‘My husband left our newborn home alone while he picked up takeaway’

“I’m livid, and he thinks I’m being dramatic,” the worried mum says.

Mum Bridget* was shocked to learn that her husband had left their newborn baby at home when he went out.

“We live in a downtown area of a large city,” she explained in an online parenting group.

“My husband left our newborn home alone while he went to pick up a food order.”

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She tried to explain her husband’s logic: the restaurant was less than one block away; he was gone for less than three minutes.

But the new mum couldn’t get over the fact that her husband had left a defenceless baby all alone.

“I was livid when I found out and I feel this was extremely irresponsible. He said I was being dramatic and says the baby was completely safe, sleeping in her bassinet.”

She wanted to know what others thought. Hundreds of people added their point of view to the comments.  

Image: iStock

Many said that even though the husband was nearby, unforeseen circumstances could strike at any moment.  

“What if something happened to the husband? Hit by a car? Falls? Twisted his ankle and can’t walk home… what if a fire alarm goes off in the building and causes the baby distress?” one person asked.

“Once, before I had kids, I went to the shops and came back to the entire block closed for a gas leak,” said another. “Had to wait in my car for an hour and a half… imagine if I’d been like, ‘Hey listen I know you’re busy butttt, I have to retrieve my unaccompanied minor real quick’.”

Others shared that they would never leave a newborn alone in the house.

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“When I was home alone with my son when he was a baby, I didn’t leave the house unless he was with me, even if it was just to get the post,” one person said.

Others had stories about getting locked out and separated from the kids.

“Once we were on the balcony and the dog jumped at the patio door and manage to flip the lock and trap us in the back yard,” one person said.

“A friend took her young children to the chicken coop to collect eggs. Kids wanted to go inside. They left, closed the cook door, locked it and went inside. My friend was stuck in the coop,” said another.

“My toddler is why I have a house key tied to the inside of my robe and another buried in the yard,” said a third person.

Someone had a perfect solution to the problem.

“If he is hungry, he can cook or have food delivered,” they said.

*Names have been changed.

Originally published as ‘My husband left our newborn home alone while he picked up takeaway’