To leave my baby alone sleeping in the garden every day?

[TiffanyDoggett]

Always in the shade and I check him regularly to make sure he's not crying. I'm no advocate of CIO and it's purely because he sleeps well out there not because I won't hear him (as I suspect in times past it may have been the reason)!

I blame my Mum who always asks why he's napping indoors when she comes round and promptly asks if she can wheel him out in his Pram.

Does anyone else do this regularly?

@Nesssie

It's not that cats are aggressive, it's that they like to jump on/in things and then they snuggle up to baby and can suffocate them. They are also sometimes attracted by the milk smell and snuffling sounds.

This was certainly something we had to watch for at college and why we had nets for cats and bugs.

Nessie it's not because the cats are aggressive, it's because cats have been known to climb into a warm cot/pram where they could potentially smother a small baby.

@Saloubalou - read up on what? If the baby outside is on a flat surface on its back in a safe pram, and not overhot or overcold (or in any other kind of danger, or an enormous garden miles from the house), I agree with pps that it is hard to see the difference from one propped up in a Moses basket in the kitchen. That said, under 6 months I'd be reading a book in a garden chair or maybe doing some cooking or playing with the older dcs in the kitchen 4 feet away, not doing housework upstairs (and even over 6 months was always within earshot)... but you sounded very certain, so please do enlighten us!

I would love to have DD outside in the pram for naps more often but some bugger or other is forever doing building work near me

Yep my one is out there right now having a kip in his buggy while I have a cuppa. It’s quite cool here today so it’s the perfect temp to be outside having a snooze. He sleeps really well and I don’t see the difference between this and being up in his crib with the baby monitor on.

Give it a rest, I’m referencing the current guidelines for minimising risk of SIDs as given by NHS
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/reducing-risk-cot-death/
and the Lullaby trust
www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/
It’s up to you if you choose to follow them or not, I have no skin in this game other than hoping parents make informed decisions

Sad, how times have changed. When I was first married all the babies were put in prams on the pavement outside the front door while the women did the housework. It was a bit competitive to see who could be the first to put the baby out.

There was a big supermarket near us and the prams would all be left outside the large window with the shopping that already been purchased in the basket underneath.

Kids would also knock on the door to ask if they could push the baby up the street.

Mine always slept less well outside. Any noise or breeze would wake them up

You shouldn't leave him alone. Foxes, cats, birds of prey, wasps etc. But napping outside in general is supposed to be good for establishing a sleep routine or sonething like that. I used to do this with both of mine but u wouldn't leave them alone outside.

Name the op is suggesting leaving her 3 month old outside alone, checking on them regularly, that's how it's different to being in the kitchen. The baby is sleeping alone in the ops scenario.

Rocky, my MIL talks of the same thing (babies outside the front door/shops etc). There was something like 8/9 times more cases of SIDS the year I was born compared to the year ds was born, thanks to a package of recommendations for safe sleeping which include not leaving babies under 6 months to sleep alone. The lullaby trust says that sharing a room with your baby halves the risk of SIDS. So not really sad at all.

I think it was much more common when people had "proper prams" It was normal to have nets and sun canopys. I know I am showing my age!

My DS sleeps beautifully outside. Nice shade and bit of breeze. He's slept outside since he was tiny in all but the worst weather. He's parked right by the kitchen door so I can keep a good eye on him.

VanGoghsDog InDubiousBattle - Thanks, makes much more sense! I was imagining cats jumping into gardens specifically to attack babies..

"Birds of prey" Wtf where do you live that a passing eagle or something might swoop down and snatch your baby?

Birds of prey! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. DD angry-shouts at every bird she sees, she shouts "Oi!" followed by a load of indignant babbling. If an eagle got within arm's reach of her, she'd probably punch the fucker

Id sit out with the baby as I’m still precious over my second born. My concern at the minute is this weather it’s meant to get really hot in some places and it’s advised people are indoors during this if possible

There are eagles - fairly big ones actually , in the woods at the back of us. One has buzzed DSs pram when he was tiny. We joked about putting the eagle shield down (the pram hood) but it did worry me a bit. They’d be more than capable of slashing a baby if they investigated.

We also have lynx, wolf, bear and elk in our area and yes they do come into gardens.

That’s another reason why you do outdoor sleeping as ‘time for you to sit on the other side of the patio doors with a coffee’ rather than ‘wander off and do housework.’

It’s great for them to sleep outdoors but unless you’ve got a totally secure garden or balcony you do need to have eyes on them.

I've just started doing it with my 5 month old in the shade, he sleeps so well gives me a chance to sit/read/etc in the sun too

Mine is nearly 4 months and I can’t get him to nap anywhere except for on me... how are you managing this?! Hellpppp

Kids would also knock on the door to ask if they could push the baby up the street.

I remember doing this 😂😂.

I wouldn't personally, but if you want to then why not I guess

I wouldn't do it before 6months for the reasons mentioned. Not worth the risk. Or rather I wouldn't leave the garden. Otherwise fab idea!
For the pp talking about SIDS case - interesting but effectively your cases were about suffocation not SIDS.

I wouldn't, I liked them to have a mattress for a nap not be scrunched in a pushchair, car seat etc. I also never left them outside alone. I'd not like to be made to sleep outdoors so didn't see a difference.

I know a few that do it though so that they can have some peace and quiet.

I live somewhere that actually does potentially get bears, birds of prey, coyotes, fishers, etc.

But, the chances of them ACTUALLY appearing during the day and attacking a baby are so so so so slim.

Mosquitoes on the other hand are fecking everywhere, the bastards.

I find it relaxing to sleep outdoors, can't beat a nap on the sun lounger.