No car in London - getting to hospital and back???

[MiniMeyerMum]

Would be great if you had some advice on this - we live in Kennington, and will need to get to St Thomas'... without a car. Are taxis generally willing to take a mum-to-be going into labour??

Also, what do you think about getting back home again in the bus? Is this feasible? And what is the ruling on having a car-seat for our baby for taxi rides? Do you definitely need one? We have heard conflicting stories on this front.

Thanks,
Wx

[NotQuiteCockney]

I think taxis would be ok - I've gone in them while throwing up, why would they refuse someone in labour.

I think you really do need a stage 0 car seat, though, you can't really manage without.

Taking the bus back is an interesting idea, but you should have a back up plan, in case you have a section, or a rough labour, and want something a bit easier ...

[jabberthefriendlyghost]

Loulou000 has been discussing this on our due in december thread. I think she has decided to purchase a travel system (stroller/car seat combo) and use the car seat in the taxi on the way home.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Hmm, I probably wouldn't do that. Well, I wouldn't use a travel system as a main pram for a young baby, as new babies really aren't meant to spend much time in car seats, I think there's a greater risk of spine problems and also breathing problems.

Depending on the distance, and your state post-baby, you could taxi while your DH/DP walked or went on the bus with the baby? You could maybe manage without a car seat if you never take taxis ...

[camgirl]

We are doing this. We live in central London and a car was more hassle than it was worth so we no longer have one.

We'll either call a minicab or find a taxi to get to hospital - I'm counting on this being a longish first labour so don't feel we have to rush.

We have a travel system with a stage 0 carseat that we'll use for the taxi back. Or might get a lift with my brother if it's at the weekend.

Newborns can spend up to 1 1/2 hours at a time in the carseat part of the travel system, though we'd obviously use the pram part of it more regularly. I'm pretty sure you'll need a carseat if you ever take a cab with the baby.

[NotQuiteCockney]

(Oh, we didn't own a car when we had DS1. We share a car with a neighbour at the moment. We've always had car seats, though, for travel in other people's cars.)

[sfxmum]

we do not own a car just hire or borrow one when we need it.
we used cabs to and from hospital but bought a baby car seat, useful for that obligatory mad dash to A&E new parent are prone to.

we used a company attached to the hospital who were well used to this. plan ahead get numbers and ask what cars they have available is my suggestion
best of luck

[Snowstorm]

We live in SW London and DD2 was born in St. Thomas's. We have a car but didn't want to be bothered by parking (apparently very expensive at St. T's) and the congestion charge (or forgetting to pay it in all the excitement etc.).

Don't know whether this is your first child or your second but for DD2 I felt quite in control of the situation and felt able (for some weird reason) to determine when it was time to go to hospital. DH called ahead and told St. T's that we were coming in (we were going for the Home-from-Home suite's which I can recommend by the way - you get your own bathroom AND they have sofa-beds in for DH/DP AND great London views as a back-drop for your first photos of LO!) and then called 'Zingo Cabs' (Tel: 08700-700700) which apparently has a system whereby they find you the nearest Black Cab and you get straight through to the driver. He didn't tell the driver on the phone that I was in labour but the guy didn't seem to mind and he got here very quickly. Always made me laugh because when we got to St. T's (which was very quickly but it was around 3.30am) the driver said 'Congratulations Mate' to DH ... and I thought 'hang on a moment, the baby's not out yet and I'M THE ONE who's got to make all the effort!! BTW, think we got there with 30 minutes to spare as it turned out ...

If you take your car seat (or pram) in to hospital with you then when it's time to leave send your DH/DP to hail a cab while you and LO are at the door and then he can give you a buzz on the mobile when he's got one. You can then avoid you and LO getting too cold, particularly if you didn't go to hospital wearing anything too substantial. Strap the child's car seat (or pram) in and off you go home.

It's obviously more expensive going by taxi then going by bus but it's a special occasion and it'll be much, much easier and nicer than hanging around at a bus stop or sitting on a bus feeling fairly desperate to get home but having to endure all the stops. You've also saved money on the congestion charge and in parking fees.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh god, and get used to everyone saying "oh, you'll have to get a car once you've got the baby". No we bloody well don't .

Actually, I used to say, "I think the baby will be big, but probably not so big that I can't push him around in a pram instead".

[MiniMeyerMum]

Thank you so much for all your advice - very helpful!!! We will check up on local cabs (thanks 'Snowstorm' for the telephone number). We will let you know how it goes... W

[aDadOnMumsnet]

Live in SW London and took dp in a black cab to St Thomas' for birth of dd1.

Think we used Zingo - black cabs you can call. The driver refused to be paid once at the hospital, wished us luck and drove off.

we drove for dd2 (10 days ago) as the situation was a little more erm pressing, and she was born an hour after we arrived.

[FreakyFloss]

We used a mini cab firm - our driver also refused payment (but we insisted!). We got min cab back. I did get a travel system and used the car seat from that - didn't know the whole thing about backs at the time, but tbh - would do it again especially if on a budget. Oh, and I had a much bigger trip, Barking to tommies...

