Stupid question, but can I leave my baby in the car for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wear a wrap or take a sling to drop off/pick up. Your infant isn’t a dog.

Less snarky…the car seat with a handle works best if you carry it beside you. Less work than a snap and go. https://www.wikihow.com/Carry-a-Car-Seat

It takes more time and coordination, but please don’t leave your child alone in car.

https://www.wikihow.com/Carry-a-Car-Seat

As someone who is barely 5’1, I find it really awkward to carry the car seat like that. The snap n go is so much easier for me. Just wanted to throw out that perspective.

I'm 5'4" and it was always uncomfortable for me as well. And I'm pretty strong -- I used to be a personal trainer and could pass the physical fitness test for the Marine Corp. tomorrow if I wanted to. But when I was 0-6 months postpartum? Not so much.

Though I am in the camp who would leave the baby in the car for this specific situation -- 30 ft, car in safe place and in sight, not going inside? I don't see the point in taking the baby out and putting them in a sling, especially because the timing of school drop-off pretty much would have ensured the baby would be asleep at least 50% of the time. I'd try to keep her awake until we got home again, but there's only so much you can do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would, and in the warmer months I’d leave the AC running.

And, I would call police if I saw this and so would most other people.

I would be back before the operator answered the damn phone.

[Anonymous]

One reason this topic makes me so mad is that I developed serious hip/lower back alignment issue (major impingement causing sciatica and sometimes even lower body numbness that would render me unable to walk) due to the combination of pregnancy, childbirth, and carrying babies and toddlers (and car seats and other gear) when my kids were young. I am better now but I had years of PT and mobility issues (had to give up running, for a time I was unable to sit in an office chair at all) to handle the damage.

So all these posts that are like "no you have to take the baby out and carry her while holding onto your toddler and carrying all their crap because it's the only way to keep your children safe" make me mad because it totally ignores what it can mean to ask a postpartum mom to do stuff like this every day in the name of "safety." We treat mothers like cattle sometimes and it's awful.

If this was truly unsafe, the daycare should be required to allow curbside drop off where they greet the kids at the car, or have parking lot attendants who will come retrieve your child from the car or who will watch kids in cars or help carry babies if needed. If the solution is "mom does everything" then we don't actually care about the safety and well-being of children because let me tell you, it wasn't awesome for my kids when their mom couldn't pick them up for almost a year while I rehabbed my body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would absolutely leave my baby in the car with the windows rolled down. I have three kids, and have done variations on this many many times over the years.

I can’t help but think that the naysayers here didn’t pay attention to the fact that you’re going to walk 30 feet and be in view of the car the whole time. You really are allowed to be 30 feet away from your baby when she is safely situated in a secure environment.

+1
I'm an overprotective worrier and still think it's ridiculous that a mom can't walk 30 feet.

+1. Easier than keeping toddler safe in a parking lot while getting baby out of the car seat. Those little buggers can twist out of your hand and bolt away before you know it!

Yes this is my big fear. And it would be part of my risk calculation.

However because my toddler is a runner - pick-ups rarely go so smoothly as to be done in 30sec so Probably would take the baby with me in this scenario - good thing I have a doona . In my daycare, we pick up indoors and babies are always with parents.

But in principle - I have left my baby in the car (NOT running and doors unlocked) for quick pickups (Like picking an object up from someone's front porch from buy nothing in a very safe neighborhood or like to put the shopping cart away) where the car is in my line of sight and it will be 30 seconds. I Take my baby out if the car will not be in my line of sight or I expect it to take more than 30 seconds.

I agree with the pp to get a sense of the daycare's view on this and what they think is acceptable. Ultimately it is the judgement of others that is the only thing that could cause harm not leaving the baby in the car for 30 seconds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello positional asphyxiation.

That…has nothing to do with OP being in the car or not.

Correct. However how would it feel to come back and gone baby had shifted while you’re away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure any veteran mom of 3 or more is going to figure out a way to leave that baby in the car.

Doesn’t make it any safer.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I wear a wrap or take a sling to drop off/pick up. Your infant isn’t a dog.

Less snarky…the car seat with a handle works best if you carry it beside you. Less work than a snap and go. https://www.wikihow.com/Carry-a-Car-Seat

It takes more time and coordination, but please don’t leave your child alone in car.

https://www.wikihow.com/Carry-a-Car-Seat[/quote]

As someone who is barely 5’1, I find it really awkward to carry the car seat like that. The snap n go is so much easier for me. Just wanted to throw out that perspective.[/quote]

I’m your height. Agree. But if baby is awake I use carrier. That the easiest.

[Anonymous]

I’d absolutely lose my shit if someone called the police on me for leaving my kid in the car for a short period of time, even if I was rubbing in a 7-11 or something. GTFO. I’d probably react so badly to that it would be good the police were already on their way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure nothing would happen but I wouldn’t on principle. Possibly because if I started doing it all I might inadvertently do it in other settings where I would be away from the car for longer.

This. Never leave your kids alone in a car. My kids are all elementary, oldest is 10yo and and I still don’t leave him in the car even when I’m running a quick errand just out of habit. My DCs have started complaining though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I'm not going inside the building? I'd leave the baby in the car.

+100 this kind of mentality has to contribute to the rise of mental health disorders. 30 feet!?!? Honestly, I have to walk my older son into school (into the back), so I take my infant and toddler… but it means 1) my toddler has to cross a parking lot, 2) my older son gets out of his buckle and onto the sidewalk while I strap in my baby into an ergo and unbuckle toddler. Is it really *safer* to take them with me? I legally have to, but I always think it is silly.
At least in Maryland, op, you don’t have to in your situation (you can see car), even if there are judgmental Karens galore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d absolutely lose my shit if someone called the police on me for leaving my kid in the car for a short period of time, even if I was rubbing in a 7-11 or something. GTFO. I’d probably react so badly to that it would be good the police were already on their way.

Ha. Not from around here presumably.

OP, you'll figure it out in the first week. I think it's totally fine to leave a baby in a car seat for a brief few seconds within eyesight while you drop off a toddler. You're not going to be the only one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No it's illegal and is bad parenting generally

OMG so over the top. What a dummy.

[Anonymous]

Mom of two (13 and 5). Leave the baby in the car. Nothing will happen within those 30 feet. The nervous nellies telling you not to must have infants and toddlers. You will kill yourself doing this - too stressful and unnecessary. God, this is why moms put so much pressure on themselves.

[Anonymous]

Also, the LAW is:

§5-801 states that it is a CRIME to leave a child younger than 8 years old unattended, locked or confined to a home, car, building or other enclosure without proper supervision.

Within 30 feet, you can see the car and your kid so the baby is supervised. Please leave the baby and walk your toddler to the door.

[Anonymous]

I've got two kids and I would (and have) absolutely left the baby in the car under this particular scenario. Anyone who has an issue with it can f*** right off. I'm a man, if that matters.