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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Taking a newborn home without a car - do we need a car seat?

79 replies

startupDad · 21/07/2013 12:24

We're expecting our first (a boy) in September. We live 15 mins walk from the hospital, and don't own a car. We had planned to walk home with a buggy, but have been told that they won't let us leave the hospital without a car seat, even if we are walking.

Of course, it's possible that we will need to get a taxi home or something, depending on how everything goes, but still, it seems like a strange rule.

What do other car-less parents do? Should we just buy a car seat for the sake of showing the hospital, and then carry it home while pushing a buggy with the baby in it?

OP posts:

maja00 · 21/07/2013 14:53

You don't legally need car seats in taxis marthastew.

My slings were good from 5lbs (stretchy) and 7lbs (buckled).

VinegarDrinker · 21/07/2013 15:00

We don't have a car.

I had DD 2.5 weeks ago. We got the bus home 6 hours later with her in her Moby stretchy wrap. Could have walked but had a few stitches so easier to jump on the bus.

We do have a car seat as we got given a second hand one by friends when we had DS 2.5 yrs ago. It was useful to have but we only used it a handful of times so I definitely wouldn't have wanted to fork out for a new one.

VinegarDrinker · 21/07/2013 15:03

Meant to say noone at the hospital even mentioned car seats to us.

rainbowfeet · 21/07/2013 15:08

I'm a non-driver but bought a perfectly adequate car seat new for £25 in Argos for coming home from hospital & emergencies etc. .. It got used loads in actual fact when friends lifted us or taxis etc.. & even sold it on a year later for £15!!

Also had a c-section & I wouldn't have been able to walk 15 mins 2 days later plus my ds was very jaundiced so needed to pop back in with him again car seat essential

karinmaria · 21/07/2013 15:41

Argos and Mothercare have car seats from £30.

We also planned to walk home or take the bus but a difficult birth meant I couldn't walk more than 200m. Plus our baby had a big scab and bruise on the back of his head due to the birth so wouldn't lie flat on his back in the pram anyway. He was so snug and comfy in his car seat.

Luckily my MIL had insisted on getting us a travel system with a car seat so DH popped home for the seat and we all went home in a taxi. I am eternally grateful to MIL!

If you buy a seat you could leave it in the packaging and return it if you don't use it? Although you might find you use it in cabs, friends' cars etc.

Bunnygotwhacked · 21/07/2013 15:41

I got a bus home all across town changing buses once with dc 3 we don't drive and never used our car seat for dc1&2 having got rid of it we weren't going to buy a new one just for one journey I even had to stand up on bus but was fine baby in the buggy did get some strange looks after i was asked how old he was and i said oh about 7 hoursish no bugger gave up their seat mind

MaMattoo · 21/07/2013 15:59

We were in the same space as you. No car then and could see my street from the hospital windows.
We borrowed one from a friend and took a cab home as I had a csec eventually. Could just about shuffle around.
We asked around and apparently the hospital throws a major fuss about it and that delays discharge letter being signed off etc etc and I could not be asked to get into all that. All they can do is fuss, should you choose yo sling the baby on and jog home - it's your baby and they can't say much. They can however delay your exit by dragging their feet. That, you don't want!!!
And congratulations!!!! And good luck

Eeeeeowwwfftz · 21/07/2013 16:45

It is legal in the uk to travel in a taxi without a restraint. Whether you feel it is safe or sensible to do so is up to you.

badguider · 21/07/2013 16:50

If you don't want one don't buy one. The baby can easily go home in a pram with dad pushing and the mother can decide how she feels re walking or taxi on the day.

newbiefrugalgal · 21/07/2013 19:03

Taxi companies often have child seats. Find one local to you so you have that option available.

I was London with babies do used black cabs and pram-put seat belt around pram! If I needed to. Buying a car seat would have been a waste for us.

Rhianna1980 · 21/07/2013 19:13

Assuming you are fit to walk etc... what if it was raining non stop ? Last u want to do is walk while you are tired in the rain and the mess that comes with it...
My advice : buy one from a cheaper range, or borrow one, or Get a second hand one from eBay.

chickieno1 · 21/07/2013 20:17

See can you borrow one from a friend.

valiumredhead · 21/07/2013 20:21

Why would you want to carry a car seat when you have a pram? How ridiculous of the hospital!

Phineyj · 21/07/2013 20:24

Won't you ever want a lift from someone with a car?

ClimbingPenguin · 21/07/2013 20:26

We walked out with DS. For us it was because we have a car seat we don't want to take out the car. MW said something vague about we need him in a car seat, I said no we didn't and carried on walking out the ward.

thistlelicker · 21/07/2013 20:41

Midwives can only advise the law! Is the health and safety of no car seat provided you are using a car worth the fine, or worst case scenario injury death for the sake of a cheap car seat?

meditrina · 21/07/2013 20:49

If they're not using a car, they're not risking death in crash, ffs!

No, if they attempt to detain you, state calmly that you believe you are being detained illeaglly against your will, and are calling the police to make a formal complaint. I think you'll find this will change attitudes rapidly.

AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/07/2013 21:12

I would echo what others have said. It is unlikely that your DP will be able to manage to walk 15 minutes home from hospital.

If she's had a complicated birth - forceps, section, that length of walk is likely to be difficult. If she's had an easy birth, it could have only been 6 hours ago, so again difficult.

Personally I would plan for another option and see it as a bonus if she feels she's up to walking. However, bear in mind that birth can also bring on a false sense of 'I am warrior woman, I will now run a marathon and then scale a mountain'. I felt like that after the homebirth of DD2. Luckily I wasn't trying to walk 15 minutes home from the hospital as I near enough fainted when I tried to walk up the stairs too fast a couple of hours later.

But if you aren't using a car, you don't need a car seat. No hospital has any right to detain you against your will for not having a car seat.

MiaowTheCat · 22/07/2013 08:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Msgilbertblythe · 22/07/2013 18:30

I had a baby a couple of weeks ago and was told the same thing. What's the point in buying/hiring/borrowing a car seat when you don't have a car?! Ridiculous. In the event, my husband bought our pram in and we had a lovely stroll home in the sunshine.

NotMyChashkaChai · 22/07/2013 22:36

We took the bus home with dd. No one stopped us leaving with just the pram. Door to door journey that would have probably taken the same time as in a taxi. We don't have a car or a car seat either.

NotMyChashkaChai · 22/07/2013 22:37

Oh and I couldn't probably have walked 15 minutes home either (despite having a straightforward birth) But the bus was fine!

lookingfoxy · 22/07/2013 22:59

I had a straight forward birth and couldn't have managed a 15 min walk. Maybe mum could get a taxi home and dad walk with pram?

Cornwall73 · 23/07/2013 11:14

Startupdad, we live in London and expecting twins. We recently did an antenatal class at our hospital and in the list of what to pack included car seats. Another couple and ourselves questioned the MW about this since we do not have cars and we asked if they could stop us leaving if we did not produce car seats.

She said that they can't physically stop you. For all they know the car or cab downstairs has a ready fitted seat and you are taking the baby downstairs to sit him/her there. All you need to do verbally confirm that you are aware of the law regarding car seats.

These are my first so no direct experience but I too would suggest mum and bags in a cab and dad can push the buggy home.

Sunnysummer · 23/07/2013 11:23

We walked home with DS curled up in a sling on my husband's chest - there were a few looks coming out of the ward, but I'd had an easy delivery and no tearing and was fine.

Maybe you can organise a friend with a carseat as backup in case you aren't up to public transport/walking? If you had a traumatic delivery or c-section you'd expect to be in hospital at least a night or three so you'd have time to warn them.

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