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Original poster

Would you leave a sleeping baby alone in the house for 10 mins?

53 replies

MrsDL · 21/08/2012 15:04

Even as I write the subject I'm thinking nooooo, I'll be shot down in flames. And I think thats probably right. But kind of want a sense check.
My third baby is usually asleep when I have to go and collect the middle one from nursery, about a quarter of a mile up the road. Takes ten mins.
I hate to wake the baby for the trip, left undisturbed she could nap much longer. I've tried to tell myself it is like going down the end of the garden for ten mins or similar. But it's not, getting in the car would be like crossing a line.
So is everyone reading this thinking, damn right silly woman, why are you even contemplating it...?! Hmmm, thought so.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ledkr · 21/08/2012 22:41

Where would you draw the line,next thing it will be to the shops or something these things have a habit of escalating as it becomes the norm.

cheesesarnie · 21/08/2012 22:43

Nope.

my third dc naps/feeds were built around the older twos drop off and pick ups. it was part of our routine not something that broke his routine.

Janoschi · 21/08/2012 23:53

I had to do something sort of similar for a few days when my other half was away. I had to take out my elderly dog at about midnight every night and there was no choice but to leave DD snoring upstairs for 5 mins. Worried me no end though!

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Rockchick1984 · 22/08/2012 00:14

10 mins walk - maybe. That would only actually be 5 mins each way, and could realistically be in the garden chatting to a neighbour for that long.

10 mins drive - not in a million years. What if you were in an accident, what if there was an accident you witnessed and had to give statements to the police? What if on leaving nursery the car wouldn't start? Too many variables.

As an aside, I wouldn't be driving 1/4 mile up to nursery anyway, the fresh air will do the kids good so I'd be putting DC3 into the pram for nap, and walking up to nursery!

nannyl · 22/08/2012 08:52

my friend (who lived NEXT DOOR to the drs) did this to nip to the dr surgary

quite rightly she was reported to social services (by her our Dr [who did ask where the children were, and she did say that they were asleep, alone, in their beds next door])

RillaBlythe · 22/08/2012 08:59

I occasionally have left dc2 in her cot asleep when I go to fetch dc1 from nursery. To get to the school I go out our back gate & across the alley, cross the road & I'm there. It is a 5 min round trip.

surroundedbyblondes · 22/08/2012 09:04

I had exactly the same with DD2. In the end I resorted to putting her in her buggy, taking a good walk (exercise for me and DDog, so killing several birds with one stone) and letting her to continue to sleep in her buggy, then pushing her round to do nursery collection. In the end I quite enjoyed it

Champneys · 22/08/2012 09:06

I used to dash to the shop which was next door when dc1 was asleep. But no further than that. It was like standing in the garden chatting for about 3 mins.

katielou2012 · 22/08/2012 09:22

I have left my dd for 5 mins when she was asleep whilst I ran downstairs to the bakers (I live in the flat above it) but I literally ran there and back and she was still sound asleep :)

cheesesarnie · 22/08/2012 12:13

to all those that think its ok- what if (forgetting fires, accidents, sickness etc) you got held up at nursery?
the ten minutes of leaving your baby turns into 15, 20?
if you believe it is ok, how long is it ok for?

Champneys · 22/08/2012 12:20

cheese - who are all those who said it was OK?

pumpkinsweetie · 22/08/2012 12:24

Definetly not, get her to nap in her carseat then she will be asleep ready for the nursery run.

If she wakes up it aint the end of the world but leaving babies alone is neglectful, stupid and damn right dangerous.
You shouldn't even have the thought crossing your mind

dixiechick1975 · 22/08/2012 12:29

A lady was recently prosecuted and convicted in Wales for this - leaving baby unattended whilst she did the school run.

dixiechick1975 · 22/08/2012 12:32

7 month old baby - mum was charged with child neglect - she only avoided a custodial sentence as her motives were good (to ensure others got to school)

Bartusmaeus · 22/08/2012 12:36

No I wouldn't. For all the reasons above and I think you know that otherwise you wouldn't have asked (i.e. it doesn't feel right to you).

cheesesarnie · 23/08/2012 16:37

champ- quite a few have said the schools at the end of the alley or theyve popped to the shop etc.

rhetorician · 23/08/2012 16:38

no, I wouldn't

madwomanintheattic · 23/08/2012 16:47

No.

But I do know people who do it/ have done it. They are effectively ostracized by the neighbours because no one can believe they are quite so stupid, but at the same time the neighbours keep a really close eye on the house and listen out whilst she's out making her life more convenient.

My third child has cerebral palsy. We could only feed her at night because she couldn't swallow during the day without choking (issues with muscle tone) and she was a living nightmare as she screamed the whole time. To cart her to the two different school runs was a glorious pita, and if we were lucky enough that she slept during the day, it literally made me cry to have to move her. But, y'know, needs must.

Tbh, it's more of a pita doing three school runs.

lovechoc · 23/08/2012 17:26

Nope.

dikkertjedap · 23/08/2012 21:05

No, never.

Nagoo · 23/08/2012 21:10

No.

Nothing to do with what might happen to the baby (might cry a bit) everything to do with what might happen to you (squashed under a bus) leaving the baby alone for longer.

DH has left ours in bed while he tested the suspension on the car after I had it fixed. He never did grasp why I was so about it.

girliefriend · 23/08/2012 21:20

I wouldn't but my mum did this 5 days a week day when my little brother was a baby!! He is 28yo now so was a while ago and the playgroup/school was down the end of her road. I appreciate op it is a pita but I wouldn't just because its sods law that something bad will happen.

ButtonBoo · 23/08/2012 21:34

Never. As tempting as it may be. I would be terrified of having an accident and DD just left lying there, all alone. No. Never.

RillaBlythe · 23/08/2012 21:39

I posted saying I have done this. Probably less than 5 times. I think if DC1's nursery was any further away I wouldn't be comfortable, but I can literally see my house from the school gate. I wouldn't want to be away for longer than 10min & I would certainly never get in a car as the OP was I think suggesting. I've done it because the risks are so vanishingly small & the benefits have outweighed IMO - for example, the baby would sleep for another 45 mins if I left her undisturbed & I would get to spend precious time with DC1.

Fuzzymum1 · 25/08/2012 13:35

The furthest I will go while a small child is asleep in the house is next door if the postie has left a parcel with us for them. When I was a child our neighbour would leave her toddler asleep in his cot and drive the 30 minute round trip to collect her older children from school - she put a note on her car dashboard to say where she lived and that her child was asleep there incase she had an accident! Even as a child I knew that was unacceptable.

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