to leave my baby in the garden to sleep?

[SashaFierce99]

With three older siblings, it's difficult for baby to nap uninterrupted at the weekend/in holidays. She's just over a year old so still needs at least one long or two short naps per day. When her siblings are off we tend to walk/scoot/skate/bike to the park before her nap and she falls asleep in the pushchair on the way home. I then leave her in the front garden in front of the kitchen window and DCs and I paint/bake/draw in the kitchen so she's in sight at all times.

Today we did the above but there was a knock at the door ten minutes after we arrived home. It was a neighbour advising me that it's too cold and too dangerous to leave her unsupervised outside. I explained that I can see her and she's well wrapped up (full body vest, outfit on top plus jumper, double socks and full snow suit and hat) so she's fine but the neighbour kept saying I should take her inside. I politely declined and said I needed to get back to the other DC. She muttered about how I'll end up 'getting reported to someone'...!

AIBU to leave her outside?

I wouldn't have left DS in the front garden, but certainly in the back. I napped outside every day unless it was raining, I think many of my generation did (1970).

My mum used to do this with us.

One day a child took me off to play with me. Gave my mother the fright of her life finding me gone.

Someone could take the baby. Personally I wouldn't risk it.

It's not the cold that would bother me. If a child is warm enough when being pushed they're warm enough in the garden.

What? They tried to take her mobility chair while she was sat in it?shock.

No, she was in the house. She had left the chair in the garden and had been helped into the house. Whilst she was in the house a scrap metal man came along and took her chair. He returned it two days later saying how guilty he felt.

I am Danish and when I was a baby we lived in northern Greenland. My mother put my outside in the shed for my naps. It was 40 degrees below in winter, I was wrapped up warm, slept like a log and was cosy and toasty when she unwrapped me after my nap. I'm now pushing 50 (argh!) and one of the healthiest people I know. Danish parents wouldn't dream of letting their children nap inside, it is seen as unhealthy and stuffy. Keep it up and sod anyone who doesn't approve.

YANBU to do anything that works.

Well my reality is that I live in a shit neighbourhood next door to a park frequented by drunks and drug users. I've never lived anywhere safe enough that I'd consider doing this. I strongly suspect the people pissing themselves laughing over the "hysteria" have led a greatly privileged lifestyle where the idea of a disaster happening literally on your doorstep has about a 0 chance.

Personally it's a risk I wouldn't take regardless. Babies shouldn't be left alone outdoors unsupervised and easily accessible to any passer by. I can't really believe this isn't a common consensus

Sorry. I think I said 'sod' in my post. I didn't mean to be rude or disrespectful. It just saddens me that there is so much fear around. Surely the most dangerous thing we do to our children is take them in the car? It would be good to think that caring, responsible parents could be able to make their own decisions about their beloved children without having to worry about Social Services or interfering passers-by...

If the front garden is safe from people passing by, then it is ok IMO. I used to leave mine out, and my nieces and nephew are Swedish and the were left out the front in all weather, only if it was bad she'd put them under a covered part. all 3 are healthy kids

Well I'm not surprised the scrap man felt guilty. That was plain theft.

For those who are saying, just teach your older dcs to be more respectful. I've tried that with my older dc.
1h30 of no noise every afternoon. Well... 1.5 years later, it was still an issue, he still couldn't be quiet for that length of time and we ended up isolating ourselves in the conservatory every afternoon.

Now I just had ONE child. The OP has several older children that will make much more noise. If her child is as sensitive to noise than mine was, there is no way he would have been able to sleep.

Remembering that sleep deprivation is a form of torture (in this case, both for the child and the parent ...), I would have looked at any way to ensure the youngest child would get some sleep

Babies shouldn't be left alone outdoors unsupervised and easily accessible to any passer by

I don't think anybody is advocating putting their baby at risk , common sense dictates where somewhere is safe.

I wouldn't but your baby your decision. I think the risks are minimal.

I always left my dd outside when she napped! As long as it was dry she was generally left out there in her pram until she woke. She's the healthiest of all the children we know, never ill! Fresh air is so much better for them than stuffy indoors all the time, so long as nicely wrapped up...as yours sounds...perfectLay acceptable xx

I don't like or trust the social workers I had one coming from the dct she wrote in her report I was drunk and my son was playing out in dirty school uniform they both completely untrue told her never to darken my doorstep again but found out at least 3 other mums was having problems with her I would not put my dcs out as too many cats but it's your choice

I haven't read the whole thread, but sleeping outside in a pram is one of the reasons I chose a Silver Cross traditional pram for mine. My DD slept outside in it until she was 2, I could see her from the kitchen window, under the tree, quite happy.

