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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To drive with 6 week old on her own in back?

90 replies

Melaniaspilatesinstructor · 05/02/2017 21:52

I'm confused about the rules?
Up until now, DH has sat on back seat with Dd in her car seat next to him but he's at work tomorrow and I need to go to Drs.
Is it okay to drive her whilst she's on her own in the back?

OP posts:

Namechangeinto2017 · 06/02/2017 00:22

Perfectly fine although nerve wreaking the first time, I think we sat in the back for months 🙈

You can get mirrors that you attach to the head rest in the back so you can see little one while you are driving.
I think ours was £15 from mothercare.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 06/02/2017 00:27

scarlett, I'm sorry I've upset you. But I never said you were anxious, nor did I suggest there was anything wrong with first-time mums, nor did I suggest you weren't looking at it coldly.

It's a MN thread, not an academic convention, and people who posted saying what they did for best may have read just as many studies as you, despite phrasing it differently.

AppleMagic · 06/02/2017 00:27

The study linked above says absolutely nothing about the duration of time it is safe for babies to be in a car seat.

Ipushedmygrannyaffabus · 06/02/2017 00:40

Prem babies have to pass the 'car seat challenge' before leaving NICU which is where their sats are measured for an hour whilst they are sitting in a car seat.

I have now got it fixed in my head that a baby is safe in a car seat for up to an hour. And my pfb has always been alone in the back seat.

madein1995 · 06/02/2017 00:53

I think it's totally fine in a situation with a spare adult I probably would do as you have been and have someone in the back (if only for our own convienience in case baby starts crying) but if it's just you and baby, it's more than ok to put her in the back alone. It won't harm her, and the alternative is putting her in the front (very unsafe) or you just not going (also unsafe, for you and your health and wellbeing), she will be ok

ExplodedCloud · 06/02/2017 01:06

Ipushed really? My prem baby wasn't checked! He'd been in Special Care but when they said we could go, we ran away asap!

ExplodedCloud · 06/02/2017 01:07

*with him and dd in the back seat, me and DH up front.

ScarlettFreestone · 06/02/2017 01:08

Like previous posters we have twins so they were on their own in the back from day one. There isn't any choice about that.

Similarly I imagine the majority of second babies are in their own in the back (no adult) from day one.

Trifleorbust · 06/02/2017 01:10

The new advice about car seats is making new parents very anxious. Some journeys are unavoidable. Just make sure she is correctly positioned and go for it.

missscarlettinthefutilityroom · 06/02/2017 07:56

LRD The post you took issue with for me being arrogant was in response to someone dismissing me as anxious.

I was trying to be helpful.

BertieBotts · 06/02/2017 08:09

The premature baby car seat test is standard in the US but not standardised across the UK meaning some babies will have it and some won't.

ExplodedCloud · 06/02/2017 09:35

Thanks Bertie. My post sounded more arsey than it was meant to! I was surprised rather then disbelieving Ipushed.

Ipushedmygrannyaffabus · 06/02/2017 14:19

lol no worries explodedcloud - my baby was in NICU for 12 weeks, maybe it's just the long-termers who do the car seat challenge!

ExplodedCloud · 06/02/2017 15:47

I bet that was a rollercoaster. Not surprised they were super cautious.

StatisticallyChallenged · 06/02/2017 15:59

I had a c section and we had a 3 door car...DD was on her own from day 1! I couldn't drove and no way could I climb in the back

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