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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think they would HAVE to let me leave the hospital?

75 replies

catholicatheist · 07/11/2010 17:48

Even without a carseat once my baby is born?

I have just ordered a car seat and isofix base etc and it said it will be here by 15th. Now just say I had the baby before then (I dont live far from the hospital..about fifteen min walk) I have heard people say they wont let you go home without a car seat? Surely they couldnt force me to stay? What about people whodont have cars?

OP posts:
BooBooGlass · 07/11/2010 17:50

How do you intend to get home? I don't have a car and bought a carseat for both of mine, in the event friends gave us a lift. They cannot let you leave in a car without a carseat.
And really, what may be a 15 minute walk to you now will be much harder with all your bags, a newborn, and a battered fanjo in tow

belgo · 07/11/2010 17:51

I hope you are not planning to transport your baby in a car without a car seat? If so, I hope they do stop you.

Or have I misunderstood and you plan on walking? In which case, 15 minutes is a long way to walk when you've just given birth - I fainted walking just five metres, and that was five days post birth.

estya · 07/11/2010 17:52

I think if you are walking you won't need to have a car seat.
It is illegal to have a baby in a car without a car seat, so I wouldn't expect you'd want to be driving if the seat hasn't arrived.
I believe you can have a baby in a pushchair/pram in a black cab. Or there is the bus?

forevervacuuming · 07/11/2010 17:53

I'm sure there would be nothing stopping you, but also nothing stopping them calling the police to tell them your child is in a car without an appropriate seat either.

I didn't have a car but it didn't stop me asking someone to bring one to the hospital on my behalf.

Original poster
catholicatheist · 07/11/2010 17:54

No I would give the baby to Dh and I would get a taxi he could walk it.

OP posts:
LadyintheRadiator · 07/11/2010 17:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

forevervacuuming · 07/11/2010 17:54

Both a car and a car seat, I mean.

TattyDevine · 07/11/2010 17:55

If its not there, you will have to get your partner to walk the baby home while you get a taxi if you are not well enough to walk alongside.

They can't stop you doing this.

SecretNutellaFix · 07/11/2010 17:55

What if you end up with a CS? Fancy walking that distance then?

animula · 07/11/2010 17:55

Don't count on walking. As Belgo said, it can be surprisingly difficult after giving birth.

pozzled · 07/11/2010 17:55

I REALLY wouldn't have felt up to a 15-minute walk a day or so after giving birth- at least not one that I had to do to get home, rather than just a stroll where I could turn round at any time IYKWIM. Especially at this time of year.

Is there any chance that you could borrow a car seat so you could get a taxi if needed? Or if it came to it, you could get taxi while your DP pushed the baby home in the pram?

As for whether they will let you leave, I would phone the maternity unit and check, or speak to your mw.

pozzled · 07/11/2010 17:56

Sorry x-posts.

Meglet · 07/11/2010 17:56

Black cab?

You won't want to be doing a 15 minute walk with bags and baby after giving birth. Even less likely if you have a CS, in which case it would be insane to attempt it unless you fancy a return trip to the hospital.

Original poster
catholicatheist · 07/11/2010 17:56

I am kind of hoping this isnt going to happen as I am 37 weeks and will be 38 when car seat is due to arrive .. but just wondering on the off chance it does.

OP posts:
forevervacuuming · 07/11/2010 17:57

Are you just interpreting the hospital's advice very directly?
I'm sure they mean a cat seat is needed for those using a car and if your DH was walking the baby in a pram it would obviously not apply.

Ilythia · 07/11/2010 17:57

I don't get all this 'they must see a carseat' bollocks.

Both of mine were carried out of hospital and placed in a fixed carseat in the car (a birth to 4 years one) on the other side of the hospital, so no-one would have seen it, I wasn't even asked.

What if you go home on the bus? weird.

In your situation I would find someone with a small baby who would lend you a seat for one journey tbh.

pozzled · 07/11/2010 17:57

Plan of you in a taxi and baby in pushchair sounds reasonable, best thing is to check with the hospital.

cory · 07/11/2010 17:58

belgo, the OP could be planning to go on public transport, or let her dp walk with the baby whilst she goes home in a taxi or let grandma walk her home...or any other possible solution entirely up to the OP as a parent

because isn't that the point? once she has given birth, the OP is the parent and responsible for keeping her baby safe

people won't be checking up on her if she decides to take the baby out on a shopping trip the next day or indeed at any time until the baby leaves home, so why should going home from hospital be any different?

our initial plan was for dh to walk baby home in the pram- suppose they wouldn't allow that these days Hmm

alternatively for him to take her on the bus, while I went in the taxi

belgo · 07/11/2010 18:03

cory I have no idea if british hospitals check that new parents have a car seat or not.

If you read the OP's subsequent post, you will see she has found a solution.

Vallhala · 07/11/2010 18:05

I'd like to see the hospital try to enforce this rule!

When I had DD1 I wanted to leave the hospital the same day. I was told I "couldn't" Hmm as there was no doctor available to sign me out. I reminded them that unless they could prove that my baby was in an unfit state of health they had no right to detain her there and would effectively be illegally withholding her from me.

They found a doctor bloody quickly and I left the same evening as planned!

I am pretty confident that the same would be the case with someone who was leaving hospital without a carseat as you may. You may raise some eyebrows and get someone tell you that you "can't" do this and you "must" do that but essentially the hospital have no authority over you providing that your baby is healthy AFAIK. Certainly this was the case when DD1 was born although that was 15 years ago.

Original poster
catholicatheist · 07/11/2010 18:07

As for borrowing one nobody I know in the city I currently live in has young children. Also I cant see how this could be enforced as someone else said some car seats are fixed so you would have to walk the baby out without one in that situation. It is a bit ridiculous and very 'nanny state' because really I dont feel I should even be having to post this question. As cory points out the safety of my baby is my responsibility. Well I cant see this could be enforceable to be honest and having DH walk with the baby while I get a taxi is not something they could stop really if you think about it. Gosh I was born during a freezing cold winter and my parents took me on the bus and then had to walk for twenty mins..my poor mother! That was just because my dad was too tight to pay for a taxi though!

OP posts:
Rossco · 07/11/2010 18:12

The hospital I had my DC in rented out car seats. Perhaps something for you to look into?

stoatie · 07/11/2010 18:19

You don't have to have a car seat. They may well ask you how you intend to get baby home - if it is one of you carrying baby in arms, you will be advised re safety (remember hospital has mounds of health and safety guidelines so have to discuss this - babies on postnatal wards usually pushed in cots on wheels etc), and that baby is well wrapped up if not going home in car -however can't prevent you from leaving without car seat

Katey1010 · 07/11/2010 18:44

I do think it is weird that this has become such an issue with hospitals. Not that I don't think car seats are important but that I can't work out why the hospital staff thinks it's their business. I have heard this "they won't release you" stuff before. I could understand if they called Social Services or something but is lack of a car seat a health issue?

Lotkinsgonecurly · 07/11/2010 18:46

I think dh to walk home with new baby in pushchair and you coming home by taxi is an extremely suitable answer! Am sure you'll be fine. Best of luck.

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