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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To leave a baby?

184 replies

newmun · 13/12/2018 21:21

Theres a coop 2 min walk away from my house. Would you leave the baby at home and lock the door etc instead of taking buggy/carrier etc? Shop is literally 5 doors away.

Ps: I didnt do this as I was too chicken but wondered if anyone had?

OP posts:
DeltaFlyer · 13/12/2018 21:30

Somebody in my town was procescuted a few years back for leaving a 5 month old in bed when she went to the corner shop.
As other posters have said anything could happen.

AlexaShutUp · 13/12/2018 21:32

No.

MyKingdomForBrie · 13/12/2018 21:35

Nooooo, no no no. That's the most precious thing you have in the world, absolutely totally completely not worth it.

Even if it's only two minutes and the baby is in a safe place I wouldn't, but then you get into the what ifs - you're hit by a bus and no one knows baby is at home etc..

InsideLegMeasurement · 13/12/2018 21:36

I used to live next door/above a corner shop and the monitor was in range & would work in the shop. So yes if baby was proper solid asleep in cot I sometimes went down but only ever to grab one or two things not to do a big shop!

Celebelly · 13/12/2018 21:37

No. I wouldn't be comfortable with this at all (and I'm a laid back person in general)

Illstartexercisingtomorrow · 13/12/2018 21:37

Gut instinct says no.

But logical thinking says why??

If as pp said you got hit by a car then surely baby would be too if she was with you?

If baby is sound asleep in their cot then you are in another part of the house all that time aren’t you?

What’s the limit - are you allowed to go to the bottom of your garden if the baby is in the house (assuming cot and sleep as above)? Are you allowed to go out to your car parked outside your house to get something you forgot? Are you allowed to knock on your next door neighbour’s house to drop something off?

Despite having said all of the above, if something did go wrong I would massively judge someone who had left the house vs someone who was pottering around in their garden.

Spanglyprincess1 · 13/12/2018 21:40

I wouldn't just cause it's not worth the fact I'd panic. I do out washing in when Abby is in a safe place and our machine is in the garage but the doors open and I can hear him.

On a serious note I think you can be prosecuted for doing stuff like this esp if something happened

busybarbara · 13/12/2018 21:40

Yet on a thread the other day most people were saying they'd leave a baby in a CAR at a petrol station. Yet in their far safer house, nope. The mind boggles.

TheBigBangRocks · 13/12/2018 21:40

No never and I wouldn't hesitate to report a baby or young child being left alone.

Mummyshark2018 · 13/12/2018 21:42

I did once when dc was about 1 year. Coop is literally at the end of 3 houses (we're the 3rd). Dc in bed sleeping one night and DH away for the night and realised I had no milk for the morning (and wanted some treats!) I timed it on my phone (it was 9pm at night so no queue) and it took me under 90 seconds! No different in my opinion to asking a close neighbour for milk! Each to their own though

OnceInABlueMoon9 · 13/12/2018 21:43

Like pp, I’m laid back about most things like this and am generally in the ‘don’t be so precious’ camp. But I wouldn’t do this. Jut in case of the what if’s. Plus, if you have an accident on the street, you would be taken to hospital and no one would know about the baby until your next of kin contacted etc. If you’re in the garden or another room then the baby would be discovered when you were.

Also, I pop into shops frequently (mainly the post office) and leave kids in the car where I can see them through the window and then end up getting in a long queue and wish I’d brought them in. But I can see them/wave at them etc. You won’t be able to do that so you’ll feel really uneasy if you end up taking longer than expected for whatever reason. Which is far more likely than getting hit by a bus.

Celebelly · 13/12/2018 21:44

The difference for me with the petrol station is being both out of line of sight and out of hearing range. At a petrol station, I can always see my car and into my car from the kiosk and can get back to it within seconds if I see something. When I'm in the local Co-op, I can't see my house or inside my house.

IgglePiggleWiggle · 13/12/2018 21:44

Personally I wouldn't but in other cultures it wouldn't be a problem.

SimplySteve · 13/12/2018 21:45

Absolutely not, one door away, one mile away. No bloody chance.

snuggledonthesofa · 13/12/2018 21:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bringbackbertha · 13/12/2018 21:46

If something was that urgent I would put baby in pushchair. If it wasn't urgent just wait for baby to wake....

If it's a toddler no need for pushchair just let them walk with reins etc.

If it's a tiny baby what's wrong with a baby carrier

The only reason I would leave a baby alone in the house is if something terribly wrong and I needed my neighbour for help... I.e. heaven forbid baby stopped breathing.

In the 60s 70s babies were left outside the home in their pushchairs.... babies were stolen...

Imagine someone breaking in at that moment.....why would anyone contemplate leaving any baby let alone their own.

Just no

ChodeofChodeHall · 13/12/2018 21:47

Good Lord no. I am a very laid-back parent, but NO. You can be prosecuted for this.

Bringbackbertha · 13/12/2018 21:49

Going next door when the door is literally outside your own is fine as you could take a monitor with you.

We made sure our monitor range would go from the front of the house to the very back.of the garden just in case.

Call me paranoid but I don't live in the sticks and people will try front doors and take anything they can

Fashionista101 · 13/12/2018 21:51

Swear my heart rate raised reading this. Never in a million years

Ghanagirl · 13/12/2018 21:51

I had two babies and wouldn’t even consider leaving them alone ever, why take the risk

MadMum101 · 13/12/2018 21:52

Did you not learn anything from the Portugal incident they who can not be named OP?

festivedogbone · 13/12/2018 21:52

Absolutely no and I hope you are taking the piss and not setioysly considering this.

festivedogbone · 13/12/2018 21:52

Seriously*

Bigonesmallone3 · 13/12/2018 21:54

Under no circumstances
Never

Mammyloveswine · 13/12/2018 21:55

I wouldn't because of the "what ifs" but I live 3 doors from my corner shop and have often thought if kids were in bed (toddler behind safety gate in his bedroom and baby in cot) would I pop to the shop if I was desperate for something? Ie baby milk obviously not wine or chocolate!

I really couldn't though... I have enough anxiety dreams about leaving them and only remembering part way through being at work and the sick feeling I get trying to get back to them even in my dreams is horrendous. I haven't had a dream like this for a while but probably will again after reading this thread! It coincided with my return to work after maternity leave.

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