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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let 6 mo DD play with a carrier bag?

71 replies

lilmrschatty · 02/09/2010 18:11

Hi all, my first aibu so please be nice! I was wondering what other people's thoughts were on this.

My DD loves the crinkly noise plastic makes, so if I am in the same room as her, playing with her and my toddler, I have let her have a bag to play with. If I go out of the room at any point I take it away from her, and its only been for short periods, she doesn't have much of an attention span!

My DH saw this once and immediately took the bag away from her and told me never to let her do this again. I asked why, explaining that I never let her have it unsupervised. He said that she could inhale it into her lungs and suffocate. Is this true? I can't see how it is possible, I thought the only problem was if the bag got caught over the babies head, which obviously wouldn't happen if I was watching. My FIL saw her playing with it today and told her she shouldn't be playing with it as well.

So AIBU? Obviously if there is a genuine reason for her not to play with it with me watching then I don't want to put her at risk. I just can't see what could happen!

Thanks.

OP posts:
southeastastra · 02/09/2010 18:12

er just give her a newspaper to play with, yes plastic bags can suffocate best not to encourage play with it

grumpypants · 02/09/2010 18:13

So, the day she finds one in granny' s house, puts it over her head because no-one said not to...it's a really bad idea.

SixtyFootDoll · 02/09/2010 18:14

IF you let her play with it now then she will think it's ok to play with unsupervised in future and yes she could suffocaate.

I think you are being very foolish to let her imo.

frankie3 · 02/09/2010 18:14

I guess the only reason why it may be dangerous is because you are not teaching her what is fine to play with and what is not allowed. When she is a bit older and playing more unsupervised, you will have to change the rules and not let here play with the bags, which may confuse her.

laydeecornyofsilke · 02/09/2010 18:14

you can buy toys that make that crinkly noise. My ds had one.

SixtyFootDoll · 02/09/2010 18:15

You can get some baby toys that make the same crinkly noise if i rememeber

EasilyConfusedIndith · 02/09/2010 18:15

Maybe the thinking is to teach them that they are never to be played with as at some point they become mobile and can get to the bags while your back is turned.

I have always let mine play with them though Blush one of dd's fave things to do is empty the plastic bags out and out them back repeatedly.

EauRouge · 02/09/2010 18:15

There are lots of baby toys and playmats that have plastic safely sewn up inside so that they make the same crinkly noise as plastic bags, one of those would be much safer.

I don't see how she could inhale it into her lungs though Hmm

alarkaspree · 02/09/2010 18:16

Babies can suffocate on plastic if they put it over their mouth, it doesn't have to get stuck on their head. I don't think she could suffocate on it with you watching. But it's better not to get her into the habit of playing with things that are dangerous, you're storing up trouble for when she's older.

Original poster
lilmrschatty · 02/09/2010 18:16

Southeastastra - That's what DH did and she chewed it got a bit stuck in her mouth and started choking. So no more playing with paper!

Grumpy pants - I hadn't thought of that, however I don't let her put it over her head, only crinkle it with her fingers.

OP posts:
IMoveTheStars · 02/09/2010 18:17

YABU, find something else for her to play with.

lifeas3plus1 · 02/09/2010 18:17

I used to do this but only had one child and I was sat with him the whole time.

I wouldn't do it if I had a toddler to run around after too even If I was in the same room. You never know when you may have to rush out and forget about the bag.

Hence, I won't be letting dc2 play with plastic bags because with a toddler ds1 I won't be able to sit in front of them the whole time.

EasilyConfusedIndith · 02/09/2010 18:18

In a bid not to seem like a bad parent though, the bags are in the kitchen and if the dcs are in there then so am I, it is not somewhere they are allowed to play, they are either cooking with me or clinging to my legs while I attempt to sort their dinner. All they do is use them to put crap in or stuff them in and out of their shelf.

lifeas3plus1 · 02/09/2010 18:19

Oh and ds doesn't play with bags now. I keep them high up in the kitchen but now he's a toddler he has more interesting things to play with. (like the damn toilet brush, now he can reach the bathroom door handle Blush )

Original poster
lilmrschatty · 02/09/2010 18:25

Thanks all! My thinking is now that although it is not likely to lead to an accident now, it might be better to encourage safer toys now so that I don't have any problems later on.

lifeas3plus1 - I'm also constantly telling DD1 to leave the toilet brush alone! They have piles and piles of toys, yet it's the things they shouldn't have they want!

OP posts:
prozacfairy · 02/09/2010 18:32

YABU. obviously.

IMO it's a really bad idea to encourage babies to play with carrier bags. Wouldn't let mine play with newspaper either, but mainly coz she chewed things like that and would probably choke on it.

DetectivePotato · 02/09/2010 19:50

YABU. She isn't going to know the difference between playing with it now when you are there to supervise and seeing one when you are not there and playing with it, possilbe putting it over her head.

You should be teaching her that plastic bags are not toys, ever.

Really stupid thing to do IMO.

IMoveTheStars · 02/09/2010 19:56

also - my sister used to do this (she'd tie a knot in the bag and let her DD play with them) My DS is 5 months older and would get hold of them and undo the knots.

She had the nerve to get pissed off at me for taking them off the kids Hmm

I'm not being nasty btw, just ranting about my sister :)

smokinaces · 02/09/2010 19:59

Mine have played with carrier bags.In the supermarket when packing the shopping I used to knot one and give it to them in the trolley to keep them entertained for 10 minutes.

MrsLevinson · 02/09/2010 20:09

I used to give mine a sheet of greaseproof paper to play with, it kept her quiet for hours!

stealthpony · 02/09/2010 20:10

Shove it in a sock and tie the ends!

LadyintheRadiator · 02/09/2010 20:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sorrento56 · 02/09/2010 20:12

YABU and more than that taking a risk with your babies life.

Original poster
lilmrschatty · 02/09/2010 20:13

Mrs Levinson - yes I have tried the greaseproof paper too, it got very soggy and she started to bite bits off and I didn't want her to choke on them!

Stelthpony - thats a fab idea, will be using that tomorrow, thanks!

OP posts:
Morloth · 02/09/2010 20:14

YABU

Now I know why they print "This Bag is Not a Toy" on plastic bags, I always wondered who was dumb enough.