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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cover babies pram with a muslin?

139 replies

onebadmum · 08/09/2023 16:33

My child had an appt today in a hospital clinic. I had my 6 month old baby with us too.

There were delays and we ended up in the clinic for 4+ hours, waiting for the plaster, then x-ray and consultant.

Anyway- baby was getting exceptionally fed up after all this time. I'd tried feeding the sleep, rocking, popping her in her pram and rocking but all the lights/noise/people and she was just far too distracted. She was overtired due to the wait.

I decided to try putting her down in her pram again, popped my phone on with white noise and put a muslin over the top to block out the lights/distractions while I rocked the pram.

There were gaps on both sides so I could see her. I could see she was finally nodding off when a nurse appeared and pulled the muslin off without even looking at me or addressing me (I think I was quite taken aback and thinking "oi you've just woke my baby up")

She started talking to my baby and making a fuss of her (without so much as looking at me)... and said to baby "we don't have this over you do you, you'll be far too hot"... before walking off.

I realised then that she clearly had an issue with the muslin. But as it had been working to get my baby to sleep before the nurse had come over, I just pulled it back over and continued as I was before.

A short time later the nurse reappeared and spoke directly to me this time, and told me off and how dangerous having blankets over babies are.

I'm prepared to be told I was unreasonable to do so... however we were inside, with plenty of fans and the temperature while warmer then average for this time of year was far from sweltering?

I would never cover my baby out in the hot sun. I've had four children so like to think of myself as fairly experienced, but was I wrong?

OP posts:
modgepodge · 08/09/2023 16:35

I think all the advice is that covering the pram with anything, even a muslin, js an exceptionally bad idea. Even inside. She handled it badly but I think she was right.

Annaishere · 08/09/2023 16:36

No you know your own baby

44PumpLane · 08/09/2023 16:36

She was completely unreasonable to do that.....you could see your baby, you were inside. If she had an issue she could have talked to you, what she did was exceptionally rude.

Curseofthenation · 08/09/2023 16:37

I agree with @modgepodge. Hopefully the nurse learnt a valuable lesson in managing her approach to these types of situations in the future. She didn't need to be so patronising.

AlltheFs · 08/09/2023 16:37

She is right, you shouldn’t ever do it. It goes against all the guidance.

Ultimately it’s your choice as a parent but she was right to point it out.

CauliflowerBlue · 08/09/2023 16:37

modgepodge · 08/09/2023 16:35

I think all the advice is that covering the pram with anything, even a muslin, js an exceptionally bad idea. Even inside. She handled it badly but I think she was right.

This is my take too

anicecuppateaa · 08/09/2023 16:38

Sorry, I am with the nurse. It’s totally unsafe.

notforonesecond · 08/09/2023 16:38

What like draped between the hood and the handlebar but totally uncovered at the sides? Inside out of direct sunlight?

Cant see why that'd be an issue. She sounds weird.

Blackblueandgold · 08/09/2023 16:40

I thought it was a well known fact that you should never cover a pram with anything like that.

Legoroses · 08/09/2023 16:40

So are snoozeshades also unsafe? I thought they were a godsend to be honest. Esp in bright sunlight.

Original poster
onebadmum · 08/09/2023 16:41

Can I ask, if I was breastfeeding my baby in the exact same scenario with a Muslim draped over us would that also be dangerous and unacceptable?

Would anyone have said anything to me if that was the case? Just a thought

OP posts:
HelpIcantfindaname · 08/09/2023 16:41

Having lost my 3 month old grandson to cotdeath 17 years ago I am always very careful to follow guidelines, & would never cover the pram with anything. And Jack wasn't covered in a buggy, he was in his moses basket by his parents bed in March, he didn't overheat. But with all the grandkids since & DD14 I'm always very careful.

The nurse maybe could have handled it better, especially the first time, but I think she was right to say to remove the muslin. I forget the figures but inside the pram can heat up a lot when a cover is placed over the top.

