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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Sleeping Baby/Child in Car

99 replies

QueenSconetta · 06/02/2011 15:12

Before I start can I just caveat this by saying I HAVEN'T done this as was very unsure but...

What do you think about leaving child (14.5 months in this case but not really relevant) sleeping in the car:

In the driveway at home
WITH A BATTERY POWERED BABY MONITOR (that bit v important)
Wrapped up nice and warm so they won't be cold
Quiet cul-de-sac street with very little passing traffic
Very nosey neighbours across the road

while you going inside (with the other half of the monitor) rather than sitting in the car with them.

Car to house transfer not really an option as will almost certainly wake up and really need the nap.

Thoughts please and thank you.

(Posted in parenting as well then thought this poss better home)

OP posts:

Katey1010 · 06/02/2011 17:54

I wouldn't. No judgy knickers here but my MW lives opposite my house

elmofan · 06/02/2011 18:17

No i wouldn't - Never have and i live in a cul-de-sac and i can see my driveway .

Seona1973 · 06/02/2011 18:23

I did it quite a few times when the kids were younger. I could see inside the car from the living room window so knew when they had woken up

TrollyMcTrollPants · 06/02/2011 18:24

My mum used to do this with DS1. She'd sit on the bench outside and watch the car and get my dad to bring her out a cup of tea. Why she didn't just sit in the car with him I'll never understand!

MotherOfSuburbia · 06/02/2011 18:35

I would and have. Don't have a baby monitor but pop out and check every 5 or 10 mins.

PrincessScrumpy · 06/02/2011 18:36

I have done this while I empty the shopping but I open the kitchen blind and can see the car and dd from the window as I unpack the shopping. Once I've finished I bring her in. TBH I find that if she needs the nap she'll stay asleep as I lay her on the sofa.

lovechoc · 06/02/2011 18:39

I wouldn't do it - too much hassle and no peace of mind (even with a monitor I'm afraid). I'd rather just get them used to being lifted out the car even when sleeping from a very young age and that way they get used to it and will carry on napping when they are nice and cosy indoors.

MsKLo · 06/02/2011 18:42

I can't believe how many people do this!

Not something I would ever do personally

mnistooaddictive · 06/02/2011 18:46

Lovechoc, both mine did stay asleep as babies and I used to do it lots but as they got older they couldn't go back to sleep.

Foreverondiet · 06/02/2011 18:58

My MIL did this, but no baby listener although they do have security gates (so no risk of him being abuducted)... I was she didn't understand why.

But this is another reason for sticking with rear facing (and moveable) car seat for as long as possible.

Boohooyou · 06/02/2011 19:00

I previously have got a sleeping ds out of the car into pram, walked for a good hour, out of pram back in car, home and in the house and he never woke up!

Also from car to supermarket trolley whilst still asleep.

So I always take him out of the car but don't see anything wrong with leaving them for a bit if you can see the car.

sheeplikessleep · 06/02/2011 19:09

I have done with DS1 (DS2 wakes the minute car stops, but would have done if it was way of extending his nap). Our driveway is in the front of our kitchen window, so I always used to go in and wash up and keep constantly watch him.

Of course, wouldn't do it on a hot or cold day.

hairylights · 06/02/2011 19:09

personally I would never, ever take this kind of risk.

sparkle12mar08 · 06/02/2011 19:23

I despair at how bad we are as a nation at risk perception...

BlackSwan · 06/02/2011 19:28

Absolutely no chance whatsoever! How totally unsafe.

Top of my list of reasons would be someone taking the child.

lecce · 06/02/2011 19:29

I have never done this as I don't have a drive but if I did I would certainly do it as long as I could see the car and it wasn't summer. As it is I have spent a lot of time parked in random places, often cursing myself for not bringing a book!

I don't see why some people are being judgy about this. If you have a baby who sleeps quite easily, or if you are a saint and have never craved 30 minutes to yourself, well good for you. If, however, you don't fall into either of those categories you might do something like the OP described. It does not make you a bad parent and, depending on the situation of the drive, I don't see it as particularly risky. All of the most likely issues could, and do, happen in cots when parents are in other rooms. The other risks are tiny.

nickytwotimes · 06/02/2011 19:31

i wouldn't, but i am not judgey about it tbh.

some of my pals do this.

i would sit and read my book!

ongakgak · 06/02/2011 19:36

Yes have done it, still do it and will keep doing it in the future.

I do not see the issue really. I would not with perhaps a newborn as I was in a perpetual state of worry with my newborn as he was a SNICU baby. But 14.5 months. Hell Yeah.

DesperateHousewife20 · 06/02/2011 19:42

My sister used to do this when she visited my mum.
Drive is right outside front room and would check every few mins, when she saw arms and legs waving around then she knew they were awake!

I couldnt do it with ds as although we have a private car park I live in first floor flat so wouldnt feel comfortable, but would happily sit in the car and wait for him.

Al1son · 06/02/2011 19:45

I have a friend who used to do this often until the day her car caught fire in a neighbour's driveway.

She saw the smoke coming from the front wheel arch and just had time to rush out and grab her handbag from the passenger seat. She was going to try to get the baby seat out too but the flames were too big by then.

Fortunately for her that day the baby wasn't sleeping in the car and obviously if she had been she'd have grabbed her first but what if it had happened at a different time?

Original poster

QueenSconetta · 06/02/2011 21:02

Its quite interesting how it seems pretty much 50/50 opinion wise. IME that doesn't happen too often on MN. Thank you all for taking an interest.

Also interesting though that so people are very categoric that they would never do this, but don't say why.

OP posts:

seeker · 06/02/2011 21:05

Of course. Why on earth wouldn't you?

Morloth · 06/02/2011 21:23

I used to do it all the time when we only had a driveway/carport, I didn't bother with the monitor and left at least one window down so I could hear him. In summer, I would only park it under the carport to do so.

Now we have a garage which opens into the kitchen so I often just leave him there with the windows down and I leave the garage door open for airflow.

No-one is going to kidnap him.

They would have to know he was there, know that I wasn't and lots of other variables.

WestYorkshirePudding · 06/02/2011 21:30

I am disbelief at the amount of you who sit in the car while your child sleeps!!!

I park on the drive, lock the car and go inside - what is going to happen in the 5 mins it takes to nip to the loo and make a cuppa? You can then sit in the warmth of your own house and keep your eye on the car from there.

Obviously this is different if you don't have off-street parking but when you do...

usernamechanged345 · 06/02/2011 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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