How to travel to hospital for/after birth - help

[wondering7777]

I have two hospitals near me, one a 10 minute drive and the other (my preferred) a 25 minute drive.

Unfortunately while I can drive, DH can’t. I’ve read that some hospitals insist you can only leave after birth with a car and baby seat. What am I going to do?

[MooFeatures]

Taxi? Lift?

[AnnBann]

Taxi?

[welshweasel]

Taxi or lift from a friend

[Abibranning]

I thought they all insist on a car seat

[Abibranning]

And taxi or lift home

[wildhairdontcare]

Taxi or lift, take car seat with you or have DH bring it in time for release.

[Howzaboutye]

If your partner is driving you home then yes the hospital needs to see the baby in the car seat in the car.
Taxi- don't know.
Call the birthing unit and ask them.

[MissRabbitNeedsAHoliday]

Taxi is probably the best option if you don't have anyone who can give you a lift.

[ChrisPrattsFace]

Taxi.
However I just walked out the hospital with my baby in my arms, they didn’t care and just waved me out the door. There was no ‘we must see car seat’

[wondering7777]

I don’t have any relatives nearby to give me a lift sadly - and my friends either don’t drive or don’t own a car (I live in London).

How easy will it be to strap a baby seat into a taxi without knowing what sort of vehicle it will be? And when I’m going to hospital, will an Uber be happy to take me if I’m about to give birth?

I was hoping just to get public transport on the way back home but it sounds like that won’t be possible?

[SpringLake]

I keep hearing this too, from midwives as well as others. One had 'never heard' of anyone leaving except with baby in a car seat! Madness!

Surprisingly few taxi companies were happy to bring a newborn carseat to the hospital for homeward journey, but we've found a couple.

In the event of that falling through, I have furnished my husband with a sling and pram, and he will be walking our new baby home!

[wondering7777]

Surprisingly few taxi companies were happy to bring a newborn carseat to the hospital for homeward journey, but we've found a couple.

Does the taxi company have to supply the car seat rather than you then? I’m genuinely worried I won’t be able to get home if I can’t find a taxi company and they won’t let me leave!

Why don’t they let you walk or get public transport?

[BendingSpoons]

I have given birth in 2 London hospitals. Neither one wanted to see the car seat. In one we left in a taxi with car seat and the other in our own car. Public transport is likely to be more of an issue for you than baby really.

[ameliathomas84]

It isn't very realistic to think you can take public transport or walk! What if you need a section? Or tear bad? A taxi is looking like your best option here

[FraggleRocking]

There must be loads of people who don’t have access to cars leaving hospitals with babies. Might be worth asking them before you get too stressed about it as you may be fine going home as you’d planned.

[MustardScreams]

I got a taxi. I bought a car seat that you can secure with both isofix and the seatbelt. Practice before you go into labour though or you’ll spend ages trying to work the pesky things out!

And buy a waterproof-backed blanket for the taxi journey to the hospital, in case your waters go.

You can also get a bus, or walk home if you’re close enough. Just get your dh to pick up the pram before you leave the hospital.

[Grandmi]

Call your local taxi company and ask them for advice!

[CaurnieBred]

Why can't you take public transport? And you can put a pram in a black cab.

[wondering7777]

Why can't you take public transport? And you can put a pram in a black cab.

I thought hospitals didn’t allow you to leave except in a car with a car seat? Is it safe to transport a newborn in a pram in a black cab, or should they be strapped into a car seat? It’s my first child so totally clueless here!

[Cardboard33]

We live in London and don't drive. I got an Uber to the hospital when I was in labour as all of our friends weren't picking up their phones at 4am, probably because I was a month early meaning they weren't on "high alert" as they would have been closer to our due date.

The Uber driver was SO nice and timed my contractions for me. He had 5 kids and didn't bat an eye lid when I rocked up to his car with my bed wetting mat incase my waters broke on the journey. I'd spent so much time stressing about getting to the hospital and said there was absolutely no way I'd be going in an Uber... But as it happens, if we get pregnant again then that's my transport sorted. My husband literally wrote "my wife is in labour" in the comments box when he requested it. We tipped the guy double the fare amount, haha.

My parents ended up coming down to London so they bought us home, but if that hadn't happened our plan was that my husband would take baby back home on public transport. If I was up to it (which I was) then I'd have gone too, but if not I'd have just got an Uber back to our house alone with the bags. We asked the hospital about this plan and they said it's what most people do who don't have cars - have you asked at yours?

[MissRabbitNeedsAHoliday]

Can you car seat be fitted by a seat belt and isofix? Most can be fitted by seat belt too, I would just practise doing that then you can fit it in the taxi. I don't think the hospital would stop you leaving to take the baby on public transport but just be aware you might not feel up to going on public transport. I could barely walk the length of myself the day I left the hospital and that was without having a section! Try not to stress about it, maybe speak to your midwife to see if they can advise on the best option or hospital rules, I'm sure they will have had mothers in this situation before.

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Those little infant car seats belt into any car in reality.

We had taxis to and from the hospital. No bother at all!

[Jollitwiglet]

Phone where you plan to give birth and double check.

When I have birth to my daughter a couple of years ago they was happy for me to leave with baby in a sling

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

same here OP - my partner doesn't drive and we are about 15mins from the hospital, so with DC1 we got a taxi there and back, it was absolutely fine and definitely a better option than public transport.

If your carseat is an isofix one they are also usually able to be secured by using the car's seatbelt rather than the isofix component. If i were you i would practice using this setting, that way the type of vehicle the taxi is won't matter as seatbelts work the same in all cars.

In my experience however, the hospital just waved me out of the ward while i was carrying my baby and my husband was carrying the empty car seat, but i guess you would want to be prepared for a more rigorous discharge!

[wondering7777]

Thanks everyone - I will ring the hospital or speak to the midwife to check their policy and will make sure I buy a car seat that can be secured with a seatbelt.