It's unfortunate the nurse woke your baby, but I'm sure she was trying to do what is best.

comedownwithme · 08/09/2023 16:41

was I wrong?

Yes.

Rounee · 08/09/2023 16:43

YABU

Even if its isn't that hot the muslin can trap the heat and make it hotter in the pram.

JanS17 · 08/09/2023 16:44

Why is this so dangerous? I’ve done this a few times in a restaurant, it’s just a thin muslin and the sides are uncovered so I can see my baby and she can breathe.

Annaishere · 08/09/2023 16:44

I doubt muslin would trap a lot of heat

TakeMe2Insanity · 08/09/2023 16:45

Legoroses · 08/09/2023 16:40

So are snoozeshades also unsafe? I thought they were a godsend to be honest. Esp in bright sunlight.

I think snoozeshades are considered safe as they have air holes in so air does flow. Muslin and blanket’s don’t.

The nurse was right but the way she handled it was wrong.

rainbowunicorn · 08/09/2023 16:47

JanS17 · 08/09/2023 16:44

Why is this so dangerous? I’ve done this a few times in a restaurant, it’s just a thin muslin and the sides are uncovered so I can see my baby and she can breathe.

It reduces airflow and increases heat. It doesn't have to increase the heat a lot to be dangerous

Brightandshining · 08/09/2023 16:47

Yanbu she was a rude bitch
She might have a point if you'd wrapped the muslin right round with no gaps and were in direct blazing sunlight. That can be an issue. But inside with clear gaps either side? She's just being an officious idiot.
I know the risk of overheating from wrapping up a pram but I've still used a muslin as a shield from visual stimulation to get my baby to calm down.you just need to make sure there's adequate ventilation, that there's large gaps for the air to circulate.

I hate people that just interfere like that... I once had an old woman just yank a stick out of my toddler daughters hand without asking me.. and she was muttering 'she could poke her eye out with that so dangerous'
I took the stick back out of her hand and gave it back to my daughter whilst glaring straight into that woman's eyes... and she stropped off cursing me under her breath.
Guess what, my daughter has not yet once poked her own eye out or had any kind of injury due to playing with a stick whilst closely watched.

Rounee · 08/09/2023 16:47

I personally wouldn't use a snooze shade.

Things like that are considered safe until they aren't.

Excited101 · 08/09/2023 16:48

She handled it badly, but she was right. Get yourself a snoozeshade- they’re amazing

HearMeSnore · 08/09/2023 16:48

Some people get terribly upset about muslins on prams because they've heard you shouldn't drape anything over the pram no matter how light it is.

Of course, the guidance is referring to situations where you create a stifling cocoon in which air can't circulate. It does not refer to using a cloth to make a comfort screen or a sun shade while ensuring free movement of air.

The problem is with the nurse who knows that things draped over prams are bad but hasn't bothered to reflect on the reason why. If she had, she'd have realised there was no danger and she had no business butting in.

Original poster
onebadmum · 08/09/2023 16:48

PinkFootstool · 08/09/2023 16:42

The nurse was right. You don't have to like it and she could have handled it more gently, but she was still right.

https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-summer-safety/#

I'm well aware of the guidance, I've had four children. This link is referring to when you are outside in the sun and states to use a sunshade or parasol instead.

It's not relevant to the scenario I found myself in. I have never and would never cover any of my babies with a blank or muslin outside.

And same as pp, I've seen many a parents do this inside at restaurants, shopping centres etc.

OP posts:
Thementalloadisreal · 08/09/2023 16:49

Nurse had a good point but made it badly. You don’t wake a baby, you speak to the parent. She could have just said “oh you know that’s not a good idea actually because the baby can get too hot”

OP could have said something like “I know, but I’m only using it to get the light out of her eyes for a bit while she goes off to sleep, the sides are open to allow airflow and I can see her at all time, as soon as she’s asleep I’ll take it off, but thanks for your advice.”