Mum divides opinion after admitting she thinks it's ok to leave baby in car while shopping

18.01.2022 - 20:21 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A mum-to-be has sparked debate after asking if it's ok to leaving her baby strapped into a car seat while she goes into a shop.

The woman pondered whether it was "safe" or "normal" to leave her baby in her car during short trips to the shops.

The woman who is expecting a baby said her husband hated the idea of leaving their baby in the car, while the mum-to-be says people in her own family had done it before with their own children so she thought it was ok.

The woman insisted she wouldn't leave her baby in the car for "long" and would only do so during "five-minute" trips to pick up essentials, The Mirror reports.

Posting on Mumsnet, she wrote: "I am currently pregnant with my first child. Is it safe/normal to leave a baby alone in a car while going into the shop? Not for long periods of time.

"For example, if you have filled your car with diesel and are going in to pay, or you've stopped at the local shop to go in for milk and bread, the baby is asleep and you won't be longer than five minutes. I'm not talking about stopping off at the shopping centre and going in for an hour.

"My husband said he doesn't think so. I said yes. I minded nieces and nephews all my life and when I learnt to drive I often had to bring them places. I remember leaving them in the car, at any age, to go into the shop for two minutes.

"The car was locked and this was over 10 years ago so things might have changed. In fact, I remember them being left outside in cars by their own parents if they were asleep when they visited our house."

The post split the opinion with some saying it would depend on circumstances.

One person said: "At a petrol station it's normal, most parents leave their kids in cars. But when shopping, definitely not."

While another