Babies napping outside

[AKnitterofThings]

With all this talk of central heating and keeping little ones warm I wondered if parents these days still put their babies outside to nap? My baby is 30 now and he always had an outside nap, well wrapped up in his pram when he was tiny, as long as it wasn’t raining. Is this still a done thing?

My youngest 'baby' is almost six and they (and their siblings) all had outside naps when they were in the pushchair/pram. They'd inevitably fall asleep on the school run so rather than bump them up the four steps to the front door I used to park them in front of the living room window, open it so I could hear them, and then potter on with some downstairs jobs while keeping one eye on the pushchair. I would usually get time to sit down with a cup of tea too before they woke up, sofa was in front of the window so I was pretty much right next to them just with a sheet of glass between us. Even in the rain I'd leave them out there, that's what raincovers are for.

It's fairly common to do it around here, my friends with babies did it/still do it.

I did it with my DCs most days (youngest just over 1). I’d bundle them up extremely well, and would put a plastic rain/wind-cover over the stroller if it was below zero to make sure they didn’t get any wind on their cheeks. (I’m in Canada, so below zero happened quite a lot). Vaseline on their cheeks before going out if it was colder than -5. Wouldn’t leave them out in -15 or below (though it felt criminal to ruin a good nap…). I think in the UK I’d be fine leaving them out as long as they could stay dry.

I remember napping in the big Silver Cross pram in the garden, I must've been 3.5-4,those things were huge!!

My daughters first nursery had an open sided pram shed filled with an impressive collection of huge old coach built prams, all the littles had their naps out there summer and winter, they slept like logs.

This was the best part of having tiny babies, I could walk anywhere with them sleeping in the pram. So many great long walks.

My first baby was born in December. Then there were sold very small hot water bottles, we wrapped them in a nappy which you could put at the the foot of the pram well away from the baby. It was quite surprising how much warmth they created.
We lived in a 2 bedroomed terraced house, a gas miser fire in the sitting room which gave out a phenomenal ammount of heat. And two night storage heaters upstairs in the bedrooms which used cheap electricity at night, and gave out the heat during the day. Not ideal I know but worked for us in 1970.
At the moment I think investing in an electric blanket would be a good idea ,I love mine.

I did it with both of mine, plan to with dc3.

Well wrapped baby, one of those cosy toes (ugh, hate that phrase) pram sleeping bags. Pram cover on. Even in the snow, they'd sleep like that. I'd bring them into the porch if it was windy though, I'm not a monster 👿

Yes it was common practice back when I was a bairn. I remember my mum wrapping my baby sister up warm and her sleeping outside the back door in her large pram

I didn’t put mine in the back garden to nap, but I did walk them in the pram, and always had the hood down so they got sunlight and fresh air.

My DD is 10 now but she had many naps outside, even in the winter, she always slept better snuggled up outside. Would only bring her in if it was raining. I've got one photo where there's a light dusting of snow on the ground and she's in her pram with just her little face peeping out.

Do parents still do the after lunch walk? I suppose with so many mums having to work full time it’s not a done thing these days. I loved going out for a walk with my son. Ooh I’m getting all broody now😁

Well the SIDS guidelines wouldn't recommend a baby under six months left alone to nap but yes once older than this is my baby fell asleep in her pram on a walk I'd leave her in the garden and put the washing out etc then get a coffee and join her.