Is it a MN crime to leave your sleeping baby in the garden, if you can't see them ?

[Oblomov]

I was on my PN thread the other day. And one of my lovely ladies told me that :
"There is a general feeling on here that leaving them out in the garden where you can't see them is a BAD thing though"
So is this a MN crime then ?
Becasue if I return from the school run and ds2 has dropped off, I pop him in the garden with the back door open. And the upstairs window open. And so I can hear him, if he makes a minor murmur. And I wander round the house, kitchen , upstairs, putting washing away. And I can not see him.
And I beleive this is o.k.
If someone had the sole intention of stealing him they would have to deliberately jump over my 6 foot wooden fence. Now this is of course A RISK. But I have considered it.
My mil swears that letting babies sleep outside is good for them.
There is risk. And then there is 'risk'. Are we not all becoming a bit too risk scared ?

I worry about bees. But I'm a bit neurotic.

However after a 'will the fox eat my baby' thread, I discovered that yes, it is an MN crime. My sensible non-neurotic side can't see a problem with it though.

Plantsitter, I must have missed that thread. It sounds hilarious.

I believe it is ok too and have done it quite a bit with dd this summer. The worries that cross my mind are a cat sitting on her face (think this is prob an old wives' tale) and a branch falling on her head. Both quite unlikely...

Much safer than when you're crossing the road with them etc.

I guess that as long as you don't have pets, your neighbour cats are not taking a snif at him, and you ensure he is not roasting under the sun, things should be fine

you need a silvercross though...

In my old house - very quiet no through road of vic semi's I left my dd asleep in the front garden! various elderly neighbours would bring my washing in if it rained when I was out, one would iron it for me, so I felt very safe there. Also had V squeaky gate, so would have heard anyone coming in.

When we were selling, one viewer's DS had fallen asleep in pram, beautiful spring day and looked aghast when I suggested that her pfb would be quite safe left out there - she was from London though.

In Denmark and other Scandi countries it is very usual for DC to be left to sleep outside or outside shops even.

could you put a mosquito net over the pram to prevent cat/fox/bees getting to them?

I leave DD sleeping in the garden with the back door open if I am downstairs. I live in a very quiet area and the back gate is closed (and 6 ft tall). I don't see a problem with it if you live in a quiet safe area and your garden is secure. Could you just wheel the buggy inside if you are worried?

Marmaduke, oh yes, you see, sometimes, I do that aswell.
I have an enclosed front garden. And it is part of a couryard, of 6 houses.
And unless you come right up to my front wall, with the intention of opening my gate, you can not see/know that my baby is asleep in the pram.
So I leave him there . And yes, once again, someone could steal him, I guess. It is a POSSIBILITY. If that was their sole intention.

I did this with mine

If someone wants to steal your baby, they will find a way to do it

It is madness to think they must be in your direct vision at all times

How do these people sleep at night, do they stand over the cot through the wee hours, guarding their precious bundle ??

Yes it is. I am sure.

However I would do it. I expect I did.

anyfucker, in the mad heat that we had a while ago, which I nearly can't tememebrr it is so much of a distant memory, my friend who also had a young baby , like me, wouldn't leave the tiny top window open , in case someone broke into her garden, and climbed up the ladder they would have had to bring with them, and stole him.

I'm not sure if cats sitting on them is an old wives tale and it's for that reason that I don't leave ds out there. Am I mad?

oblomov, your friend is a nutter

When mine were babies often left them outside.Once I glanced out of the window and realised that it had been raining stairrods on my 3m old baby.Rushed outside and we was soaked to the skin but still fast asleep .Bless !!

DD often sleeps out in the back garden in the buggy (DS did too).

I wasn't aware that foxes were a particular concern...

I would, as long as it was a shady spot... or not a freezing spot... you know, a nice happy medium.

I've also left dd sleeping in the car (not on boling hot day) on my drive. That's another crime too, I believe.

I used to park DS down in the shade in our backyard, it was a quarter acre so quite a long way from the house. The dog would come and get me if he cried. Am convinced the dog thought the baby was hers and I was just the wetnurse with thumbs.

Cat used to also snuggle into the rocker/cot with DS, she never slept on him but I guess in the winter he was warm and soft. SHE wasn't terribly impressed when he cried though.

I am extremely relaxed when it comes to parenting, can you tell?

What if it gets stolen by a dingo?

what is a dingo?

Dingo is a wild dog. Not really an issue in the suburbs I think.

I did the car thing too

When this old gimmer had her babies we left them everywhere - outside shops, in the garden (obligatory cat net), on the bus, anywhere really. We ate brie and pate too.

I did car thing. In the winter but we had a carport that opened directly onto the kitchen. So if DS was asleep in the car when we got back, I would wind down his window and then leave the back door open.

Obviously wouldn't do this in summer though.

I do it all the time. Fresh air is a good thing. Foxes don't tend to be that active during the day but I'm hoping that was a joke. I'd like to see one of my neighbours wimpy cats try to take on my dd's though. I know who my money'd be on!

Mine sleep in the car on the drive too. And in the garage in the buggy. It is attached to the house with an open door through by the way.