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Original poster

When did you start sitting in the front passenger seat again post baby?

254 replies

user11290 · 12/02/2025 15:41

Hi,

Just curious as to when you started sitting in the front passenger seat when you go out as a family, after having a baby?

Obviously it's different if you're actually driving. But for those that don't drive/allow someone else to drive - when did you start sitting in the front passenger seat again?

DD is 14 months and I sit in the back together but I do sometimes miss sitting in the front with my partner as I feel as though the 'room mate' phase has extended to car journeys too.

Not sure if I'm being selfish but just curious!

OP posts:
Rockfordpeach · 12/02/2025 15:51

I sat in the back with my second on the way home from the hospital but he was a diddy preemie and we were quite anxious. But that was the only time

olivehater · 12/02/2025 15:51

Think I sat in the back for a few weeks when my first born was a tiny scrap of the thing in the car seat. My second two were strapping babies so probably only on the car ride home from the hospital.

Original poster
user11290 · 12/02/2025 15:52

To be fair she does have CMPA and when we first had her for a few months whilst we got the right milk she'd just always cry no matter what so that's kind of how it started.

She's still got CMPA but it's managed now so I wonder if it's time now ...

OP posts:

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Families
Maria1982 · 12/02/2025 15:53

Somewhere between 12 and 18 months- I can’t remember exactly when.

dont worry, you’re not weird for sitting in the back with them ! Of course if it was me driving alone then baby had to manage fine alone in the back, but for longer drives with both parents in the car, we found it far less stressful if the not driving sat in the back. Less stressful than not being able to comfort a screaming baby!

then one day I thought , hey, I miss sitting in the front, I wonder if it would be alright to do that for a bit - and it was - and that was that. (There was also one day where it felt like it wasn’t okay, and we just pulled over and I sat in the back to chat/sing/play with baby).

do what feels right to you but don’t be afraid to experiment , I would say

mindutopia · 12/02/2025 15:54

From day 1. I did sit in the back a few times because they were upset or my one that would take a bottle, so she could have a feed while we were driving. But generally they slept in the car and I hate sitting in the back.

DangerMouseAndPenfoldx · 12/02/2025 15:54

I think I might have sat in the back when coming home from hospital with first born, but that was it. We did have a mirror though.

Reugny · 12/02/2025 15:54

user11290 · 12/02/2025 15:52

To be fair she does have CMPA and when we first had her for a few months whilst we got the right milk she'd just always cry no matter what so that's kind of how it started.

She's still got CMPA but it's managed now so I wonder if it's time now ...

Try it.

If necessary put on songs and you all start singing.

Noooooogsh · 12/02/2025 15:54

This is classic mumsnet, everyone acting like this is odd, I have a 4 month old and one of us sits in the back with her if possible. Also everyone else I know with babies does the same!

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 12/02/2025 15:54

Eh?
Only sat in back with them twice- both times on way home from hospital after giving birth!
And with second I really wished I'd just drove myself to my induction and then drove myself home the next day as all the faff waiting to be collected by family member was annoying 😂!
I was driving again within days of giving birth.
Most babies just sleep in the car, if you're anxious about them being bored or lonely then can you time your car journeys with their nap?
I pass mine toys and snacks too. And very occasionally my phone but I try not to get too much in the habit of that.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 12/02/2025 15:55

Noooooogsh · 12/02/2025 15:54

This is classic mumsnet, everyone acting like this is odd, I have a 4 month old and one of us sits in the back with her if possible. Also everyone else I know with babies does the same!

I don't know a single person that does this unless they're in the back because the car is full!

StampOnTheGround · 12/02/2025 15:56

I think about 2 weeks when DS was a newborn, this time will be none at all as he will be in the back with the baby so I won't fit!

Soupshenanigans · 12/02/2025 15:58

I sat in the back on the way home from hospital then stopped after that. Very occasionally I’ll do it on a long drive if he’s very upset. But DS is 10 months old now and this is a handful of times. As PP said I’m out every day with him in the back and me driving so I don’t feel the need when I’m not driving.

I would be afraid I had made a rod for my own back in your shoes!

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 12/02/2025 15:59

I rarely have car journeys longer than half an hour though, but we have a few weekends away planned all around 2 hours drive away, this thread has actually given me the inspiration to stick Dp in the back with them both, might try this!

ARichtGoodDram · 12/02/2025 16:00

user11290 · 12/02/2025 15:52

To be fair she does have CMPA and when we first had her for a few months whilst we got the right milk she'd just always cry no matter what so that's kind of how it started.

She's still got CMPA but it's managed now so I wonder if it's time now ...

With one of mine whoever wasn't driving was sat next to her until 12 months as she was constantly sick due to CMPA.

If you're comfortable now then try sitting in the front.

Mmr224 · 12/02/2025 16:00

We did this with both babies for a few months, except short hops around town, when I went in the front from about 2 weeks. We were in the car for a lot though, for longish drives ( anywhere from 2 - 7 hours) to family in the Scottish Highlands, roads not great, many single track and and not easy to stop/park. We also invested in a lie flat car seat for long journeys for this reason, as didn't have to get baby out of the seat as often when small as the lie flat seat didn't impact airways.

PiastriThePastry · 12/02/2025 16:02

Only really on the way home from the hospital, a journey of about 1.5 hours. Apart from that, I never felt it necessary to sit in the back with baby, plus I get super travel sick so avoiding that is pretty important to me 😅 I won’t be doing it at all this time I suspect, I’ll be having a c-section (again) so certainly won’t be scrambling into the middle seat between my toddler and the baby 🤣

Savemefromwetdog · 12/02/2025 16:04

Never sat in the back with the baby. I don’t know anyone who did except my majorly PFB-anxious SIL.

popandchoc · 12/02/2025 16:06

First time after around a month, second time straight away as i was a single parent.

Hercisback1 · 12/02/2025 16:07

Noooooogsh · 12/02/2025 15:54

This is classic mumsnet, everyone acting like this is odd, I have a 4 month old and one of us sits in the back with her if possible. Also everyone else I know with babies does the same!

Literally no one I know does it.

WitchesCauldron · 12/02/2025 16:09

user11290 · 12/02/2025 15:41

Hi,

Just curious as to when you started sitting in the front passenger seat when you go out as a family, after having a baby?

Obviously it's different if you're actually driving. But for those that don't drive/allow someone else to drive - when did you start sitting in the front passenger seat again?

DD is 14 months and I sit in the back together but I do sometimes miss sitting in the front with my partner as I feel as though the 'room mate' phase has extended to car journeys too.

Not sure if I'm being selfish but just curious!

Straight away.

TobiasForgesContactLense · 12/02/2025 16:10

I only sat in the back with DS when BIL drove us home from hospital. DH doesn't drive and sits in the back with him even now - 9 years on - initially I think it was his anxiety but now they just like chatting.

Bonbon21 · 12/02/2025 16:13

Never.

DappledThings · 12/02/2025 16:14

About a week with DC1. Possibly the first journey home with DC2, not sure. Definitely not after that because DC1 was on the other back seat and I'm not squeezing in to the middle.

FriendlyWerewolf · 12/02/2025 16:14

I genuinely didn't know this was a thing , I've had 3 kids and sat in the front on the way home from hospital every time.

SheridansPortSalut · 12/02/2025 16:15

You're seriously over thinking this.