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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To run to the post box while the baby was sleeping??

78 replies

susieshrinking · 04/03/2011 00:37

I live in a culdisac... The postbox is at the top of the culdisac plus about 4 houses (semi's, So 2 full size houses)

Today my baby (5 months) was fast asleep in her cot, and I had a pile of post (insurance, birth certificate for passport etc) that had to be sent off, so shut (bit didn't lock) the door and ran to the postbox and back. I was 2 minutes.

To wake her up and get to the box for last post would have been ridiculous??

DH went mad when I mentioned this when he got in... I reason that it's the same as having a huge garden and leaving your baby asleep while gardening.

He's very annoyed. Spare room annoyed.

AIBU? Or rather... WIBU to have done this???

OP posts:
KaraStarbuckThrace · 04/03/2011 09:42

Exactly squeaky. Or you could fall down the stair. Or slip in the bathroom after going to the loo.

YANBU susie.

cestlavielife · 04/03/2011 10:06

always take a key with you - but otherwise is fine. presuambly you leave her for two minutes while she sleeping to go to the toilet?

where you could fall in and drown...

you could have a heart attack or combust inside the house -same outcome

Quenelle · 04/03/2011 10:13

I would probably have done it.

schmee · 04/03/2011 10:16

I don't necessarily think you were being unreasonable but I was never able to do this because I was too worried.

Vallhala · 04/03/2011 10:18

"Cease, desist from this terrible pernicious guilt."
:o :o

I'd have taken the key and locked the door but other than that would have done as you did.

QuickLookBusy · 04/03/2011 10:23

YANBU, you could have been out in the garden or had an accident in the kitchen etc.

In fact if something had happened on the way to the postbox, a neighbour would have seen you and probably thought about the baby. Therefore you are safer outside than in.Grin

notanewmember · 04/03/2011 10:28

would also have locked the door but otherwise fine

ThisFeelsWeird · 04/03/2011 10:29

Deciduousblonde my mother did a similar thing with my older sister many years ago - left her outside the post office! I can never work out which part of the story is most shocking, forgetting she had a baby or leaving her parked up outside the post office in the first place Grin

OP, sounds ok but I would feel too naughty to try it!

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 04/03/2011 10:29

I would have scooped ds up, wrapped him in a blanket and taken him with me, but I don't really think you were wrong to do what you did.

I don't like your DP's reaction though, OP. Is he often like that?

squeakytoy · 04/03/2011 10:30

My mum left me in my pram outside Boots for an hour... Hmm... she was halfway home on the bus when she remembered the reason why she had walked to the shops...

LoopyLoopsHulaHoops · 04/03/2011 10:34

I wouldn't do it, but then I don't think a birthday card is important enough to warrant it.

caramelwaffle · 04/03/2011 10:36

Yanbu

Mymblesson · 04/03/2011 10:42

pffft at your husband's daft reaction.

Bet he's never been alone in charge of a child/children, has he?

He'll learn.

ExitPursuedByABear · 04/03/2011 10:43

YANBU. I used to pop to the shop round the corner to get cigs essentials such as milk, or icing sugar once for DD's cake. Always locked the door, and always had mild panic rising in my throat as I got back to the house, but seriously, what can happen in a couple of minutes?

ThisFeelsWeird · 04/03/2011 10:45

Exit loving the name. Takes me back...

nappydaysagain · 04/03/2011 10:47

Sorry but I wouldn't. Seems wrong to me leaving baby home alone, even if it's just for 2 minutes.

Pootles2010 · 04/03/2011 10:52

From those who think wrong - why? I'm genuinely interested. I wouldn't leave ds but i'm not sure why!

Only thing i can think of is abduction, but I know thats a crazily small risk... maybe fire? Ie if you were at home you'd know? But again very small risk...

Birdsgottafly · 04/03/2011 11:09

My eldest daughter is now in her 20's. It was common practice to leave dc's in their prams outside. Shops were not as accessable as they are now. True we didn't think about accidents that involved mounting the pavements etc. But there was a lot less traffic around.

In this instance it was fine to run the postbox,no different than being busy putting bins out or hoovering and not hearing the baby wake up. The fire alarm could have been heard from the postbox, so there wasn't an increased risk of the op's dc being injured in a fire.

Rabat · 04/03/2011 11:14

I think that is fine as long as you walk quickly and double check that you have the key before going. It sounds like you will be gone 1 min max and be in full view of the house at all times. Afterall, plenty of people have gardens that stretch further than that!

FlamingoBingo · 04/03/2011 11:22

YANBU

"the only thing is, had something happened to you i.e heart attack, run over by car, spontaneous combustion etc would people have known the baby was in the house alone?"

Your baby is far more likely to be found in this situation, as they would find out who you are, learn you had a baby, and send someone round to get the baby.

If you had a heart attack/spontaneous combustion at home with your baby, you wouldn't be found until your DP got back home, which could mean far longer utnil your baby is rescued. It's a complete non-argument for not popping to the end of the road!

bonkers20 · 04/03/2011 11:22

I would do this. The worse that could happen is that the baby wakes up and needs you or something happens to you while you're out.

The baby could wake up while you're sitting on the loo or answering the phone or having a cup of tea. As long as they're safe where's the harm?

As for something happening to you, don't most accidents happen in the home anyway?

I have popped up the road to borrow some butter from a friend so I could make a cake. This was evening time - the baby was fast asleep. I put the bins out when the baby is asleep. I have made an informed decision.

I'm more concerned about my 11 year old galavanting out in the big world on the school bus to be honest.

There might actually be a time when you HAVE to leave the house with the baby inside ie you've hurt yourself and know that your neighbour can help you, so having a dry run and reminding yourself that it's good to always leave the keys on the hook or what have you is not a bad idea.

Deciduousblonde · 04/03/2011 11:53

All this talk about spontaneous combustion makes me feel icky.

:)

Northernlurker · 04/03/2011 12:06

I would have locked the door but otherwise I see no issue.

reelingintheyears · 04/03/2011 12:16

I had this argument with DP when DD was a baby and i did 12 hour shifts including weekends.

What if he got run down by a car or mugged...unlikely but possible.

And what squeakytoy said about heart attacks.

Difficult but why take the risk if it's not an emergency.

TobyLerone · 04/03/2011 12:19

"had something happened to you i.e heart attack ... spontaneous combustion etc would people have known the baby was in the house alone?"

Would they know if it happened when the OP was in the shower?

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