Sleeping in the Car

[Blonde Assassin]

Just wanted to ask your opinions.....

If your baby is very difficult to settle & you find he/she goes to sleep well in the car, after the drive do you ever come home & leave your baby sleeping in the car so they aren't unsettled again??

My aunty used to do it with her kids when they were babies but is it the right thing to do??

Obviously you need to ensure there's enough air & the temperature is comfortable but is it something you would do/have done?

[Uniquey]

For me, :no: it's not the right thing to do, and my two dd's don't always wake up as soon as the car stops, but never have I left them there to sleep. My DD2 is now 4 months old and can be in a lovely sleep, and as soon as she is woken/taken out of the car can become very, very unsettled, and as tempting as it would be to leave her there sleeping, there is no way I would/could ever do it. I would rather spend the time trying to resettle her again, then have to live with the guilt if something untoward were to happen to her because I left her sleeping in the car.

[PeppaH]

lol Thats where a capsule would come in handy! You wouldnt need to upset your sleeping baby. Nah we would never leave the baby in the car but our car is outside under the patio. I might consider it if it was inside a garage, I woudl leave the doors open and always check.

I just try the best I can to bring DS in without waking him, sometimes it works others not.

A while ago now when DS was sick he woudlnt sleep and at about 5am I just went driving with him because I know he goes to sleep in the car. I ended up just doign a quick trip around the block then pulling into the carport and going to sleep in the car for a few hours so we could both get some sleep :laughing:

[Boobycino]

I have a friend who does it, but its where the garage is basically inside the house, the garage door pratically opens up to the kitchen (through the laundry) so she leaves the car door open and the kitchen doors open and when bubba wakes she hears him.

I'd only really do it under those circumstances... I'd be too worried about the many 'what ifs' in that senario. Its just too risky.

[BabelFish]

I've done it - plenty.

If we had a garage that was lockable and, essentially inside the house, I would do it even more often. Definitely. My DD used to sleep SO beautifully inside the car.

But our driveway is right at the front of our house down some stairs and round a corner, so we can't do it in that situation.

However, when the weather was nicer, DH and I used to sit out on the balcony which looks right down on the car (the way our house works we have a balcony but it's not two-story, so you're very close to the car, and we have a fence that separates the driveway from the front lawn, and then there's a few metres to the road, so it's very private) and have a cup of tea and some lunch and read a book or the paper or play Scrabble when she was in there. It was a nice chance for us to get some fresh air, she always got a great nap, and we were right there watching her.

Once she was sitting up though, we kind of stopped doing it, because she never slept as well and would wake up as soon as we got home, and also she became easier to transfer.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

I did it with my DD as the garage was at the back of the house and i could drive on to the lawn and park outside the kitchen door pretty much in the shade etc.

With DS no as the carport is at the front. He never wakes up when I carry him in anyway.

[BigRedV]

I have done it and still do it sometimes when DD just hasn't had enough sleep during the day and I know she is very tired. I leave the window open a fraction or lot in summer and always have to sit on the front fence to wait for her to wake which can get very :sleeping: for me :laughing:

[Myztik]

Nope :no: I used to just pick them up car seat and all and carry them inside like that :p Both boys stopped sleeping in the car from about 8mnths anyway.

[Kittylou]

I used to do it with DS because we had a carport with a remote garage door so it was completely secure and both the kitchen windows and lounge sliding door opened onto the carport so I could see and hear him at all times.

With DD it's not possible as our garage is separate to our house so I either moved her to the cot (only worked if she had been asleep for less than 10 minutes - now I tend to keep her awake if we're that close to home) or just keep driving until she wakes. She has only ever slept for one sleep cycle in the car so it usually just means driving around for an extra 20 minutes. I did this just this afternoon actually as we'd been out all day so it was the only sleep she would get.

[naebie]

I do. We live in a super quiet suburb, and the car is usually parked up the back yard anyway.

[Staying Positive]

I do it if DD is very unsettled or hasn't slept much, our car gets parked in the backyard so it's very secure but I lock the doors just incase. I leave the windows 1/2 down for ventilation and I pull up a chair and make my phone calls or have a tea and read a mag. It's my saving grace. A lock up garage that opens into the house would be fantastic.

