What is wrong with carrying newborn out of hospital ?

[mumfor1sttime]

Sorry for weird question - but wondered if the hospital you had your baby were as weird as mine. Was told we could only leave the hospital with our newborn in a car seat. The car seat we have is age 0-3yrs with no handle so didnt think there was any point in using it, so my dh carried ds out of maternity ward.

A grumpy and rude midwife had a go at us and said she would take ds down stairs for us in his crib! (those glass container things)so had the embarrasment of her escorting us to car.

But what if you were walking home? Or going on the bus or a train? How bizarre!

I think its due to the fact that most people have to have transport to get home, and no matter what type of transport it is, your baby has to be in a car seat by law.

We had our car seat with us, but DD was still wheeled downstairs to main doors in the glass crib, and out into car seat at main entrance. They then watched us to the car door and waved goodbye.

weird. we walked out, car seat was in the car (obv).

My mom works as a Health Care Assistant on a maternity ward at my local hospital where I had my first 2 kids and they have to carry baby down to car in car seat.

It was also the same at the other hospital I had my 3rd in.

I had to go down in wheelchair (after CS) and DS2 in car seat. Agree, it's crackers.

The hospital is responsible for your baby's safety until you leave. Presumably they think the cot-on-wheels is safer than carrying him to the door.

It isn't law though. A child restraint only has to be used if one is present in the car. I wish it was law that all children in a car had to have car seats, but sadly, in the UK, it is not. There are no laws for public transport at all.

So if you lived within walking distance, they'd make you use a car seat??

Message withdrawn

I think it's do do with H&S (or somethiung) I rememeber when I had both DS's (in different hopsitals) I wasn't allowed to carry either of them around the ward with me - was allowed to lift them in and out of the cot and hand them around family, but they specifically asked we did NOT carry them around the wards or corridors.

hospital staff are responsible for your child until you leave the hospital, knowing your child will have a safe journey home in a car seat is basically part of the discharge of the baby.
They would'nt allow me to take the name tags of my twins when I was dressing them to take them home.

i find this very strange too. When i had jess, she did leave in her car seat, but i was free to leave the ward by myself and get myself home. dont agree with the not carrying around the ward though.... i did what i wanted and would have told them otherwise!

I was only in hopsital for 12 hours after having jess tho

Probably to do with Health and Safety. i was told not to carry dd out of my room. If i wanted to take her anywhere then I had to wheel her in her glass bowl (crib)

I wasnt allowed to carry ds around in hospital either. It seems odd comparison - being carried in dh arms or being carried in a car seat that can get knocked or dropped. Didnt like midwives attitude either - grrr!

I wandered around freely wirh ds3 (and the others!), in fact they had me 'working' on the ward within 6 hours of giving birth LOL (Used to work for HomeStart and they had a disabled girl in there, i ahd to work her out a support plan. I enjoyed it though, she was lovely.

They did check the car seat when we left. DS2 came to car in a buggy (we had a ds1 aged 13 months, it was easier) but nothing was said.

i'm sure would prob have been ok if you had the pram there?

I think it comes under health and safety. WE were escorted to the door with ds and they carrie dhim in his car seat he was handed over ot us outside. I think its in case u fall over etc. If you were taking baby home in pram to work then they would still walk you down to the door or they would at our hospital

Wonder if you would be allowed to carry them out in a sling/carrier, surely this is safer?

After DS1 was born my DH took him out of the labour suite to show him to the grandparents who were waiting outside desperate to see him. The midwives were really put out that he had the nerve to pick him up and take him out the door. I thought it a bit bizarre, it was our baby afterall. they also insisted that I hold the baby and be wheeled back to the ward and would not DH carry him. At this point I was so weak i through blood loss I couldnt stand without fainting but they wouldnt let him carry the baby! After all that fuss with the baby they then left me in the shower alone to get washed up and I passed out on the floor

We were told that if baby was going home in a car the midwife escorted you down to make sure you had a car seat and that baby was strapped in properly, also in the ward you wernt allowed to carry baby around they had to be in that tupperware box on wheels they give you (but midwifes can carry your baby around in there arms even though you cant!!) - i got boll*cked for carrying ds to the midwife on his first night i was really worried about him - its apparently becasue all the time your on hospital property they can be held resbonsible for not lookng after you and baby properly.

How would we be reacting if someone had posted saying that they had slipped or tripped while hospital and dropped their baby?

We would all be angry and shocked wouldn't we?

Saying that they should make the floors non slip or better handrails on the stairs etc etc

So it may be a silly rule but IMHO I would rather they did that than have people driving away without a car seat in the car securely fitted.