How To Travel On Bus With A Newborn?

[meltingmarshmallows]

Hello,

I'm currently expecting and can't drive. Something I intend to rectify once baby is here. However in the short term I will need to use the bus.

In all honesty I wasn't aware until recently -as this is my first baby- that the wheelchair space was just that, a priority space for wheelchairs. I had always assumed it was shared with prams, although i totally see why this isn't the case!

On my bus today I noticed there was only a small wheelchair space and no racks to put a folded down buggy on.

Even in bigger buses, I assume it's impossible to put down a pram? What would you do with the baby? I'm assuming having the car seat clipped onto the pram and taking that off to place on a seat would be unsafe. And I wouldn't imagine holding the baby would be at all safe or practical.

Taking wearing the baby in a baby Bjorn or sling out of the equation. How do you travel by bus with a newborn?

I would be worried about getting on and using a wheelchair space as in the event someone needed it the only option I can see would be to get off and be stuck wherever that is.

I would appreciate any advice from Mum's who have used the bus with a newborn. Thank you!

Sling?

I see a lot of mums with newborns - they either hold the baby or have it in a sling; although most just hold them.

On the newer buses around here there are spaces for both wheelchairs and pushchairs. If someone with a pram was already on the bus when I wanted to get on I used to just wait until the next one came along.

Do you have a bck problem or similar that means you can't use a sling? Only asking as I couldn't think of a reason you can't use a sling that wouldn't also mean you couldn't fold a biggy with the baby in one hand if you see what I mean?

I used a sling and then the micralite fast-fold buggy which kind of retracts rather than folds and then you wheel it round folded rather than lifting it. I have 3 kids and still can't drive!

The baby jogger city mini lies flat and is a doddle to fold and pick up but isn't the lightest to carry. That and a rucksack so that the buggy basket was empty would work well from new born though.

How far and how often do you travel? If it's not frequent then taxis might be better value?

I used to have buggy in the wheelchair space and get off if someone in a wheelchair got on. The route I'd take only rarely had a wheelchair user. The bigger problem was a bigger buggy getting on the bus or the wheelchair area being full because other buggies were already on board. Busiest times for buggies were school/nursery run times.

I don't have a car, so we've used public transport from newborn.

I do live in London, so buses are less of a stress, because the next one isn't too far away, but they're also busy with people, other pushchairs and sometimes wheelchair users. The easiest thing is to use a sling, easiest by miles. If you are using the pram (and in the very earliest days, this might be easiest), then I think just be aware that you might need to fold up or move off if you can't fold up.

People WILL wait, or maybe even help (!), because it's not that easy to fold up a pram and hold a baby. Do ask people to help though. It's easy to get flustered and panicky. I bought a pushchair that was easy to fold (city jogger), and it's been v useful and long-lasting for that reason. In nearly four years, I've never had to leave a bus, but I have folded up plenty of times. It's not as stressful as you might think if you're prepared (don't have the bottom basket full of things you can't just easily remove etc).

If you do have to get off, I'm pretty sure that you can ask the driver for a ticket that means you won't need to pay again.

I took the buggy on. If a wheelchair user got on I would get off or fold the pram an hold the baby my knee. I see a lot more car seat types now where people puto the car seat on the seat beside them.

It has never been a problem for me or anyone else I know in RL. It just seems on MN that people with buggies become stupid on busses.

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Re: the sling I am keen to use one but was thinking for if I didn't get on with it ... the plan will be to use a sling but I was curious to hear how it worked without one. And if I were stuck with the pram, or just at first.

I think at the moment a newborn feels so fragile and scary almost, the idea of just holding her on the bus feels terrifying but I think I'm being OTT. I will be buying a buggy with all this in mind so hopefully folding down quickly will be fine. But I take on board your tips about being prepared and not getting flustered.

Will get looking into slings! It's great to hear from lots of you who are regular bus users. Doesn't feel so worrying now!

Agree it shouldn't be complicated re: buggies and wheelchair stuff but read recently about a girl I follow online who is in a wheelchair and has had a nightmare with buggy's refusing to move and all sorts. I'd never want to make someone else's journey more of a hassle or slow everything down loads. But I think with a bit of prep it should be fine.

You've got the right attitude, so you will be fine. If you're pleasant, and show that you're making every effort to move yourself, then there's no need for any cross-feeling.

Newborns DO feel fragile. I remember taking my first on a bus at a week old and flinching at every speed bump (spoiler: it was fine - apparently speed bumps do not cause damage to a baby in a pram, who knew?!), but that feeling is relatively short lived. A good structured carrier (we used an ergo from about 3 weeks, but there are loads more available) will last you ages. I used ours pretty much every day for two years.

I've taken a double buggy on the bus - no option to fold down and carry both babies

Rarely see wheelchair users - but the bus driver usually asks people to move - I often stood

You can buy 'one hand fold' chairs - but get ready in the queue not when the bus arrives

Also watch out for people trying to climb over the pushchair to get on while you're attempting to get off - this happens a lot!'

the only buses i've been on I have had my DP with me (getting up and down the steps relies on a second pair of hands for sure!) and we haven't encountered another buggy or wheelchair user so haven't had to collapse it. same with trains. honestly, i have no idea!!!! we love rurally and I'm so glad the car is my main method because access with a buggy generally (just imagine how hard it is for a wheelchair user!!) is a frigging nightmare imo.

slings are great... when my baby wants to be in it. he won't tolerate it for longer than a hour or two and when he wants to come out he will scream and scream so to be out with just a sling is risky imo.

