Would this be considered essential

[Rosebel]

My husband and I have a lot of baby equipment at my parents house in their loft.I don't need it yet but probably will before lockdown ends (or it will be close). My parents live almost 20 miles away and I could ask them to leave everything outside. Would that be a considered an essential journey?

I'd say so if you are due and going to need it :)

No sorry.

Medical appointments, shopping for essentials + caring for the vulnerable are essential journeys.

People have been managing on minimal baby equipment for centuries, I'm sure a few extra weeks/months won't do your little one any harm.

Why would it be a problem for them to drop it off outside? Genuine question for the sticklers.

It’s not the leaving the stuff outside that’s the problem. It’s the car journey.
That’s 20 miles that the car could break down, or be in a crash or need to refill in petrol. This increases the risk of the driver having to interact with people/equipment, touching petrol pump, having to call out a breakdown van etc etc

Once the baby is here yes.

If you need the stuff, I would consider it essential.

Why not ask them to get it ready and then see how things stand nearer the time you are likely to need.

I would wait until you need it, circumstances might have changed by then.

We literally have nothing, not even a car seat for coming home and yet at the same time I'm worried that if I got stopped by the police they would say it's not essential. We were going to wait a few,weeks but then worried about the rules for travel getting stricter.

What is the equipment? Is it a cot, etc that you'll need because you'll imminently be giving birth? Or is it garden toys that will be useful because it's sunny outside?

Essential = you cannot live without it.

Non essential = you need to wait.

It's allowed to put petrol in your car. The chance of your car being in an accident or breaking down or crashing on a 20 mile journey are remote and even if either happens this won't automatically pass on the virus. Deliveries from shops of non-essentials are still allowed and this is far more essential than a book from Amazon. People have lost their minds.

I'd say it sounds essential

I do think I would consider it essential and preferable to you having to order new stuff online which would be delivered by overworked warehouse/delivery staff who are coming into contact with lots of people.

Potentially comparable to shopping for essentials, if you genuinely need it.

The government has been clear that the permitted activities are examples (the legislation also states this), so if an activity is reasonably necessary in the eyes of a reasonable person, it is permissible.

A car seat and a cot are essential in my view (I’m not bashing cosleeping but I certainly could not have coslept safely with my newborn).

If you are collecting essential items like car seat then yes.
But you do not need permission from Mumsnet.

I don't need it yet but probably will before lockdown ends (or it will be close).
You don't need it yet anyway so, no, I wouldn't consider it essential to collect it.

It isn't essential food or medicine so actually isn't essential at all.

How you do you you'll need it before lockdown ends? When will you need it? When is lockdown ending only I must have missed hearing that?

Of course you can go and get it. Having your car seat ready for your baby is essential. People are losing their minds. Get yourself sorted for baby's arrival, it's stressful enough awaiting baby at this time without not having your car seat or cot ready. Good luck for your new baby.

I'm not sure what is classed as essential but would just do it but use precautions as you have stated. A delivery of cat litter accidentally hot sent to my parents house last week and we were running out (2 x indoor cats) so we asked them to leave the box in their driveway and my husband collected using gloves. We didnt knock the door or see my parents and we quarantined the box in our porch when we got home for 24 hours. As I see it, if we hadnt collected, we'd have had to go to a shop for some which would have put us at a higher risk.

Due in 7 weeks everything is stored at my dads tbh it's only a 5 minute drive but my oh will need to go and get it all soon for it to then all be cleaned and set up. It's all stuff like a next to me Moses basket bouncer. Bath bottles changing mat etc! If I don't get it then what's my baby to sleep on? Cause we have nothing here and her sister is still using the cot! So to me yes this is essential stuff same with I have had to order some stuff offline for the baby coming as was hoping to get it from the shops but I ain't been going out! X

Agree, as it includes essential items then at some point you will need this stuff.

just because you are fetching it from storage rather than buying it, does not negate your need for it.

Sorry OP it wasn't very clear from your first post what equipment you needed or that you haven't actually had your baby yet. I have stuff at my parents house from my previous baby that I'll want when mine is older.

Of course a car seat is essential!!

Of course it’s essential, the people saying it’s not sufficiently essential are probably the same people who in more ordinary circumstances were loosing their minds over 10 year olds not using car seats.

Getting equipment to keep a baby safe and secure is the very definition of essential to me! What are you going to do, keep it in a drawer.

Don't even ask on here, just go do what you have to do (you sound sensible).

Car seat is essential. You won't be able to bring your baby home without it.