I put the travel cot up outside too for littles ones, my garden is secure and double gated and double locked, they are quite safe and childminded parents approve and think it is lovely they get to nap in the sunshine, in the shade.

Personally I wouldn't mainly because of concern about foxes. I have had a young fox come up really close to me whilst putting the rubbish out (he wasn't scared). I have also seen three sitting on the roof of my shed during the day. I know not many babies get attacked by foxes but I imagine part of the reason is that people who know they are around don't leave their babies out. It would definitely be a real risk where I live.

A lot of people have said being left in the fresh air is good for babies. Does anyone know why that is from a scientific point of view?

Just as a tip for avoiding animals jumping in to the pram is to use one of those "sun protection nets" over the pram - the animals see it and don't realise it's soft, so they won't jump in. I had to use this as we have 3 cats, as they would otherwise snuggle down in the foot end. Never ever higher up mind. Also can use rain cover with zip open at the side if it's a bit too chilly in your opinion. Buy a wireless babycall on Amazon/Ebay, so you can keep it in the pram and listen to the baby inside, you will hear every movement and snuffle with a good one. I used to leave the patio door slightly open until I bought one. Use harness in the pram to prevent little one from moving about, when at an age where they roll about or try to get up etc. In Norway all the babies and toddlers (up to 3 years of age) sleep in their prams both outside houses and outside the kindergarden - in temperatures down to -10 is the general advice. It very rarely gets that cold in UK. I am shocked at all the drastic comments on here! People can be very overdramatic with this here, it seems. Not all thankfully! Hope my advice is helpful :)

Fox attacks on babies - seriously?! That is massively out of character for those animals, and very, very rare to the point of being a complete non-argument. You might as well argue that you shouldn't have a cat in a house with a baby. I'm sure cats do sometimes injure children, but it's not something many people consider a serious enough risk to do something about.

I watch foxes in my (urban, city) garden and they are very shy, retiring creatures. They will lurk and watch you, but they're not looking to attack - they've got an eye as to whether your bins have any tasty snacks in them that they can get at. They also catch astounding numbers of rats, keeping you and your family healthy.

I love this Scandinavian idea of a well wrapped-up baby in the fresh air. I've never heard of it before, but it is a lovely image.

I am amazed at some of the dramatic responses. My 6 month old is alseep in her pram is the back garden at the moment. I put the rain cover over to keep her toasty and keep out any random eagles that may decide to snatch her.

It's a secure garden. If I put her out there she falls asleep easily for an hour or two. If I try to settle her upstairs it can take me over 40 mins and she may not sleep for long. I know which option is better when I've also got a 5 year old to look after.....

And the babies at dds nursery all sleep out on a secure deck, wrapped up in their buggies.

It's heathy imo - did it with mine ( secure back garden ) As long as they're wrapped up warm & you're keeping an eye on them what's the problem?

It didn't really occur to me to worry about foxes and I do see them in the garden a lot. I didn't put DS outside for his nap very often but certainly did leave him out in the garden if he was asleep when we got back from a walk. I once caught a frog sitting on one of the wheels - possibly working up to giving the poor child a good gumming but I foiled him.

I think it's absolute madness! I have no idea why anyone would do this, and why is it unhealthy to nap inside yet perfectly ok to sleep inside all night? The people who used to advocate this are the same ones who would have left them there even if crying with some pseudo scientific nonsense like "it's good for their lungs".

A baby who is outside, partly supervised is a baby potentially at risk of all sorts.

That's a tricky one. Foxes attacks, cats, etc could all happen and do sometimes. They are not the norm but happen so have to be factored in. It is not too cold.

Do you have a side door, gate, access to your garden? Is there somewhere better and slightly more out of sight that your baby could be whilst still being outside?

The only other problem is your neighbour will probably report you now or if she is a chicken she'll ask someone else to do she can say she hasn't to your face.

When I say out of sight, I meant from other people, not yourself.

YANBU although I would think back garden would be safer from strangers? To me, that's the only risk. The temperature isn't a risk because the baby is well wrapped up.

Perhaps you could buy a cat net for the pram just to give you peace of mind regarding cats. If you've been out in the fresh air for the walk, would she not carry on sleeping in the hall though or the lounge if you're in the kitchen? The. You don't need to worry at all.

i left my two out in the back gardens in their prams if they were already sleeping and had a cat net. They slept much more soundly for longer in the fresh air. DD was a baby in Germany and I left her out in minus temps for half an hour sometimes and she was fine. There is no difference temperature wise that going for a walk in the cold.