[kylie87]

For me, :no: it's not the right thing to do, and my two dd's don't always wake up as soon as the car stops, but never have I left them there to sleep. My DD2 is now 4 months old and can be in a lovely sleep, and as soon as she is woken/taken out of the car can become very, very unsettled, and as tempting as it would be to leave her there sleeping, there is no way I would/could ever do it. I would rather spend the time trying to resettle her again, then have to live with the guilt if something untoward were to happen to her because I left her sleeping in the car.
:iagree:

[Purplebird]

Yes, I did it lots with DD. When she was very little I used to stay in the car with her and read. I always had a magazine or book handy and it was kind of nice to just sit and chill! As she got a bit older I would leave her in the drive with the car windows down. The car is parked right next to the loungeroom window though, so I could see her the whole time.

[NonnyMouse]

I did with DD when she was a toddler, not baby though. I'd park in the garage, which was attached to the house (internal access), leave the windows down, and the connecting door open. The door to the garage opened up next to our kitchen so I could have her in line of sight.

THis was in NZ, where it wasn't going to get stifling hot. I wouldn't do it over here, especially not where I live, cause I only have a carport.

[headoverfeet]

I do, I just take my laptop into the car and bubhub until they wake up :laughing:

[em1984]

nah I'm too paranoid! I've heard too many stories of robbers driving off with cars with babies still inside. Perhaps If I had a garage like pp's have said that attaches to the house, is secure etc I might be different I dunno..We have a seat that can be taken out of the car anyway (like a capsule but can use it till older) so I've never had this issue, plus I can usually transfer him no worries. The only time he has slept in the car for a long time is when I've gone to watch dp play footy, but I stay in the car with him the whole time :)

[lochiebearsmum]

sure do!! i sit on the lawn and sunbake right next to the car!! im closer to him then than when he is asleep in bed!! if he is asleep there is no way im waking him1!!

[Areca]

Nope, it's never really been possible.
First house we lived in we had rear lane access to the garage...you couldn't see or hear anything that went on.
Then we moved to an apartment building. Our car park was secure but it was through two fire doors so not a chance in h#ll.
Here we have no off street parking even so again, not a chance in h#ll.

I'd do it if I had a garage that opened up in to the house and it wasn't a hot day....that way they'd basically be inside the house with me but we've never lived in a house with that set-up so no.

[Blonde Assassin]

Thanks for replying :)

We have a porch I can sit on & read while he's in there or if we're elsewhere I don't have a problem sitting in the car with him but I don't feel right leaving him in the car while I'm home in the house..not so much because of temperature but I don't trust people passing by..it only takes one nutcase!

How could you forgive yourself if anything happened? :(

[fozzie]

Yes I do but only in the winter and because we live rural on property that I can park the car in front of the kitchen window. It is usually after the afternoon school run whilst I get dinner on and I also go out and check alot too. DD wakes up every time I get her out and won't go back down. Never do it in summer though way too hot even in the garage.

[Boobycino]

sure do!! i sit on the lawn and sunbake right next to the car!! im closer to him then than when he is asleep in bed!! if he is asleep there is no way im waking him1!!

That sounds lovely! I like that idea. I think if we had a yard I'd do that. We have on street parking and live in an apartment, so no way, no how could I do that (without sunbaking on the foot path :laughing:) but I think thats a wonderful idea to take a moment to chillax if baby is asleep. I usually think "okay! What housework can I get done in the next hour!" (or... I wonder what the ladies on bubhub are up to :rolleyes:)

[Sparklydreamer]

I'd never leave her in there by herself but I'll happily sit in the car with her while she sleeps. I'll read, or nap, or just enjoy the peace and quiet. And in summer I'll often have to restart the car and use a blast of aircon to keep the temp down, even in the garage. That's one reason I'd never leave her in their alone. It can get really hot even on a cooler summer day.

[Lil Bugs Mummy]

when dd was lil i did, i would either open all the doors depending on weather and i either sit and read the mail, or book or mag or park it in the garden and potter about the garden i was never more then 2 metres away from her so i think that is quite safe

[em1984]

haha anyone watching doctor phil?? Its quite related to this topic!