To leave my baby in the car by herself to sleep

[margaritaproblems]

It feels like I am but I don't know 🤷‍♀️
We live in a very quiet cul de sac. Baby is 6 months old and was asleep when we got back so we have let her finish her sleep alone in the car.

Context
We also have a bouncy 4 yo that keeps disturbing her naps so she will nap better away from her.

The car is on the driveway, in full view.

I have left the drivers door wide open so I can hear her if she cries, I have my front windows and door wide open too. I am sat with dd inside, but tv is off while she is colouring in so I can hear.

Although baby is in the car she is only actually about 10ft away from where I am sat.

I can't actually see baby, but I can hear if she cries, and I can't actually see her having all of her nap inside if she was inside anyway as she naps in her pram bassinet so it's not that different, but it feels so alien,
I think because we have only lived here around a year and I could never have done this where we lived before, but if iabu then I won't do it again.

She’s already explained it is a lie-flat car seat in the flat position.

However, even in a non-reclined car seat a 6 month old baby is not at any risk for a nap.(yes, I have read the study) You can’t watch a baby all the time in a car seat if you are driving. That WOULD be bloody unsafe!

I wouldn't do it, but the risk of kidnap didn't even cross my mind! I leave my baby in the car seat for the minimal amou t of time possible ie only when in a moving car, for safety reasons. The positioning isn't good for them, the cushioning isn't good for them to sleep for long periods of time whether it's a lie flat car seat or not, and they're surrounded by very strong chemical flame retardants that they're breathing in. Cots/baskets/the floor/a blanket on the front garden are much safer options than a car seat for naps.

they're surrounded by very strong chemical flame retardants that they're breathing in

Give me strength!

@ArgumentativeAardvaark babies are lying flat in their cots, so the same risks of asphyxiation don’t exist.

I can't believe people think this is such an odd thing to do! Everyone I know left their baby /toddler in the car to carry on napping when they'd fallen asleep in the car! Some of you would think I'm terrible as I never left a car door or boot open either, just a chink of the window on a warm day. I could see the car too but did sometimes pop to make a cuppa!

Now I did have to say something to my brother when he left his 2 year old in his car on our drive as we all in the back garden and the car was half hanging onto the path! Apparently it was ok though as they had an app which would alert them to when the child woke up 😒

You can’t watch a baby all the time in a car seat if you are driving. That WOULD be bloody unsafe!

That's why the guide lines suggest you stop at certain intervals

RTFT Derbee. This baby is lying flat.

Of course it's fine. Sure you're watching baby. I'd go out and check though a few times just to make sure temp of car/baby is ok

HedgehogBlues but OP has stopped, and checked on her baby, and will no doubt do so again within a sensible interval.

I wouldn't consider leaving a baby in a car, with a door open, which I couldn't see.

I get why people do it but it spooks me having a baby/young child in a car alone I don't know why.

I did it all the time. I couldn't see my drive from the cottage (it was to the side) but my sitting room/front door was about 12 feet away, so I'd make a cup of tea and pop out every few mins to check on ds. I did live in quite a naice rural village though, so wasn't worried about much. I'm pretty sure if anyone stole ds, they'd soon bring him back anyway.

I used to do this but then again my mum used to leave me in the pram outside shops. I think she forgot me once.

I can’t understand people being so concerned about babies napping in peace. It has never been important for me, if you have to wake baby then so what? I definitely wouldn’t leave a baby alone in a car. Or in a pram outside.

I think it’s fine to do it as it doesn’t worry you and you have eyeballs on the car. I used to leave DD asleep in the car seat with window open if required and go and make a cup of tea as the car is outside the kitchen window. I also used to leave her asleep in the pram in the garden altho that was a rare pleasure as she always seemed to wake up the minute we got home.

And as for all the variables OP explained I’d like someone to work out the theoretical odds of the child being abducted in this situation!

@Adviceorhelp
If my ds was woken from a nap (as opposed to waking up by himself), he'd scream bloody murder for ages afterwards. There's no way I was waking him unnecessarily.

I live in the middle of nowhere and I wouldn't do it.

I don't think it's an abduction fear thing. I just don't like the idea of the "alone inside a car" thing... but that's probably me and my thing with cars having being in accidents and inside cars as a kid with windows shut, parents smoking (yeah, really) OBViously the kid isn't in any danger so I'm aware I'm being irrational.

I've seen babies being left in prams outside shops and I've literally stopped what I was doing to keep an eye on them. No words for that.

Some of you would think I'm terrible as I never left a car door or boot open either, just a chink of the window on a warm day.

Sorry but that's pretty stupid on a warm day. Have you ever sat in a car on a hot day with the engine off and a "chink" of the window open? It gets bloody hot surprisingly quickly in the sun.

*they're surrounded by very strong chemical flame retardants that they're breathing in

Give me strength!*

Mounting evidence suggests that flame retardants interfere with hormones and reproductive systems, stunting child development and harming fetuses

Car seats have very high levels of brominated flame retardants, some of which are banned in the US and other European countries.

Toddlers have been shown to have levels of flame retardant chemicals in their blood 20 times higher than in adults.

Car seats worry me, but the risk of death in a car accident worries me more so I use one when necessary.

Nope. You're not watching all the time are you, you've already said you can't actually see the car and you're entertaining a 4 year old. Don't be ridiculous. Transfer baby into pram hope baby stays asleep or stay in car and let toddler watch half an hour on the phone or take some colourings out either way you don't leave a 6 month old baby alone in a car.

And as for all the variables OP explained I’d like someone to work out the theoretical odds of the child being abducted in this situation!

But I think what some people are saying is that any odds is simply not worth it. Any odd of abduction or car stealing or fire or overheating. There will be some odds - however small - and some people are willing to take those odds and some aren’t.

I made a reference earlier to holiday complexes. I bet after MM a lot of people who think leaving a baby in a car outside is ok wouldn’t leave their baby sleeping nearby in a holiday apartment. Why not? I bet it is for all the reasons people are saying they wouldn’t leave their baby alone in a car. And yet the odds are probably the same.

I used to do this until a friend, who had lifted her baby out and popped in to see her DH at work, had her parked car go up in flames without warning. I stopped doing it after that.

@NearlyGranny

jesus...

Did they find out why ?!!