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Parenting

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Original poster

Parents without cars: did you buy car seats?

41 replies

Wuffleflump · 03/04/2018 19:20

Currently pregnant. We can do all our regular travel by walking, cycling or public transport. At a pinch, could pre-book a taxi with car seats.

I'm loath to spend money on car seats only for them to see occasional use. Also, given we don't have a car to store them in, it's more space taken up in our flat. I think I'd rather avoid the journeys that need travel by private car, at least until the kids are older.

Parents who don't have a car: did you survive without car seats, or did you find you needed them for occasional use? (I'm aware of the regulations around requirements for car seats, hence why I'd rather just avoid private car travel).

OP posts:

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Toasttea · 03/04/2018 19:54

Me and my partner don't drive and we got a 3 in one travel system which came with A car seat. I use it when I go out with my mum in her car so yes I would get one. X

NapQueen · 03/04/2018 19:57

You can get an jnfant car seat brand new for under 50 quid. Wont you want to taxi or get a lift home from the hospital?

No guarantee that a taxi firm will have a car seat available or whether it will be age appropriate.

mehhh · 03/04/2018 19:57

I would get one in a bundle with a pram, it will be very annoying if you're restricted without one, I think it will get used

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jpclarke · 03/04/2018 19:59

I think you have to have baby in it leaving the hospital.

moggle · 03/04/2018 19:59

Can you borrow one off a friend? Lots of people shove them up in the loft between children; or if you have any friends whose last child is about to move up into the next size seat. I know some people say you should never have a second hand seat but we did, from trusted friends.

Herculesupatree · 03/04/2018 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Katy75 · 03/04/2018 20:02

Hello, we had/have one and although we’ve probably used it 20 times and baby is now 13 months, I would say it’s definitely worth it. One evening I had to take her to A&E when she was 3 weeks old, and again at 11 months. We’re also in a flat so it’s a pain to store but I am quite an anxious mother so definitely wanted one.

For my older child we had a baby seat and now have a booster.

Again, I caveat that I am super anxious but would not trust a cab firm’s seat, you know, that it had been looked after, plus I think the plastic degrades after a certain amount of time - see, I am completely bonkers!

Could you borrow one from a friend?

And congratulations on your pregnancy

Alyx80 · 03/04/2018 20:33

Could you go for something like the Joie Tilt, it will last until 18kg/around age 4. Or the Joie Every Stage will last right until they don’t need one.

teaandbiscuitsforme · 03/04/2018 20:35

You really shouldn't use a car seat unless you are 100% of its history. A car seat can be seriously damaged in the most minor of bumps but a high car company/taxi firm are really unlikely to replace their seats.

The Joie Juva is a very budget friendly but very safe infant carrier that will last to around 13kg- between 12 and 18 months. Then you could see how much you use it and choose your next seat from there.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 03/04/2018 20:42

We never had a car and always used public transport, walked or used taxis with car seats.
But we had car seats in case somebody else needed to transport our children in a car. We almost never used them, but we felt better

Waitinforaflamin · 03/04/2018 20:54

Yes, we bought one that is birth to 18kg (Joie steadi), so it will last to around 4 years. Bit of a pain to store but has come in handy.

sakura06 · 03/04/2018 22:18

Yes. They're a pain to store, but having one when you need one is cheaper than hiring when hiring a car after a few rentals.

FartnissEverbeans · 03/04/2018 22:29

I use taxis every day (although my DH recently learnt to drive so it's not an issue any more - DS was 18mo by the time we got a car).

We bought a Graco Evo travel system which I loved. Its car seat fits up to 13kg so DS would actually still fit in it now. The buggy itself is really nifty, easy to fold up/down, easy to manoeuvre, with plenty of storage. It was a fantastic purchase and suited our car-less lifestyle perfectly!

I will say that this will be more of an issue for you as the baby gets bigger. If you're like me you'll become really stressed and worried about safety in a way that wasn't apparent when I was pregnant. In fact, the main reason DH learned to drive was because of the car seat issue - I refuse to allow DS to travel without one (I did a lot of research and we're now doing extended rear facing with a Cybex Sirona M2). Having a car seat in our flat wasn't a big problem - we have space - but what bothered me was how I would carry it about once we reached our destination. Where would I put it once we reached the mall, for example? I bought a forward facing Britax Romer for taxis but never used it - rear facing seats reduce the risk of death in an accident by 40% so I just never felt safe.

The Graco Evo solved our problems for a year and a half, though. It's a rear facing car seat.

Cutesbabasmummy · 04/04/2018 10:18

Just as an aside - and hopefully you would never need it like this - but my DS was taken in an ambulance to a and e when he was small and they had to take him in the car seat.

Merryhobnobs · 04/04/2018 10:23

My hospital wouldn't let us leave u less baby was in a car seat. Our car seat was stuck in the car and my husband couldn't work the release latch so I had to venture out to the car to fix it in order to get to leave the ward.

piercinggelo · 04/04/2018 10:29

My hospital wouldn't let us leave u less baby was in a car seat.

This come up a lot. They can't actually stop you from leaving.

harrietm87 · 04/04/2018 10:29

We don't have a car either, live in London and walk or get public transport everywhere. I'm due this week and we've got a car seat in case we want to get taxis (definitely for coming home from the hospital!) and for when we visit family who live outside of London and drive everywhere. They're not very expensive and the peace of mind is worth it in my opinion.

FuckMyUterus · 04/04/2018 10:33

As previously mentioned, hospital won't discharge baby without a car seat.

EllieQ · 04/04/2018 10:34

Yes. We use a car club car and occasionally hire a car for longer journeys, so needed a car seat. We bought a travel system with an infant car seat, and now have a car seat suitable for a toddler that will convert into a booster seat for an older child. We don't have space to store it so it just sits a a corner of the dining room most of the time, which is annoying, but we'd struggle without it.

BroomstickOfLove · 04/04/2018 10:35

We got car seats and kept them on top of the wardrobe. They got used a couple of times a year, so are ridiculously expensive in cost per use, and it felt like such a waste when we threw them away. It was nice when the children got big enough for small cheap booster seats.

piercinggelo · 04/04/2018 10:35

As previously mentioned, hospital won't discharge baby without a car seat.

They have no legal rights to stop you leaving.

BroomstickOfLove · 04/04/2018 10:36

Hospital will discharge a baby without a car seat if you aren't going home in a car.

NotUmbongoUnchained · 04/04/2018 10:37

I wasn’t allowed to leave hospital without baby in the seat.

piercinggelo · 04/04/2018 10:39

I wasn’t allowed to leave hospital without baby in the seat.

They can't prevent you from leaving. There is absolutely no law regarding this. No legal powers to stop you going home.

KadabrasSpoon · 04/04/2018 10:39

Given birth at 2 different hospitals and neither asked for a car seat. I'm London though so lots of people don't have cars.

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