Driving with baby in the back?

[Cherryrainbow]

So I passed my driving test about 18 months ago, this will be first time driving with a baby passenger and I'm already nervous lol.

It turns out for the travel system I've bought the car seat is suitable only for the back seats of the car (I assume cos of air bags in front it's a Ford fiesta). How do you find it driving with a baby in the back? I understand you can get mirrors to see how the baby's doing.

[Hockeyboysmum]

Baby is safest in back seat anyway. Honestly you get used to it and ive always found he falls asleep within 5 mins. You can get mirrors but i never had one as id find it distracting.

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

I've never known anyone put their child in the front seat tbh, they'll be fine in the back. Oh and not all babies like the car, my DS screamed every time he was in it for 7 months!

[Cherryrainbow]

Thanks ladies I had no idea if it was normal to have them in the back of front of the car. I'll be nervous about when I have to go places on my own with them in the bag but I think it'll be fine once I've done it a few times x

[Gerdticker]

Generally it’s best to have the baby in the back, behind the passenger seat.

They should be rear facing for as long as possible, some seats are designed to stay rear facing up to 4 years old.

Newborns shouldn’t go in the car for very long as they can’t sit up safely; they need to be lying flat.

You can get great mirrors to put in front of your baby on the head rest, so you can check them in your rear view mirror while you drive

Jojo Maman Bebe and Halfords usually have great kit for cars

It all seems a lot to cope with at the start, but you’ll soon be a pro

[mylittlesandwich]

I got my wee mirror from Asda. I put his seat behind the passenger seat and I can see his wee face clearly in my rear view. He prefers when DH is sitting next to him but if it's just the 2 of us so long as I talk to DS he's fine. I definitely drive even more carefully knowing that the most precious thing I have is in the car. I only passed my test 14 months before DS was born.

[PuntoEBasta]

The middle rear seat is the safest if you have either a full seat belt or isofix anchor points but many cars don’t, so it’s most common to put baby in the back seat on the passenger side so that you can see them more easily from the driver’s seat.

[BabyG123]

I've been driving for 15 years and was a mess bringing my baby home. So worried and so was my Husband.

You'll be fine. Take it slow,


Like Others have said baby in the back but you can get the car mirror to go on the headrest so you can see baby through your rear view.

[emma911030]

When I did longer journeys to my parents I had my boy in the front in his rear facing seat but turned the passenger air bags off. It worked for me but it's not for everyone.