Getting newborn on the train

[PanickyBrum1]

Hey hey, hivemind.

Really, really dumb question here but I keep seeing conflicting answers on google but here goes...
How do you get a baby on the train? Do you take the baby out the pram and then carry the pram on the train or do you keep the baby in the pram and bring the whole thing on!
As a side note, I live in London and have no idea how to use the tube stations that don't have lifts, other than keep asking randomers for help.

How old is baby? I would be tempted to ditch the pram entirely and go and hire a sling from a sling library. I would not want to do the underground with a pram. If baby is still quite small you won't even notice you are carrying them. Baby will be happy to be snuggled with you and the whole thing might be a lot less stressful.

A 'buggy'/' umbrella'style pushchair is best for public transport (especially London). Some are suitable from new born or you can attach a car seat. If you need to fold the buggy down - for space or using esculators it is sometimes easier to carry baby in the car seat in one hand and folded down buggy in the other. Or have baby in a sling but don't want to carry baby all day carry the folded up buggy. Please do not use a 'pram' on public transport. They are too big.

Either. If using a pram/buggy, get on forwards and get off backwards. Leave it in the vestibule and if baby is happy, sit down nearby and hover at stations to move the buggy about as needed. If baby not happy, pick them up and sit down with them.
For getting about London, look at the TfL Journey Planner and tick step-free access, and if the results look like it would take forever, compare without step free access and decide if you are confident with the steps/escalator involved. I would avoid Z1 stations that don't have lifts yet - I have done TCR with a preschooler and a baby in a pushchair and don't plan to repeat it.
Outside rush hour, people are usually very helpful. In rush hour, if you can't avoid, best bet is to just get in the way and eoole will help just to get you out of the way...

HardyforTom I like your thinking and to answer your question, 4 weeks old.

We've got a sling that our baby seems to enjoy, so I'll float the idea with my better half and see what she comes back with.

We are in Birmingham for the weekend though so it might be difficult to go the whole weekend without the pram.

Perhaps a foldable buggy would be good too. I bet someone has one you can borrow if you don't have one yourself. We bought a cheap one to take on holiday with us and it's been really useful for times like this. 4 weeks may be a bit young to put in a some buggies but a lot of them can lie completely flat and the straps adjusted to a small enough size to make it safe. If you are travelling with someone else then the folded buggy and baby in sling plus a small suitcase could easily be managed up and down escalators etc. Good luck and congratulations on your little one! X

I live in Ireland and I have gotten the train (dart) four times with my newborn (4 wks old).
I've taken the pram every time, but it's been a bit of a disaster and a bit scary. First time I got on fine (pushed pram forwards), but went to get off (forwards) and the wheels fell into the gap and pram got stuck. So scarey- I screamed to a group of teenagers to help me, which they did, thank God!! So make sure you get off first and very carefully wheel pram off backwards so the largest wheels go first.
The second, third and fourth times I arrived at destinations to find the lifts were broken and would have been stranded other than the kindness of strangers again offering to help carry the pram all the way up/down a flight of stairs (which is also scarey).
To be honest it's turned me off and I'll probably just use the sling from now on or drive!! Problem with sling is it gets tiring on your back esp if you have a bag too (with bottles, nappies etc).

Can’t comment on the underground but for overground trains I’ve almost always have someone offer to help carry the pram on with me.
Avoid rush hour though!

When DC is older, get the lightest umbrella fold buggy you can find so that you can carry it yourself if you need to. TFL staff will normally help you, but you need to take the DC out and carry them separately

With my first I didn’t get a buggy till she was 6 months and getting a bit heavy. Had a soft corduroy sling( can’t remember the name) which I used every day. Perfect for tube and all public transport.
Baby on the front bag on the back, I could go anywhere!

I took DD on the train as a newborn using a travel system (Hauck) which wasn’t too big and people were still easily able to get past on escalators. I always had DD on the side of the train where we needed to get off so didn’t have to get through lots of people.