Leaving baby in car?

dark crystal

Tayla wrote: »

On top of all the other reasons given my people here I wouldn't leave a small baby in the car for any length of time at all because young babies can get sick at any time and I would be worried about them choking.

But let's say a baby is sleeping soundly in his or her moses basket in the living room and you leave the room to go to the toilet, or take the dinner out of the oven, or put a load in the washing machine... what's to say the baby wouldn't choke on those occasions? The time frame is the same as if you left the baby for a minute or two to run in and pay for petrol.

There's a danger that parents can go a little overboard on taking innocuous situations and imagining all sorts of hazzards that could possibly occur in a such a short space of time away from their babies.

In reality, there will be times when you have to be away from the little ones for short periods of time. Imagining the worst all the time will only serve to heap stress on you when it's really not needed.

The anecdote about the parents in the restaurant is a completely different scenario. There are no circumstances in which it is acceptable to leave small children alone in a car out of sight for such a prolonged period. That is just irresponsible parenting, plain and simple.

Tayla

dark crystal wrote: »

But let's say a baby is sleeping soundly in his or her moses basket in the living room and you leave the room to go to the toilet, or take the dinner out of the oven, or put a load in the washing machine... what's to say the baby wouldn't choke on those occasions? The time frame is the same as if you left the baby for a minute or two to run in and pay for petrol.

You would have more chance of hearing them if you were still in the house, even if you were in another room, you wouldn't hear anything if you were in the shop.

I actually had a baby bean bag which I could carry from room to room without disturbing her when she was very small.

dark crystal wrote: »

There's a danger that parents can go a little overboard on taking innocuous situations and imagining all sorts of hazzards that could possibly occur in a such a short space of time away from their babies.

In reality, there will be times when you have to be away from the little ones for short periods of time. Imagining the worst all the time will only serve to heap stress on you when it's really not needed.

I don't agree that you 'have' to leave them on their own for short periods of time.

I would never leave my baby in the car, simple as that, everyone has their own opinion on this.

It's not me being paranoid or imagining every little scenario and going overboard, they're only babies for a small time and it's not an inconvenience for me to take them out of the car so why wouldn't I?

dark crystal wrote: »

The anecdote about the parents in the restaurant is a completely different scenario. There are no circumstances in which it is acceptable to leave small children alone in a car out of sight for such a prolonged period. That is just irresponsible parenting, plain and simple.

Oh I know, it was disgraceful, what kind of people do that?

The reason I brought it up was in response to a poster who said that they could see the car from the shop, seeing the car doesn't mean you know that everything is ok.

dark crystal

Tayla wrote: »

You would have more chance of hearing them if you were still in the house, even if you were in another room, you wouldn't hear anything if you were in the shop.

I don't agree that you 'have' to leave them on their own for short periods of time.

We'll agree to disagree on that one, Tayla. I think there must be times when you have to leave them on their own for short periods of time.

For example, I wouldn't take the baby upstairs with me to the toilet, or if I was changing the bed, or putting the rubbish out, while he was sleeping downstairs. These tasks take minutes, but have to be done without a baby in tow.

Like I said before, I understand parents being vigilant (it's our job!), but sometimes, practicalities of everyday life mean leaving babies alone for short periods sometimes. They are much hardier than some give them credit for!

Tayla

dark crystal wrote: »

Like I said before, I understand parents being vigilant (it's our job!), but sometimes, practicalities of everyday life mean leaving babies alone for short periods sometimes. They are much hardier than some give them credit for!

My little girl was born a few weeks early and she was only 5 pounds 6 when we left the hospital so as you can imagine she was teeny tiny, I suppose it was just my instinct to have her beside me as much as possible:)

I'm not saying I never left her side though, I have a 5 year old who would keep an on eye on her for me if I was doing housework etc. which was a great help in the early months

vitani

With cars driving all over the forecourt, there's a greater risk, IMO, in taking the baby & carseat out and hauling them into the kiosk to pay for petrol. I only get petrol when it's quiet and there's not much of a queue and the car is always within sight.

There's more chance of a small moving target not being seen than a stationary car being hit, and someone else sitting in the car with the baby while I pay for petrol isn't going to reduce that risk.

Hannibal Smith

I leave him in the car...I always have. Petrol stations move so quickly, when everyone has their money ready. If you're worried about tripping up or slipping on something while they're in the car, could you just not watch where you walk?

biko

I see no reason to worry if you're just going in to pay for petrol.