathy for people who move to a tiny village with a bus route twice a week and don’t drive (and who moan about feeling isolated, not being able to work etc) but it sounds like the OP isn’t in that position from her descriptions of her house and daily life.

BrickBiscuit · 30/06/2025 13:46

pharmer · 30/06/2025 10:10

Don't your children ever go on swings, slides or other outdoor play equipmwnt , or even sit on the grass?

Edited

Probably not at three months old when their immune response to infection is not developed sufficiently to withstand animal urine (if you have a responsible, informed parent that is).

limescale · 30/06/2025 13:43

CurlewKate · 30/06/2025 13:39

Yet another thing that is perfectly normal to me that is “disgusting” to Mumsnet!

If you read OP's posts you will see that while most people do think it's entirely normal, when there is a known rat infestation a few doors down and OP has seen rats in her garden, it changes things somewhat.

CurlewKate · 30/06/2025 13:39

Yet another thing that is perfectly normal to me that is “disgusting” to Mumsnet!

Original poster
dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 13:17

Pluvia · 30/06/2025 13:08

I wish you luck with that.

Edited

Okay 🤨

OP posts:
Bbq1 · 30/06/2025 13:13

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:44

We need the laugh button back 🤣 100% accurate. I live in an old council estate/cul de sac type town.

Show quote history

@NeverDropYourMooncup
You don't need to live in a Stately Home to have a relatively secure garden and live in a safe, low crime area! I have no idea why you equate a small kitchen door and travelling on the bus with living in an area where pushchairs are randomly stolen from gardens!
Edited to say I didn't mean to quote you, Op.

CloudPop · 30/06/2025 13:11

Coffeeishot · 30/06/2025 08:33

It isn't great but its fine a wipe down of the seats and you are good to go surely ?

I don't know the size of your garden but can you get a plastic garden box to store the pram overnight it sounds a pain in the neck building it up every day.

Surely this is the answer if you have the space

Pluvia · 30/06/2025 13:08

I wish you luck with that.

Original poster
dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 13:06

@pluvia Well I've managed till now and I'm sure I'll continue to manage. Mid 30s, worked all my life, used public transport without an issue. The school is 5 minutes walk from the house. If I need to revise the none driving issue then I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, not a big deal 🤷🏻‍♀️ but I would make a terrible driver I know I would 😅 much safer if I get the bus haha.
No need for lifts, the bus stops outside my house and takes me anywhere I need to go. My work schedule doesn't interfere with school runs or activities. And my DP is hands on so no relying on other family members.

OP posts:
MaloryJones · 30/06/2025 13:06

Sorry OP but I am team your Wife

It was a kind thing for Her to do, but I suppose you can't help your feelings re the rats etc.

Bepo77 · 30/06/2025 13:04

Erm, being that your pram is, you know, a pram, is it not spending most of its time being pushed through mud/shit/weeds anyway? It's like being upset at someone parking a car outside!

I'm saying this lightheartedly but if you're worried about the soft material just stick a cover over that bit.

LingThing · 30/06/2025 13:03

100% cats and bugs take hold . We have false widows outside and wouldn’t want to risk them hiding in the frame

BoredZelda · 30/06/2025 13:01

NewGoldFox · 30/06/2025 08:31

You don’t want spiders rubbing their willies all over it.

Spider willies are the obvious issue.

Pluvia · 30/06/2025 13:00

I don't need to drive but thank you, I have legs to walk and public transport is economically better surely 😊

I look forward to all your future posts about not being able to work because not able to cycle/ walk / bus to your employment and get back in time for school pick-up, not being able to take the kids to after-school events and activities and having to be reliant on others for lifts and all the other 'don't want to drive' threads we see periodically on MN.

Stampees · 30/06/2025 13:00

I would put a clean blanket down under him and not really worry about it.

TheignT · 30/06/2025 12:51

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 09:40

It's a double pram system. Both chairs have to be removed separately before you can fold the frame.

They have and we're also going to call too.
I'm not too worried about our stuff or our health. But I didn't want to put my 3 month old baby is something the rats had potentially crawled all over.

Show quote history

Could you take the chair off and take it inside, then in the morning you just have to put the seat back on which seems simple with the buggies I know but I only know my GCs so that's two and others might be more awkward.

JudgeJ · 30/06/2025 12:46

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 30/06/2025 08:27

God our pushchair lives outside unless we have the energy to put it in the car. No big deal. What would rats want with your pushchair unless you’re leaving food in it?

I once left the buggy in Aldi for three days when my daughter was just walking and we lived across the car park, it took me a while to realise where I'd left it though! It was exactly where I'd left it, just inside the door, one of the staff said they knew someone would be back for it!
On Friday morning the house seemed nice and cool when I got up a 6am to make a coffee, then I saw that the French windows had been open all night.

DrowningInSyrup · 30/06/2025 12:42

NewGoldFox · 30/06/2025 08:31

You don’t want spiders rubbing their willies all over it.

🤣🤣🤣 spiders willies are the worst. They get everywhere!

Original poster
dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 12:39

hannahbanana93 · 30/06/2025 12:35

He is ridiculously cute 😍

Show quote history

Thank you 🥰 he knows it though, started with the pet lips and puppy dog eyes already, must be watching his brother 😅

OP posts:
ukathleticscoach · 30/06/2025 12:39

Yes I heard a deer once pushed a pram out of someone's garden once and it was never see again.

I never knew wildlife were so fascinated by prams. I really doubt all the things people are claiming on here will happen in one night

boredaf · 30/06/2025 12:36

NewGoldFox · 30/06/2025 08:31

You don’t want spiders rubbing their willies all over it.

This would be my fear to be fair.

hannahbanana93 · 30/06/2025 12:35

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 12:31

He was born 10lb 7oz and just got bigger every day 😅 this is him about 2 weeks ago with his 2yo brother haha. He's 99centile weight, height and head circumference 😅

Show quote history

He is ridiculously cute 😍

Original poster
dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 12:31

hannahbanana93 · 30/06/2025 12:22

I don't think I would want to leave my pram outside either to be honest, not because of rats but I'd be worried about it getting damp and we do have a lot of ants in our garden. But leaving it out a few times overnight when it was guaranteed not to rain? I'd probably wouldn't get worked up over it.

A 21lb 3 month old?! Say what now?!

He was born 10lb 7oz and just got bigger every day 😅 this is him about 2 weeks ago with his 2yo brother haha. He's 99centile weight, height and head circumference 😅

Pram left overnight in the garden!
Pram left overnight in the garden!
OP posts:
Sageandtime · 30/06/2025 12:30

You need to educate her about rats, @dontcomeatme

Original poster
dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 12:28

JRM17 · 30/06/2025 12:17

My main question is... Why on earth would you buy a pram that doesn't fit in ur house or at least fold up enough to fit??? There are LOADS of double options these days. But other than that had I been ur DW I'd have told you to crack on and move it urself if u were gonna piss and whinge.

It was gifted from a friend who didn't need it anymore 🤷🏻‍♀️ I said I would move it myself if she didn't want to, she wasn't annoyed at bringing it back in the house, she didn't agree with me that rats were dangerous.

OP posts: