To think that social services wouldn't give a shit about this

[NameChangeThread]

DS has napped in the pram outside since birth. Always wrapped up and dressed appropriately and either a rain cover or net over the pram depending on weather. Garden has 6ft fences and a bolted gate. Window is always cracked open so I can hear him cry, in summer the back door is wide open and I'm sat out with him anyway. I check on him regularly. And I am fully aware that this is a very 'old fashioned' thing to do, however I like DC to get plenty of fresh air and sunlight, and he naps a lot better outside.

A neighbour from the next street (her back garden is opposite to mine) has just come and knocked on my door and said how dangerous it is to leave a baby outside by themselves. I said I am completely okay with leaving him outside to nap and I have no worries that he could be hurt in any way so she doesn't need to worry. She told me I 'had to do something about it' or she would 'report me'. I told her that I doubted SS would be bothered about this, and she said they definitely would as it is child neglect and abuse?

I honestly cannot think of any rational (or likely) situation which could happen that would cause him any harm by doing this. If anything it is beneficial to him (and me). Because he gets a decent nap, sunlight and plenty of fresh air and I get a bit of peace and quite, and just enough time to regain my sanity!! I cannot be the only person who still does this surely? I know it happens a lot in other countries but it can't have just stopped happening in the UK?

social worker here. No issues.

I did this too - but I would be out having my nap alongside my baby.

I did this with all 3 of ours, and put the dog and the cat out with them

Unless it was really cold or raining....then I only put the kids out

You're neighbour would have a blue fit with her legs in the air if she saw all the prams lined up OUTSIDE the local nursery at nap time. Very common in Scandinavia

Have you considered the likelihood of pterodactyls swooping down from the sky? Acid rain? Godzilla attack?

And don't do it at night in case he gets darked on.

I did this with DD and if I was also in the garden I'd park the pram near the tree and when she woke up she'd lie watching the branches move in the wind.

How did your neighbour know he was there if you have six foot fences and he wasn’t crying?

I mean, was she looking over your fence?

Oops you answered this up thread!

Did it with my DC and do it with my GC.

Cat net over pram; warm covers when cold.

What a strange neighbour you have.

When DS was a baby my mum put him out to sleep whenever she had him. As this baby is due in July I imagine she will do it as long as it isn’t too hot. One of the nursery’s we looked at only did outside sleeping and they were rated ofsted outstanding.

If this is a SS ‘red flag’ no wonder they are so over run serious things get missed.

To be honest, this thread is making me want to try this outdoor napping lark with DS. He is only 5mo and doesn't like sleeping very much. And I love being outside. Our garden is designed to be enclosed to stop our blind cat from wandering off so I reckon he would be ok!

YANBU lots of people do this and the safety of it is completely dependant on where it is. You sound like you are sure of your childs safety and have them in view or earshot all the time so I really dont see any problem.
I never did it but then I lived in the centre of a city with low fences round my garden so it would not have been safe at all.

You are right SS would not give two shits about this unless there was some actual danger they could see.

'An out of this world awaits little Sally'
There is tea all over my keyboard, Liz.

OP, take no notice of your silly neighbour.

Your nosy neighbour clearly has no knowledge of what child abuse and neglect are, lucky her.

As someone who talks to Children's Services on a weekly if not daily basis regarding concerns about the welfare of children there is absolutely no way that this would reach threshold for involvement.

*surprise

I do it most days, and it's great because it means baby can nap happily anywhere. I pop the pram by the back door and do kitchen chores, start dinner. If I want to do stuff on the rest of the house, I used a monitor.

My DS' nursery put all the babies outside in old style Silver Cross prams for nap time and they have just had an OFSTED report that commented on the benefits of this, so I very much doubt it!

They won't care but they will have to ring you and discuss it then likely close the case there and then.

A few things occur to me here. One is how does the neighbour know? Is this because the fence isn't really that big and she can see over it or because the child is crying and she can hear him? You say you leave the window open but presumably don't stand near that window the entire time? In the summer you are outside (so in the nice weather) but not in the winter (too cold for you but not your child?). I wouldn't have done it despite living in the countryside to be honest. Take your child for a long walk instead if you are concerned about fresh air.

What a nosy idiot.
My friends DS goes to a very expensive nursery where they do this. It's rated outstanding by ofstead - doubt this would be the case if they were committing some sort of abuse to the children. The benefits are widely known (although apparently not by idiot neighbours)

People seem to think houses are somehow devoid of any risk and he great outdoors is inherently risky, even when in your totally enclosed garden. I should imagine SS have actual child abuse to worry about rather than a happily napping baby under the watchful eye of his mother in his own garden. Ridiculous.

I presumed this neighbour knew because they saw out of their upstairs window? I can see into the neighbours gardens that back onto my house out of my bedroom window anyway. Mind you, they don't have 6 foot fences though, hmmm.

Lots of studies show babies sleep better outside and this always used to be the case. My mum put all.four of us outside to sleep as we slept better. As long as it's outside a patio door and you can see them at all times or have a baby moniter then it's no different from having them in a different room in the house.
I'm wouldn't rule out doing this with mine when he is born either tbh provided I can see him.