How do you get baby home in a taxi??

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Myself and another MNetter have been wondering how on earth we get baby home from the hospital if you are using a taxi?? I presume using a car seat is the obvious answer but if you don't have a car (so don't want to buy one) and are unable to borrow a car seat, is there an alternative and acceptable way?? Please help!

I was wondering this as isn't there a law coming in to say every child under a certain height now has to be in a carseat and wondered if taxis are now going to provide them because of this.

There isn't. Unless you go on the bus. Which frankly you are less than madly likely to do even if your birth has gone incredibly smoothly.

On a similar thread recently MNers without cars recommended getting a seat in any case, for taxis/friends' cars.

I mean more for a toddler etc as you can't really carry a toddler car seat around with you when you get a cab (unlike a baby seat).

I came home from hospital in a black cab and a car seat. fitted fine

The new law will only apply to usual journeys, not to one-off taxi rides.

And despite what they say about midwives caring etc etc, I don't think the hospital midwives noticed whether we had a car seat, when we bought either DS home. (We had our own midwife, which might have made a difference?)

I think some carry cots are theoretically ok as early car seats? Not sure about this, but I thought the Mountain Buggy one could do this?

Thing is, you have to make a worst case analysis re the birth; if, for instance, you've had a difficult labour and an emergency Caesarian.

I got a taxi home from hospital with a car seat and it fitted fine.... im the only driver and as i had done an emergancy rush to hospital in a taxi, there was no way of getting my car!

DH brought the car seat up to the hospital on the bus! Got a few weirdy looks as there was no baby in it lol

i came home carrying the baby in a blanket in a black cab. don't think the law has changed in 5 years has it?

I don't drive but used my carseat loads. Worth buying one I reckon

Can a friend bring you home?

Could your dp take baby home on the bus and you catch a taxi home?

We brought dd home in taxi, I just clung onto her.

I think the law says that children under a certain age do have to have a seat. Not 100% syre though - will go and find the link for you.

We got a new black cab the other day (well it was bright pink really ) and it had a car seat fitted into it. Ideal for a toddler, not a baby imo. You just pulled down the middle section and hey presto a toddler seat.

Ah, that only applies to private cars not taxis.

"Child under 3: Correct child restraint MUST be used. If one is not available in a taxi, may travel unrestrained.

Children under 3 years MUST use the child restraint appropriate for their weight in all cars, vans and other goods vehicles, with the single exception for the rear of taxis. They cannot travel otherwise. This means for example that they may not travel in cars, vans or goods vehicles which do not have seat belts installed."

DO NOT be tempted to put the seat belt round you and the baby - in an impact you are likely to crush your baby.

I would definitely buy or borrow a car seat though.

The new laws

so you still can in a black cab

Yes, if necessary.

In my area there is a service the midwife who ran the ante-natal classes talked about that lent out car seats to new mums who couldn't but one - might be worth asking in your area. Personally though I would buy one -even just the cheapest as there are bound to be occaisions in the first 9 months when it would be useful.

Don't use a carry cot - they're not safe.

I think, for a bigger baby, the safest way to transport them in a black cab with no car seat, would be to either keep them in their pushchair, and put the pushchair in the cab, or to face backwards and wear them in a sling, with the seatbelt between the baby and you, iyswim.

Was in a cab the other day talking about this new law. Taxi's will be required to carry one booster seat - that's all.

Gosh, thanks all for all your comments. One more question - if using a car seat, is it odd to take it to the hospital with you when you go in to labour or is it something that you 'get' there later??

You could take it with you but from a practicality point of view if you have someone to bring it in on the day you go home that's better because there isn't much room to store them on the wards.

I would recommend that you are shown how the car seat fits properly, when i bought mine the nice man in mothercare showed me and it was not quite how i expected, he said a common fault i tot s to put base of baby carrier flat on seat so baby is sittin up but is should be tilted so base is at slight angel and baby is lying down a bit more (if you can understsand). Remember not all car seats fit all cars so do get shown so you can recognise if its a safe fit or not. I have a mothercare rock a tot which is classed as universal, still wouldnt fit in minicab when i needed it to the seatbelt was too short. When i was pulling the seatbelt out fully to try driver told me off he said i would break the belt, (if that was the case what good would they be in a crash?) another driver told me just to hold the handle when i was faffing about with belts but i did manage to get it to fit in that one.