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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:

princesscupcakemummyb · 26/07/2013 19:00

could you borrow one for a day or 2 off a friend? i dont have a car on the road now but im going to buy a car seat anyway :)

chubbychipmonk · 27/07/2013 23:43

15 minute walk right after giving birth?? . . Very optimistic!

thistlelicker · 27/07/2013 23:45

Even Kate took a car an she lives 10 min fr hospital!

CointreauVersial · 27/07/2013 23:48

You don't need a car seat, that's ridiculous (nanny state, or what?). Even if your DP has to hop in a taxi you can take the babe home in a buggy.

Mycatistoosexy · 27/07/2013 23:52

In think if you ring round some taxi companies that you will find one with car seats themselves. Our local company had them. In the end we bought a car seat for £20 from Mothercare so that I could use it for friend's cars etc

sonlypuppyfat · 27/07/2013 23:53

I'm no wimp but nearly two weeks after my c section we walked around a car boot its at the bottom of our road I was crying after one row of cars be kind to yourself borrow a car seat and get a lift

bunchofposy · 02/08/2013 22:37

Bit belated but I walked home with DD in a buggy, which DP pushed into the ward. They thought it was lovely, and when the midwife waved us off she said she wished they had a camera as nobody else had ever done it!

celticclan · 03/08/2013 08:01

I had two c-sections we drove home because we live 15 miles from hospital. The next day after going home after baby one I walked a few miles with no problems. After baby two I didn't feel up to such a long walk but I was still able to walk the 30 minute round trip to my local supermarket.

If you don't need a car seat don't buy one.

LadyFlumpalot · 03/08/2013 08:14

Most travel systems are cheaper than just pushchairs, and if you get one you can clip the carseat bit into the puahchair chassis. That way you will be prepared for either eventuality.

You could either push home with baby in the car seat on tje chassis or fold the chassis up and get a taxi if the weather ia awful or you are tired.

ChunkyPickle · 03/08/2013 08:32

I had mine at a hospital 20 minute walk away. We had planned a home birth, but I ended up in hospital being induced so we had no car seat (or car).

1.5 days after an EMCS I could walk, but I don't think I'd have made it all the way home so we took a taxi - DP could have walked with the baby (we didn't have a buggy either, DP was just carrying him) while I went in a taxi, but we made the risk assessment that a knackered DP carrying a baby for 20 minutes was more dangerous than all of us getting in the taxi for a 3 minute journey without a car seat.

It is perfectly legal to do so www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat but it's up to you how you feel about it.

CheeseFondueRocks · 03/08/2013 13:33

We don't have a car either. We still have a car seat though as you need it for emergencies.

As it turned out DD has an allergy that warranted a few hospital trips in the middle of the night when she was quite little. This wouldn't have been safe without us having the car seat at home. Many unforeseen circumstances can arise where you have to take a child for emergency treatment either via taxi or by getting a lift from a neighbour etc. What do you do then? Stressing about not having a car seat at home is just an extra worry.

91chloejp · 22/08/2013 07:16

What worried me was that I literally walked.out with DH and no one noticed. I thought "oh my goodness,someone could easily steal DS had I been asleep" But it was a fab hospital such a shame I won't be giving birth there this time around.

back in track, I was carrying him. My mother gave birth in the same hospital 14 years prior and they wouldn't let you leave without one. in fact, she said the nurse would carry your baby to the car just to make sure

gintastic · 22/08/2013 07:35

I don't think 15 minutes walk is unreasonable if you had a straightforward birth. I did the school run when DD2 when she was
20 hours old, which is a 10 minute walk each way and the usual messing around in the playground.

BumbleChum · 22/08/2013 07:47

I have had 3 babies in 2 hospitals in the last 6 yeArs. No midwife has even mentioned. Car seats. Each time I have walked out with baby in arms. No one batted an eyelid. Can't see the issue.

