Advice please on whether I was being a rubbish mum!

[Dirtydiana]

Feel a bit daft posting this, but here goes.... Was in the supermarket with 11m DS yesterday. He was in the baby/toddler seat in the trolley, sitting quietly. I moved about 6-7 steps away from the trolley to get something from the shelf. This woman walks past and says in superior way 'watch he doesn't fall out'.

5 mins later a man points out to me that DS is chewing on one of the metal bars of the trolley(he is teething and I can't stop him doing it) and says 'yuck'.

Hence me feeling like crap mum who isn't looking after her baby properly. This has been playing on my mind since yesterday, pathetic I know!

I feel a mixture of annoyed at interfering busybodies and then thinking maybe they're right, I am crap!

You weren't being a rubbish mum, he will put worse things in his mouth!

Was he strapped into the trolly? I have seen a baby fall out and land on the supermarket floor, the noise will never leave me, after I saw it I took reins with me to keep my dc in the trolly!

Soon your child will be able to tell you how crap you are.
These people are just being jerks. Pity them. Of course you aren't crap, you are slowly giving your baby independence (the longest journey begins with 6-7 steps away from mum) and building his immune system (supermarket inoculations, very important, that's why babies have evolved to suck on everything).

Oh ignore other peoples 'advise' some people can't help themselves. As long as you know your dc is being well cared for, is safe and loved. My 8 month old ds who is our fourth is regularly found chewing horrid things!!! He particularly like his big brothers slippers and licking the kitchen floor!

This parenting lark requires a thick skin my love, smile and wave, smile and wave........ Sorry a bit manic today only have two at home as big ones back at school today!

AdviCe

Claimed No, the trolly's have no straps on them. I was thinking of reins myself for the future. He wasn't about to escape and I was keeping an eye on him, but for this woman to comment I was doubting my parenting 'skills!'.

snailoon He loves chewing on anything he's not supposed to, so I am pretty relaxed about these things normally. I suppose it was two comments in one trip that got to me!

no you weren't being crap. you wll be laughing about this in years to come when you think back to the time he licked the wheel of his buggy.

Four4me You're right, I def need a thicker skin!

They don't just fall out with no warning. If you're watching them you would see if they were standing up/leaning really far over etc. I once saw a baby stand up in the trolley seat, the mum looking the other way. I got her attention to tell her her child was standing up and she apologised to me and then (after sitting her child down) went straight back to perusing the clothing rails! It can happen quickly but if you're watching then there's no issue really.

My DD decided to chew on the metal prong thing which is on the chain that connects the trollies together (those ones that you have to put a pound in to get a trolley out) today in Aldi, she screamed when I took it away so I let her have it, this is another child that would think nothing of chewing a shoe, the cat's tail etc I'm sure she will have a great immune system.