It's good that you're thinking of this now when you're pregnant. If you will be using public transport a lot use this when making a decision on a pushchair. A pushchair may be better than a pram if you use public transport a lot.

I didn't have a car when DS was born and it was in the days of steps up to the bus and no wheelchair/buggy space. I used to walk a lot, but where unavoidable I had bought a small umbrella buggy and a carrier, which I would put him into at the bus stop, clip on to me and then fold the buggy up. It worked perfectly because I wasn't walking far with the carrier (my back wouldn't have coped) but I wasn't trying to hold him at the same time as folding up the buggy, and generally people would stand up to let me sit with the carrier.

We live in London and have never had a problem getting buses with DD. We have a Bugaboo Bee which is easy to manoeuvre on and off the bus. If there is already a wheelchair/buggies on the bus you just wait for the next one. Allow plenty of time to get places. Good luck!

If you want to get a sling don't get a baby bjorn look at stretchy wraps, ergo, manduca, connecta, moby, Tula........

I found folding the buggy with one hand relatively easy as I'd bought an easy fold one with this in mind. The problem was all the stuff in the bottom of the pram, it got in the way when trying to fold quickly! For this reason I'd recommend a backpack style changing bag, getting one made my life easier as the shoulder one kept swinging around. I put it on before the bus comes then all I had to do was remove DD and fold buggy. Is not glam! I used to ask for a seat as couldn't hold on to bus while holding her, was lucky that people usually said yes. I think it's good to be prepared; you might have a section and a sling could be uncomfy for a while. Congrats and all the best

I think all you can do is never be in a terrible rush to get anywhere if you take a pram on a bus, as there may well be other buggies there or you meet a wheelchair half way through your journey and want to get off (if you're unable to fold pram and hold baby, say). We had a caboo close carrier - stretchy wrap, but with metal rings so it's partially made up for you and less daunting than a wrap you do completely from scratch, although those are very straightforward once you've practised a bit - and I absolutely loved having the baby in it. Wore him all the time! We moved on to an ergo when he was bigger, it's incredibly comfortable too. Somehow I felt a lot more independent with the sling than a pram - streamlined, go anywhere, my baby fits in with my life rather than other way around (ha ha ha well, it's nice to sometimes feel that's the case even if not actually true! Eg when I went to visit my work colleagues with my semi new baby, I took him in a sling as the whole impression of woman+baby was a lot less substantial and life-changing with a sling than hefting a pram about the office....)

I used a buggy and didn't drive when ds was a baby. I got a light buggy ,held ds and folded the buggy with one hand.Easy peasy,then you're not on a flap if a wheel chair user gets on.

Easy to fold pushchair is essential - I had a Baby Jogger City Mini. although used a sling for the first few months.

Give yourself as much time as possible. Buses can be full, you may need to move from the wheelchair space.

I regularly used buses with my oldest child, and then with a double buggy and my twins. I never had any problems. The thought of it always stressed me out a bit beforehand though.

Do you live in a big city? I have a baby and toddler- DD1 was basically in a sling until she was 1 but now I usually have a buggy and a sling. TBH I just usually wait for the next one if it's full, but we do have a city mini and it folds easily.
Wheelchair users are just as patient as everyone else and are always happy to wait while you sort yourself out. We don't have a car and use buses a lot and in 3.5 years I can count the number of times I've got off for a wheelchair user on 2 hands- it doesn't happen that often that there's a space conflict.

Are you in London? I am too and don't drive so I pretty much get the bus everywhere.

If you're in London (or another city) I strongly recommend you don't get a massive contraption of a pram as they're a PITA on public transport. I have a babyzen yoyo which meant that I could nearly always squeeze onto a bus even if there were 2 other prams there or 1 wheelchair.

TBH I hardly ever see anyone with a wheelchair get on, what's more likely is you will be waiting for a bus and then when one comes there are already two buggies in the space.

I often used a sling when DS was newborn, and we occasionally still use one now and he is 17 months!

I think at the moment a newborn feels so fragile and scary almost, the idea of just holding her on the bus feels terrifying

I'd say the opposite is true actually, I was once on a bus with an NCT mum who had her three week old in the pram - bus driver went round a corner at the speed of lightning and pram tipped clean over and baby flew out .

Choose an easy fold pram and get a nice backpack.

I've used the bus with both of mine from days old....it's often easier to fold at the bus stop rather than wait and see.

Also investing in a fabric sling is useful, leave it in the bottom the pram so it's handy.

Because no matter how concientious a pram and bus user you are if it's busy some dickheads would be happy for you to stand with a baby rather than stand themselves . In this case the sling comes in handy for safety.

@Strugglingmumbot eek! That's a good point actually as just laying there.

I live in a city but not as busy as London, so best of both worlds in that we have lots of buses but not too busy if not traveling at rush hour.

Thanks so much for all the recommendations for buggies (sorry, still getting the right terminology for prams / buggies / travels systems and slings vs baby carrying things), slings and carriers.

Great idea with a backpack too.

I think it'll be a case of getting the scary first trip out the way and carrying them on me. With a good travel system bought for the city and public transport.

Appreciate all your answers though, I've been pondering this for a while so it's great to get some options / reassurance!

Sling.