To approach this mum with this warning?

[swimmingwiththefishes]

Ok so I would NEVER normally approach a mum and 'point something out' BUT,

It's a hot day here (26 when I went to the park earlier) and I took the dog out for a walk in my local park. Took DS2 who's 6 months.

As I walked around the park and across some fields, there were two mums sat having a picnic of some sorts in the sun (no shade).

One of the mums obviously had a baby for a nap in the pram (I assume baby as bassinet attachment). To create some shade she had taken two muslins and draped them over the opening of the bassinet and clipped them with pram clips across the openings.

I'm pretty sure that this creates a hothouse type effect and can be quite dangerous. I actually had DS2 also napping and had a snuzshade draped over to stop the sunlight creeping in (black thin material with air holes to create shade but let the air flow).

I ummed and errd but decided I had to say something so really thought about the least offensive way to say it (I'm sure I could have found better!!).

Below is the convo. My friend thinks I was totally out of order to do this but I think I couldn't in good conscious not say anything

Me; gosh, it's soooo hot today isn't it? Nice to have some sun but poor little ones get so hot
Mum: oh yes, we're enjoying being able to get some sun!
Me: I'm not sure if it's helpful but I've found these snuzshade things really good as they let the air in so much more lightweight and breathable than muslins.
Mum: what do you mean?
Me: sorry, it's just I've read that muslins don't let the air through so can make babies hotter so I just thought I'd mention how great I've found this product as not sure if you're aware?
Mum: tell you what? Why don't you fuck right off and leave us the fuck alone
Me: ok, I'm literally trying to stop your child from overheating, that's all. Look it up.

I told my friend about the above convo and she said I probably came across as patronising and interfering. Yup, I probably did come across like that but that poor baby was probably roasting in there!

I'm sure I could have approached it better but WIBU?

I think it’s fine that you did this. Even though you probably came across as patronising. She will now know. I never knew this when mine were babies.

My understanding is two Muslins is fine because there's an overlap where the air can escape.

I wouldn't have appreciated it, but on the other hand it isgood to speak up if we think a child isn't safe, regardless of the response we get!

@swimmingwiththefishes

A quick Google will tell you the snoozeshade is still recommended by most mother and baby websites

There are countless products market at parents preying on their insecurities and fears, many of which are not necessary, some are downright dangerous.

Mother and baby websites are approached by PR companies, consultants or paid employees of the producers of these products who pitch their products to be included in their websites. Google is all about strategies to be on the first page.... not truth!! Research is all about who is paying and how to ask the right question and investigations only happen when something goes wrong and negative press or facts are often burried in a deluge of positive claims.

Don't believe all the hype. Someone is always making a buck.

Well said, and for years everyone has somehow managed without this product and not boiled their child...

People can buy a secondhand one for £5 on Facebook marketplace, it's really not some kind of elite exciting thing. It's just a product that works. The same way you buy your kid a UPF 50+ swim outfit and hat, and put on sunscreen once old enough. If those things didn't exist you'd not use them, but given they do exist parents can choose to use them.

We walk the dog befor ethe sun comes up, and after the sun goes down. Our dogs are used to the heat, its the scalding pavements we have to worry about!

I'm not sure I could ever bring myself to buy a product called a "snuzshade" 😊.

And my first thought was "what about the dog?" too.

You were rude. She was ruder (marginally).

You spoke your mind - good on you OP! You'd feel worse not having voiced your concern. So they got a bit defensive, no big deal, they might still research it and learn about it which is the important part.

Tricky one. I'd probably have said sorry, you're going to think I'm a total dickhead but I read it's dangerous to drape Muslims over a pram, just thought I'd let you know...and run away.

I read it's dangerous to drape Muslims over a pram

😂😂😂

Yes. Or something that acknowledges that they probably get fed up with unasked for advice.

They don't though aparantly. Someone linked a which article upthread.

Nothing wrong with offering knowledge. They were being defensive. Personally I save myself the bother as I've noticed people don't really care if what they're doing is wrong.

I agree with you. You actually approached it in a decent way. Obviously most on here don't agree with you and will tell the likes of us we are hateful and "must be fun at parties" etc.

be yourself, make it easy to find others like you.

"just thought I'd mention how great I've found this product"

Anyone who started out with a line of spurious small talk and then said that - I would definitely assume you were going into some bollocks MLM and I would tell you to fuck off, as I'm past the age of being polite when I don't want to be  (obviously if the DC were old to enough to understand/repeat I wouldn't have said it. I'm not a total knob).

@swimmingwiththefishes if you are still there behind the charred remains of your crap sunshade  try Sugarhill for the dinosaur jumpsuit. (Or Lucy and Yak. They're MN's new Boden, but they do have some nice stuff).

The which article didn't dispute the UVA/UVB qualities, unless you mean some different article. You might not recall with older babies or depending on time of year your babies were born, but under 6 months there is no sunscreen recommended!

The article said that facing direct sunlight the temperature increases, though it increases less with snoozeshade than other covers. They didn't test it with the pushchair facing into shade in the article. We had a baby in a hot summer, we checked everything carefully.