To think you should always sit beside baby on a bus?

[AInightingale]

I was on a bus today, not many passengers, and a woman got on with a child of about three and a pram (the lie-down sort) which held a very small baby, by the looks of things not much more than a couple of weeks old. She put the pram in the 'space' for them (the baby was fast asleep), put the brake on, and went right up to the rear of the bus to sit with the older child. Would you do this? I know it's a slim chance of the bus having to make a sudden stop but something about it made me feel really on edge. No-one said anything but I found it a bit...nervewracking to see. AIBU?

YANBU. I find it odd to not want to keep close watch on your newborn baby. My anxiety would have me thinking of someone running off with the baby if Mum is way down the back of the bus. Granted, that's a very extreme example of something that could go wrong😂 Pram falling over would be another fear. I just thought most people would sit right beside the pram to keep an eye.

I had the pram tip over once on a bus - I was sitting right there holding the handle but it jerked out of my hand and slid along the floor. Thankfully DC was strapped in and was OK.
Another time, again I was right alongside, another (quite large and heavy) passenger lost their balance and fell over on top of DC in their pram. I dragged the passenger off immediately and fortunately we were only a couple of stops from the health centre and I took DC straight in to be checked over - fine again thankfully.
But accidents can still happen even when you are right on the s spot holding on to the pram, so leaving it unattended seems very risky to me.

Yes, me too. There are some absolute weirdos on public transport in my city and I'd be scared to death to leave my baby unattended.

I wouldn’t dream of leaving the pram. I’m in London and travelled by bus a lot when my DC were little.

It really depends on the pram for me.
I had two: the first one was really heavy-based and very unlikely to tip.
The second was lightweight and I couldn't have left that.
This isn't something I'd feel strongly about anyway.

I wouldn’t leave a baby unattended, and I always my hand on the pram handle.

Recently the bus we were on made an emergency stop and an elderly lady who was sitting in an aisle seat was thrown into the aisle, just over two seats ahead, and crash landed on her back. Her shopping was thrown everywhere, and DS and I ended up with arm injuries from bracing ourselves. A few others were hurt too. Why would leave a baby unattended in a moving vehicle, which is far less secure than in a baby car seat?

Thank you for replies. Just seemed odd especially given that the seat directly in front of the pram/wheelchair space was empty. Some people just don't seem to have much imagination (whereas I'm a bit of a catastrophist tbh.)

Yes you’re over anxious op, and people like you make everyone else over anxious

I can't think of any real benefit to siting right next to the pram but I can see that sitting at the back ( and with mummy by myself ) would appeal greatly to the toddler

I live rurally.
If I was knew the risk of the pram tipping over or whatever was very low (low centre of gravity, bags underneath, solid brake) and the bus was pretty empty, and maybe my toddler really needed some Mum time while the newborn was sleeping then I would probably have done this.
Maybe the Mum and toddler would really benefit from having a short bus ride together in the knowledge that the baby would sleep due to bus movement.
I'm pretty fast (maybe not as 2 week pp mind you!) I would be able to get to a pram quite quickly.

I would make sure the three year old was sat, where I could still see him, and stay with the pram. I was holding on to mine once when the bus swung round a corner too fast and it tipped, the act of righting it before it fell badly jarred my wrist and my shopping went flying. It’s not safe for small children to stand most of the time either even if they are holding on. The buses here are just too jerky. Plus sometimes you have to get up and make way for another buggy to come in or out, or get off if there’s a wheelchair. My boy always wants to sit at the back near a window though so I’m glad I only have him to worry about. When I nanny more than one child I don’t ever leave the pram or buggy if there’s a child in it.

The buses in my local area have a recorded announcement saying 'For your child's safety,please stay with your buggy' when anyone with a pushchair gets on.

You're meant to stay with the baby. 1. The pram could tip. 2. Someone could harm the baby

I disagree. I think a baby in a pram is less likely to get injured than a 3 year old standing up. Unless they're clinging on, any jerky movement could see them bang their head on the pole, or wobble over.
I find it hard myself sometimes.

I live in a city and have seen horrible things happen when the bus makes a sharp turn. So never would I do that

One time, dd fell out of the bus seat and banged her head - she was about 2 or 3. So scary, i was in tears. And i was sat next to her

The mum just probably didn't think - it's exhausting with two

As a former childminder who used public transport I would never leave the pram unattended. It's an absolute pain but I would not be able to relax. I have seen prams move even when the brakes are on. They can tip so easily.

It's not just about this being my job, I was the same with my children and grandchildren too.

It’s hard with 2 little ones on your own on public transport but weighing up the risks I’d far rather the risk of a 3YO wobbling onto their bum or doinking their head on the pole than a newborn goes flying out of a pram bassinet if it tips. When I’ve been in that scenario though I’ve told the 3YO to sit in a vacant seat where I can see them, whilst I stand with the pram. OP says the bus wasn’t that busy so it doesn’t like the back of the bus was the only available seating.

I think it is also dependent on the area you're travelling in. London buses are brutal. I wouldn't leave a pram and sit away on them there. My local buses are sedate and I would feel a lot more relaxed about it.

No, I would not leave the baby alone up front. I’m feeling like having a panic attack just thinking about it,

I think it was in Scotland in the 00’s. Arriva stopped letting babies on after a ban fell out and broke their legs. As well as it being unsafe I wouldn’t want a random stranger sitting next to my newborn.