Has anyone ever left sleeping baby in car to nip into shop? Feel like worst mum in the world!

[CH1994]

Today I had hands down the worst experience of my life I was out with my 9 month old daughter when she fell asleep in the car. I desperately needed nappies so I thought right where can I go where I can run in quickly, so I picked a store with a glass front and where I knew the nappies were at the front. I parked the car right at the front so I could see the car from the store and ran in quickly to grab nappies ( I have never done this before and did feel uncomfortable but knew my daughter would scream if woken and it just seemed a quick easy option) anyway once at the till (car still in sight) a women came in shouting someone has left their baby in the car I said yes she's mine she's asleep and I've ran in quickly for these nappies I can see the car from in here. She continued to shout at me in front of the whole store asking why I would leave my baby like that and that she was going to call the police. I honestly wanted the ground to swallow me up. A nice man asked if I wanted to go in front of him but I ran out of the store. I have been so upset since and feel like I'm the worst mum in the world. I just want to hide for the rest of my life. So I was wondering if any other mums have left there sleeping baby in the car to grab something quickly? Was this such a terrible thing to do?

Personally I don’t think I would do this, but I can’t imagine a scenario where I’d need to as all our petrol stations are pay at pump and I’m far too lazy to drive to buy essentials when I can get Prime Now. However, it’s up to you as a parent to make an assessment on what’s safe, it sounds like you could see her the entire time and this woman sounds like nasty busybody. Ignore, ignore ignore. You did nothing wrong.

I have only ever done this at a petrol station. None of ours are pay at the pump and the only close one that is is far more expensive that the rest. I don't think I could nip into a shop though, but again, the ones round here don't have glass fronts or can see the carpark from the tills

Plenty of times in your situation. I’m sorry you were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place for that nosey old bag to cause you hassle.

No I haven't left my child unattended in a car.

I think I did it at a petrol station once or twice.

Always leave mine in the car when I pay for petrol. As long as you can see them & are only going to be a minute or so I think it's fine.
Don't beat yourself up OP X

Get a load of this OP - I had my DS at the back of my mum's car recently. We went in to pay for petrol, and I went in to grab a drink and something to eat.

We could clearly see the car form inside the shop and no waiting so got served and paid immediately. Whilst paying, we saw a random woman standing there and looking like she was waving and trying to interact with DS. We later realised it probably wasn't all that sensible to have left him...

We saw her car. It had two boosted seats in it. Which could mean 0 but anyway, I didn't really fuss.

I would've told the woman you met to piss off.

I have done this OP.

Is it the usual thing to get your child out of the car at petrol stations to pay? I have never heard of anyone doing such a thing, surely its considerably more dangerous to take a young child out of the car to drag them across a dirty, smelly forecourt with moving vehicles? Would you wake them if asleep? Starting to question whether I should have left my DC as often as I did asleep in the car on the driveway. Perhaps ignore my previous post OP.

I've done this loads of times, even when my little girl was say 3-4 months old!! Like you I've always done it where I can keep an eye on the car but now she's 7 months it doesn't phase me. I sometimes see children asleep in their car seats in car parks and I don't think anything of it... I know their parents are nearby and the car doors are locked. As long as you know your baby is safe, you can see she is at no harm then don't listen to anyone else. There is no right or wrong, your baby your rules :)