Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to leave 1 year old DD in the car if she is asleep, warm and I can see her?

65 replies

greeneone12 · 23/11/2011 16:11

I just don't see the point in moving her when I know she is warm and cosy and I can see when she wakes!

OP posts:
JjingleBeanplusPudalltheway · 23/11/2011 16:11

Get your flame proof suit on.

ChasingSquirrels · 23/11/2011 16:12

don't then.
why are you posting?

StrandedUnderTheMisltoe · 23/11/2011 16:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

trixie123 · 23/11/2011 16:14

if you can see her and you'd hear her when she woke then yes, fine but be prepared to be told that a) the car could spontaneously combust b) it could roll away off the driveway c) she could be stolen by marauding childsnatchers etc.

hocuspontas · 23/11/2011 16:15

Unless you are sitting on the bank of a motorway, what's the problem?

Original poster
greeneone12 · 23/11/2011 16:16

I guess the subject has been discussed here before then. Just disagreeing with someone about it and wondered if other people did the same thing...it can't just be me!

OP posts:
nicknamenotinuse · 23/11/2011 16:18

I have and never would do it. Just something about it doesn't seem right. I know a mum who leaves her new baby in the car while she is setting up for Brownies in our church hall, she can't see the car or the baby and relies on other people walking in to tell her that the baby is awake. I find that v. odd but each to their own.

ChasingSquirrels · 23/11/2011 16:19

I used to do it all the time.
ds1 - I could carry in, put in his cot, he stayed asleep.
ds2 - I was lucky if he stayed asleep when the car was turned off, but if he did then I left him there. Out of sight (with regularish checking).

TattyDevine · 23/11/2011 16:21

I do it. Or did it - its no longer applicable as neither nap anymore.

I also sometimes leave my daughter in the car when I run my child into preschool.

Its up to me, as a parent, to assess the level of risk and decide accordingly.

Ghoulwithadragontattoo · 23/11/2011 16:22

I would worry that she wouldn't be warm for very long. It's gets v cold v quickly in cars at the moment. I also feel the same about kids in cars overheating in the summer. Generally I don't think it's a problem to leave a child nearby in a car for a short while but not for a longer time (as nap is likely to be) in hot or cold weather.

Almostfifty · 23/11/2011 16:23

I used to leave mine in in the car when we lived in a house with it's own drive. I used to just work in the room where I could see the car window and go straight out the moment I saw they were awake.

I've never left a baby asleep in a car on a main road, I used to pick them up and put them in the cot then.

knockkneedandknackered · 23/11/2011 16:23

i woulden't leave her in back of car i read once there was a car theif who got into a car when there was a child inback and they dident even know . commensense is the key word here.

fuzzynavel · 23/11/2011 16:23

A friend once left her baby in the car seat on her wall, went in doors, made herself a nice brew and settled down to watch a bit of afternoon TV Grin

My mum once left me in a pram outside the singer sewing machine shop I now blame her for all my insecurity problems

MrsTruper · 23/11/2011 16:24

I used to leave mine in the car (loosely strapped in) sleeping with windows open, in sight, but sometimes used to lock the car, always watching her.....but it is not ideal because sleeping in an upright position with head tipped forward can obstruct breathing, so I have heard. If her head tipped forward during sleep I would take her out the car asap....

EdithWeston · 23/11/2011 16:24

You could stay in the car (and read, MN or something else online). Or if you have a driveway, you could potter (gardening) right next to the car. I wouldn't do it from further away, or under any circumstances where I wasn't happy to leave the car unlocked.

Original poster
greeneone12 · 23/11/2011 16:24

She is on our drive hence I can see her.

OP posts:
pud1 · 23/11/2011 16:25

I really don't see the problem with it but my friends neighbour reported her to social services for leaving her dd on the driveway. She used to fall asleep on the school run and she would leave he there for about 30 mins. Car was right under front room window. Social services paid her a call and told her not to do itnagain

squeakytoy · 23/11/2011 16:27

If she is wrapped up warm why not. Mothers used to leave babies outside in their prams and I dont recall a huge problem with baby snatching.

You can see her, so what is the issue.

DaydreamDolly · 23/11/2011 16:32

YANBU. If DD falls asleep in the car I do the same. I park car in drive in front of the lounge window and sit by the window where I can see her. I also lock the car.

TroublesomeEx · 23/11/2011 16:32

YAabsolutelyNBU.

As long as you're keeping an eye on her then there's no issue.

Shock @ pud1 flippin' 'eck!

Almostfifty · 23/11/2011 16:36

Do you leave her outside the house asleep in her pram?

If you do, what's the difference?

YankNCock · 23/11/2011 16:42

YANBU. I used to do this with DS, leave him in car on drive and check every few minutes that he was still asleep. Only did it in weather where the car's interior wouldn't really change temperature too quickly (around 13-16 degrees outside), and not on sunny days where the car could heat up.

Proudnscary · 23/11/2011 16:44

I used to leave both dc asleep in the car in the driveway.

I also used to leave my 5 year old son in an unlocked car while I dropped dd at nursery up two flights of stairs but re the latter I think I was fucking bonkers!! Confused

Kiwiinkits · 23/11/2011 17:22

You are the parent here, you judge the risks. It will be fine IMO: chances are the car won't spontaneously combust or get nicked.

Firefly2 · 23/11/2011 17:28

YANBU I used to do it all the time, as long as I could still see the car and my children have survived!