[PrettyCandles]

We used black cabs for both of my London births. Also to get me to hospital when I had some scares and was in a lot of pain.

Definitely use a black cab, not a minicab - black cabs are obliged to ensure you end up in hospital, they can't just drop you off or refuse your journey, in the event that there is a problem gettting to the hospital. Also, the doors and the large floor space in the cab makes it easier for you to get in and out in labour (there's no way I could have coped with the back seat of a conventional car). I have literally crawled out of black cabs - under the influence of contractions, not alcohol! Also had dh crouched in front of me massaging and supporting me through contractions as we drove, which would not have been possible in a conventional car.

I believe most hospitals will not allow you to leave without the baby in a carseat. Indulge yourself in a cab home, don't go by bus - you will be sore and tired.

[indiemummy]

Hi, pleased to discover we are not the only family who live in London and don't have a car!

Go for a black cab. I am a committed bus user but even I would splash out on a cab for baby's first journey, and for your journey to hospital in labour. Especially if weather not great. They won't mind taking you in labour.

We had a carseat anyway for occasional use - because we used to borrow granny & grandad's car to visit in-laws etc.

The law says that you can travel with a baby in a licensed taxi without a carseat. But I agree with PrettyCandles that the hospital may have a policy of ensuring that all babies leave in a carseat. And you probably want to be safe! I'd say splash out on a carseat (or borrow one from a friend? Get your husband/partner to bring it to hospital for use on the journey home?) though if you decide to get a cab and hold baby in your arms this is legal and in reality the hospital will not frogmarch you to your car so will have no way of knowing that you left without one? Feels a bit dodgy though - best to get a carseat if at all possible!

Indiemummy xxx

[kellyvice]

I live about 10 - 15 mins walk from hospital would it be bad to take newborn home walking with him in pram if i made sure he was really warm and wrapped up or is this a really stupid idea ?

[Snowstorm]

If your baby is wrapped up really well ... and you are up for it then that would be absolutely fine. Have to tell you though that post-birth I walked quite slowly and not entirely comfortably to begin with !! I would have a Plan B just in case you don't fancy this option when the time comes.

[jabberthefriendlyghost]

Agree with snowstorm. That 10 - 15 minute walk could possibly turn into a half hour (or more) nightmare! Be nice to yourself and get driven home.

[aDadOnMumsnet]

I reckon have something else planned too.

If birth goes well you could be out a few hours later, but I don't think you'd feel like that 15 minute walk.

Dp was able to leave hospital within 5 hours after dd2 was born last week and could walk to the car but actually going for a walk was the last thing she wanted I think.

And if you've had to stay in longer, that would probably leave you pretty weak too. Good luck btw!

[Snowstorm]

The other thing that I thought of - after posting my message below - was that as well as not knowing what kind of birth you are going to have (although obviously you'll be praying for the 'quick cough and it's out' sort) you don't know what time of day you are going to be discharged - if it's late afternoon and peeing it down with rain then you might not want to walk home in the dark/wet ... whilst walking at the speed of a lame OAP and in a bandy-legged kind of just-got-off-a-horse-after-8-weeks-of-solid-riding way ... am joking of course .............. kind of .

Good luck by the way - hope it all goes well!

[N1SEXYTING]

Most hospitals REQUIRE you to have a car seat to they will allow you to take your baby home regardless of if you have a car or not.

Also with the new laws and needing to have a car seat when you do make car journeys I would definately advise you to invest in one if not a travel system

[edam]

When I queried the extortionate parking charges at Tommy's the chief exec told me to call an ambulance! London Ambulance Service actually backed him up.

[edam]

I didn't follow their advice, btw, so we ended up paying something like £70 for parking.

[mamado]

I had both dd1 and dd2 at St thomas'. With dd1 we took Zingo taxis as already mentioned, and the driver was great! Even though I was obviously in labour he didn't charge us anything - the worst bit for me was the trip into the hospital and up the lift as on both occasions i had to basically crawl my way up! Luckily first time was 9pm and 2nd time was about 5am, so there was no one about!!!!

First time I stayed in a week due to problems dd1 had, and even then I wouldn't have wanted to walk/take bus home, and second time I was out within hours and even less inclined to make my own way home! I'd second the advice to splash out on a taxi for this special occasion - if you don't want to buy a car seat I think you can hire them from lilliput on Queenstown Rd [or at least you used to be able to...]

[merryberry]

DS born 7/7/5 (so no public transport available) at Tommy's, we also have no car, no need. Used Zingo's back, they were grand, local car service to us on way in. I think cabbies rather enjoy the drama. I'd recommend investing in a 0 car seat, like another poster said you may well need one to get baby somewhere else unexpectedly. We bough the cheapest one possible in Mothercare, I think it was 30 quid. It's gone to our ex-nanny who was in same situation last week, or you oucld have had it and welcome. We also used it for a few trips to relatives in hire cars, and in cabs to airport and back.

[annobal]

Probably not much help but I went into labour very quickly (waters broke, contractions hard and fast) while the B&Q man was measuring for our new kitchen . He dropped everything and drove us all (me, dp and mil) to hospital where I had ds1 30 minutes later