Biscuitsneeded · 22/08/2013 22:38

I had a straightforward first birth - 8 hours start to finish, no drugs, born in water etc. I needed some stitches and there is NO WAY I could have walked home from hospital. In fact I would rather have done the labour again than try to walk any distance with stitches. When he was a week old I got cabin fever and tried to go for a walk round the block with my Mum, ended up nearly fainting with the pain. And yet I gave birth with no drugs. I think you are seriously under-estimating the effect childbirth will have on your partner's body, and she won't thank you for making her walk 15 mins when every movement is agony. Why don't you just ask around and borrow a car seat just for a taxi ride home?

Biscuitsneeded · 22/08/2013 22:40

And by the way after DS 2 I could have done a day-long hike immediately afterwards, felt absolutely fine. So I'm not disputing that 15 mins is possible. But I very much doubt this will be the case after a first birth...

Cornwall73 · 25/08/2013 04:35

Our little ones arrived 10 days ago. They were security tagged in hospital so they could not be taken off the ward and you had to be escorted out of the hospital by a member of staff. Not to check up on car seats but to sign the baby out at the security office. We had the seats in the hire car and the nurse helped us put the babies in. I really don't think they would have batted an eyelid if we had had the buggy instead. On the walking home subject I had an ELCS and can safely say I couldn't have done it!

rockybalboa · 25/08/2013 04:45

When we took DS2 home from hospital DH had forgotten to bring the carseat out of the car (he had 2.5 yo DS1 to manage!) and he just carried DS2 out of the ward. No-one batted an eyelid. I cannot imagine why a hospital would require you to put your baby in a car seat when you don't have a car. Am also fairly sure that they cannot prevent you from leaving anyway, on what basis would it be legal for them to do that? Don't worry about it. Walking with the buggy will be fine and if it is too much for your DW then she can get a cab whilst you walk. Enjoy your new baby!

FriendlyElephant · 25/08/2013 08:40

I dont think you can bank on being able to walk fifteen minutes after giving birth. Of course you might be fine, but I had a straighforward natural birth and only internal stitches with my DD and could barely walk to the shower I was so sore and so woozy from the blood loss. Even five days later when ww took DD to register her birth I had to have a taxi home as soon as we left the registry office, it was agony.

PeriodMath · 25/08/2013 11:29

I take it this is your first baby? Also assuming you are not the one giving birth?

First-time births very, very, very rarely leave the new mother feeling like she could take on a 15 minute stroll the next day.

Borrow a car-seat and book a taxi. Oh, and then peruse some of the childbirth threads on here to help give you some insight into how your partner may potentially feel the day after giving birth.

MikeLitoris · 25/08/2013 11:58

A bit late to this but having had 3 babies I never felt so weak I couldn't do a 15 min stroll.

With my first two I was out shopping the next day. In fact with dc 1 I did a full supermarket shop less than 24 hours later.

It is perfectly reasonable to expect to be able to walk.

Wrt the car seat I would plan in getting home in a car just incase. I would probably buy the cheapest one I could find just to be on the safe side.

PeriodMath · 25/08/2013 12:01

Mike, good for you, but your experience is not typical - it is actually far more reasonable to expect not to be able to/wish to walk home.

The OP should plan for this.

MikeLitoris · 25/08/2013 14:25

Like I said at the bottom of my post?

PeriodMath · 25/08/2013 17:45

No Mike, your post gives the impression that your experience is to be expected but that the OP should take a car seat "just in case". That suggests being happy to walk home is the more likely outcome.

I am suggesting the reverse is true - that the woman is more likely to be unwilling/unable to walk home and the OP should go into the experience planning for that to be the case.

OP, please look after your partner kindly and don't make her feel she has to show super-human strength and resilience after what is likely to be the most overwhelming experience of her life to date. Treat her like glass for the first few days - do NOT expect her to bounce out of hospital and saunter home and then crack on with her day as if nothing ever happened.

Good luck!

MikeLitoris · 25/08/2013 18:43

How is it more the unlikely outcome?

Isnt the end result the same? They either plan to walk and get a seat just incase or get a seat and dont use it if she feels like walking? I dont really see a difference.

I'm not sure why you have picked on my post when others have said they have either walked or felt up to walking. Am I not allowed to share my own experiences? Or can we only tell expectant mums horror stories?

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