To let our baby sleep in a guesthouse in the garden

[Zipfer]

We are in between moves and staying with family. Our family has a guesthouse (a kind of extended shed with a bedroom kitchenette and bathroom) in the garden about twenty metres at the end of the garden. The guesthouse is visible from the house.

In the evenings we have taken to putting our baby (6 months) to sleep in the guesthouse while we stay in the mainhouse. We have a baby monitor and the house is door is locked. We know the area. We are also sleeping on the guesthouse.

DW and I both agree that this is safe as the risk is low. However, thinking about other famous cases (not drawing a parallel), we think it might be odd to let our baby sleep in a different building for part of the evening. Would you consider this sufficiently safe to allow your baby sleep in this situation?

[quote Zipfer]@Iggi999

Fair point, and you're right that we could be in a room 24 hours a day.[/quote]
Does your baby sleep for 24 hours a day?

06:16youngandbroken

I disagree. Your approach could be why a lot of children today could be described by your user name.

I couldn't do it

No no and no

I think we would probably be OK with this although I think I would be more comfortable being sat in the garden with the door in sight. I am confused about all the comments about choking. What would a 6 month be choking on? There shouldnt be anything in the cot.
I do something similar as i run on the treadmill in our garage while my baby naps on a lunch time. When he was younger i used to bring the pram out but after 6 months he would consistently nap for 2 hours so I would run and shower while he slept. Ive never felt neglectful - i have the video monitor with me the whole time so i can see him. If he wakes i stop and go and soothe him/get him up. Im actually closer to his room in the garage than i would be in the kitchen as his room is above the garage.

In the minority here, I'd be alright with it but would sit in the garden or where I could see the guesthouse.

@Viviennemary

Leaving a child in any kind of outbuilding shed, stable caravan is quite simply wilful neglect.

It's really not

One of the strangest things about mumsnet is that people are very keen on co-sleeping. It is always recommended when anyone has any trouble with their baby sleeping. Yet, co-sleeping significantly increases the risk of SIDS. On the other hand, letting your baby sleep in a different room (less risky for SIDS than co-sleeping!) is considered a huge no-no here.

Despite you clarifying what the building is, it would still be a no for me. I don't think it is safe for many reasons. I just don't see why you need to.

Hats off to your @Zipfer for accessing the risk, being thoughtful and continuing to respond patiently to people who are being incendiary or just not reading your posts properly.

I genuinely do think the zero risk is acceptable approach does parents, women in particularly real harm.

Fucking hell..... have a word with yourselves.

Most issues with co-sleeping occur when it’s not planned - when a parent falls asleep accidentally or where they have been drinking or taking drugs. This can be in the bedroom or commonly falling asleep on the sofa. There’s obviously the happy medium of keeping a child in a cot next to the bed which doesn’t carry the same risk.

OP I too applaud your patience with some of the neurotic posts on here. I'm not sure if I'd do it or not but you've been so good at patiently explaining your situation over and over.

@Myplantsare

OP I too applaud your patience with some of the neurotic posts on here. I'm not sure if I'd do it or not but you've been so good at patiently explaining your situation over and over.

She did ask for opinions! It's not as if we all found out and then went round her house to demand answers, is it?

Some choices are difficult but necessary ones to have to consider and weighing up risks and benefits is obviously key. I don't really understand why a parent would do anything that increases SIDS risk unless they really feel at the end of their rope. I say that as someone who would never put a baby down to sleep upstairs and leave them or co-sleep. I have followed the guidance to the letter and don't understand people who make different choices for their own convenience.

Honestly why do some people have children.

No way on God’s earth! Why would you even consider it? 😳

I'm surprised by all of the negative comments. It doesn't sound unreasonable to me at all and I don't see any difference between this situation and the baby being put to sleep in a different part of the house.

I don't see any difference between this situation and the baby being put to sleep in a different part of the house

Apart from the locked door.

@PollyPepper

Honestly why do some people have children.

That's quite a judgement going on there

Was the house locked?

The front door, yes. The back door out to the garden, no.

No I wouldn't be comfortable with it. There's too many obstacles in the way of getting to the baby - locked doors, outside space. I also wouldn't leave a baby in a room that was at the other end of a large house either. I want to be able to get to them in a few seconds if I need to.

What would a 6 month be choking on?

Vomit or dribble, their tongue.

I’ve also never understood people who insist on sit in the dark next to a sleeping baby and refuse to leave them in a room on their own. Why?!

I agree, but I don’t know anyone in real life who does/did this. I’ve only heard about it on Mumsnet!

The fact that you have asked the question of us would indicate that your motherly instincts are uncomfortable with this. If you thought it was ok you wouldn’t have asked. Personally, no I would keep baby with me in the main house until I went to bed in the guest house.