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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To forget I have a baby for five (ten max) minutes in Sainsbury's

206 replies

Oscalito · 28/04/2011 15:14

I was racing around Sainsbury's with my buggy, got to checkout, unloaded basket, raced off and got a few more things to reach £30 so I could use a money-off voucher they'd sent me, when I looked down and realised I'd somehow misplaced my buggy.

Sprinted around shop fearing the worst and was confronted in fruit and veg by a woman employee who told me very loudly they were just about to call social services and the police (and still might) and 'I should be very ?'

... at which point I interrupted and said 'I haven't slept in five months'. Slight exaggeration but definitely didn't get much sleep last night and DH has been around so have gotten used to having someone else looking out for baby over the last few days.

She said 'Don't speak to me like that madame' and I said 'I already feel bad enough' and left (this time with baby, obviously). A small crowd had gathered at this point. It could have turned quite nasty - she was ferocious - but I got out of there ASAP.

Was this a bit of an overreaction on her part? Or am I just too blase? I was panicking and fearing the worst as I ran around the shop, but when I saw the baby was OK I was just relieved. I am usually really careful, just slipped up once (won't do it again). Surely I'm not the first....?

OP posts:
NinkyNonker · 28/04/2011 15:15

Madam? Shock

Tee2072 · 28/04/2011 15:16

You're not the first or the last to forget their baby. Don't worry about it.

Bucharest · 28/04/2011 15:17

Poor you.....I suppose the staff were worried and thought momentarily the baby had been abandoned....

(Ps, my dearest and funniest friend, when her daughter was a newborn, set off for the shops with her husband....half way there, he said "can you do that then?" "what?" says she...."leave them on their own in the house like that?" She'd completely forgotten the baby!)

Hope you get some sleep soon!

usualsuspect · 28/04/2011 15:17

My mum left my sister outside a shop once in her pram ,and went home without her Grin

buggerlugs82 · 28/04/2011 15:18

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

therugratref · 28/04/2011 15:19

one of my mates left her baby in its car seat under the table in a pub, got home and realised something was missing-baby was still snoozing away when she got back to pub 5 mins later.

VinegarTits · 28/04/2011 15:19

id have chucked a melon at her head, snotty bitch

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 28/04/2011 15:19

Bless ya - I've been on my way to pick DS up from a friends house and then whizzed straight past and gone home.....I think we've all done stuff like that thats a bit Shock but we live and learn.

I "lost" DS in a shoe shop once for about 3 minutes, I am surprised I didnt have a heart attack!! The little darling was hiding in a shoe rack but luckily he didnt hide his balloon very well! xx

Eglu · 28/04/2011 15:19

So the shop woman was allowed to be rude to you about calling SS/Police, but you were not allowed to answer back? YANBU, I think most peopel have done something similar at some point.

HalfPastWine · 28/04/2011 15:19

Bloody hell, my mother left me outside the local shop when I was a baby!!!

My friend and her husband decided the other evening that as the weather was so lovely they would go out for a walk. Coats on, about to leave the house and realise their newborn was upstairs asleep !!

lazylula · 28/04/2011 15:20

My nan left my auntie in her pram outside Woolworths, she didn't realise until she got home! Many a parent has done it, you will not be the first and certainly not the last!

SybilBeddows · 28/04/2011 15:20

15 years or so ago, long before I had dcs I was at my parents' house for Xmas. On Xmas eve my mum asked me to pop to the supermarket for a few things.
It was an hour or so before closing so it was pandemonium in there.

Halfway through I looked down at my trolley.
It was the wrong one.
There was a baby in it.

I let go of the trolley and scarpered before someone accused me of child-stealing.

meltedchocolate · 28/04/2011 15:21

I haven't done this myself but know it wouldn't be that hard to do. Over reaction on her part but maybe for you, you should make it a four tap check? phone, keys, purse,... baby :o I tease.

VinegarTits · 28/04/2011 15:21

i predict lots of funny stories about babies being left Grin

CareyFakes · 28/04/2011 15:21

Blimey, like you wouldn't feel bad enough, she harps on.

It's quite a common occurrence by all accounts, and I have heard stories of people doing it. Tiredness does strange things. I'd have thanked her and walked off

HalfPastWine · 28/04/2011 15:21

sybilBeddows that's hilarious ! Grin

FreudianSlipOnACrown · 28/04/2011 15:22

Thank goodness your baby is ok :)

I think having a crowd gather, and having the staff waiting there, was unavoidable. But there was no need for her to be so snippy with you - unless you neglected to mention that your full sentence was actually "fuck off you insensitive bitch I haven't slept in 5 months" :o

Muser · 28/04/2011 15:23

Add me to the "my mum left my sibling outside a shop and went home".

Back in the days of massive prams you left outside while you did your shopping. Shop had two entrances/exits. She went in one, out the other, and was half way home before she remembered she had a baby.

Got back to the shop, baby happily sleeping away.

koekje · 28/04/2011 15:26

sybilbeddows :o
nearly fell off my chair...

ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 28/04/2011 15:28

Stupid mare - I wouldn't worry about her!

Was the baby screaming the place down or quite happy?

It really doens't matter either way, walking away from your buggy whilst in the same shop really doesn't constitute child abandonment!

icooksocks · 28/04/2011 15:29

My mum left me in a shop once and went home without me Shock.
I've lost every one of my 3 children at some point or another (not all at once-that would be impressive. Mostly the little brats darlings have been hiding under clothes rails.

CinnabarRed · 28/04/2011 15:29

DM left my DB in the pram outside a shop and forgot to put the brake on. First she knew was when some complete stranger leapt in front of a speeding car to push DB's pram out of its way....

Chil1234 · 28/04/2011 15:30

It wasn't an overreaction. The mums on this thread are all being incredibly nice to you but I'm pretty sure they'd all be tutting and harrumphing like crazy if they'd been the one finding the baby & buggy all alone in the middle of Sainsbury.... and straight onto AIBU to hoik up the judgey pants and give 'the irresponsible woman who left her baby!!'.

One day, for fun, admit you left baby alone for five minutes while you popped next door to get a dozen eggs.... then see how non-judgemental MN can be. Oohhh... nasty....

stirlingstar · 28/04/2011 15:30

You won't be the first or the last. As above, have a cup of tea & deep breath!

Sleep deprivation sucks. That too does not last forever (though might be a good long while)

I recently lost DS1 (4yo) in M&S. After a couple of minutes I had mounting panic and asked at the customer services till. Could not believe how chilled out AND helpful all the shop staff were then - instantly seemed to have uniformed staff fanned out across the shop in a very smiley and purposeful way. Customer found him (deliberately) hiding behind a pillar in the veg section at other end of shop. Everyone seemed v calm about it. (I was livid and scared...) So just wanted to tell you that next time something similar happens you might find very nice reaction from others. Smile

Muser · 28/04/2011 15:32

Nope, failing to hoik my judgey pants up at all. Accidentally leaving the buggy in one bit of the same shop is not like deliberately leaving a baby alone to nip to the shops.