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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

How to travel to hospital for/after birth - help

86 replies

wondering7777 · 09/11/2019 10:29

I have two hospitals near me, one a 10 minute drive and the other (my preferred) a 25 minute drive.

Unfortunately while I can drive, DH can’t. I’ve read that some hospitals insist you can only leave after birth with a car and baby seat. What am I going to do?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Preggosaurus9 · 09/11/2019 12:15

The law says car seats aren't required in a taxi. Not recommending you take a newborn in a taxi with no car seat but it is legal!

On way in you can call an ambulance if you have no other options. I asked my midwife last week as I may be in this situation depending on who is available at the point of labour. She said don't even hesitate, ring 999 and say you're having a baby.

smartcarnotsosmartdriver · 09/11/2019 12:20

Similar situation here, I've rang round local taxis who said they would run me to the hospital just that I maybe take a towel for the seat in case. The plan is that my mum will run us home again but again I've checked with midwife and taxis that if she can't make it so long as DH brings car seat on the bus they'll take us all home.

BrokenLogs · 09/11/2019 12:21

We left the hospital with dd1 on a snowy January night around 9 pm to catch a bus. I could barely walk but I was done being 'looked after' by the NHS.

Wtaf only able to leave in car

It's your DC, you get them home how you see fit/can surely??

BrokenLogs · 09/11/2019 12:22

Why do you need a car seat if you don't have a car?
I just don't get this at all.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 09/11/2019 12:24

My hospital insisted on seeing the car seat, which was very annoying as it was already fitted in the car and we didn't want to take it out. I asked them 'but what if we weren't driving home?' and they looked at me like I had two heads so I'll never know!

Mercedes519 · 09/11/2019 12:26

OP does drive her DP doesn’t. Therefore she will need a car seat once she is back home?

Original poster

wondering7777 · 09/11/2019 12:29

Why do you need a car seat if you don't have a car?
I just don't get this at all.

Because I will want to drive my baby around after it's born...!

OP posts:

Original poster

wondering7777 · 09/11/2019 12:31

I asked them 'but what if we weren't driving home?' and they looked at me like I had two heads so I'll never know!

Ha ha - I seem to get a lot of those kinds of looks from my hospital!

OP posts:

MyGoodTimes · 09/11/2019 12:32

Get a taxi to the hospital when in Labour.
Can one of your friends (who drives) use your car? You could fit the car seat beforehand and they can collect you with your baby at the hospital afterwards.

GrumpyHoonMain · 09/11/2019 12:33

Don’t go for Uber but go for a reputed local taxi company (ring around a few). You may need to pay extra so they can arrange matting / padding (to go there) and car seat (way back) but it’s worth it’s weight in gold. Addison Lee and similar, if available in your area, tend to be great at this.

Original poster

wondering7777 · 09/11/2019 12:36

Hmm, I've always found Uber to be far more reliable than the local taxi companies personally. I've had several instances where booked cabs haven't turned up, whereas an Uber is almost always no more than a couple of minutes away!

OP posts:

Robs20 · 09/11/2019 12:38

We live in London and have a number of friends who have had babies and no car. For example, one set took the bus to the hospital (yes really) and home again with the baby in a sling.

GrumpyHoonMain · 09/11/2019 12:39

Uber drivers may charge you for any mess if they don’t have time to prepare their cars for it, and may decline the journey when they arrive. Local companies are less likely to do that.

HuloBeraal · 09/11/2019 12:41

I am a fairly robust parent but I wouldn’t expose a brand newborn to London public transport (DS1 did his first Tube journey at 8 weeks and now at 8 years is a pro).
You can walk home but given that everyone on the postnatal ward (natural or C section) was waddling uncomfortably to the toilet I am not sure how realistic that is. I mean it might be easier for you to drive (if you don’t have a C section) than walk/take public transport.
Most car seats can be belted in. Have you bought a car seat? When you buy one they will tell you how it’s belted in and you can make a decision based on that.
Why won’t you be able to find a taxi company in London?
You’ll need a car seat for your own car right? DH brings car seat to hospital. Strap baby in. Call Uber. Strap baby into the back of the Uber. Go home!

HuloBeraal · 09/11/2019 12:42

I believe Anderson Lee will take labouring women. They took me both times. (Although my second was an emergency and in hindsight needed an ambulance).

Original poster

wondering7777 · 09/11/2019 12:42

That's true Grumpy. I've almost always had lovely Uber drivers but obviously I might be unlucky!

Thanks @Robs20 - I'm in awe of your friend who took the bus!

I'm feeling really envious of all those Londoners who live right next to my local hospitals now - it would make everything so easy!

OP posts:

BrokenLogs · 09/11/2019 12:42

You might wondering7777 but I didn't so I wouldn't have had a car seat to get dd1 home from the hospital.

I was replying to pp who said the hospital wanted a car seat.

Original poster

wondering7777 · 09/11/2019 12:44

Oh, apols @BrokenLogs!

OP posts:

BrokenLogs · 09/11/2019 12:45

I regretted taking a taxi to hospital as the driver spent the entire trip telling me off as I should have called an ambulance apparently.

I was having mild cantractions and had to hide each one as it set him off!

I remembering looking at the bus, in it's own bus lane, wishing I'd taken it instead of the bloody taxi!

superram · 09/11/2019 12:51

How would the hospital stop you leaving if you didn’t have a car seat? Even if you took a baby in a cab without a car seat (which obvs no one would) this is legal and the hospital have no power to stop you. I think this is an urban myth. I have a car but would happily have taken baby in a pram.

PracticallySpeaking · 09/11/2019 12:55

I booked a taxi in advance and told the company I would have a newborn in a car seat so needed a taxi with functioning seatbelts (this wasn’t the UK - a country where the taxi drivers usually remove or trap the seatbelts under the seats). Then I got stroppy with the taxi driver when he didn’t want to wait for me to get the car seat in properly. Would have sent the taxi away if they’d turned up without seatbelts

SeaBear11 · 09/11/2019 13:13

I live in London, I just got an Uber to the hospital with my empty car seat and bag. We didn’t tell the driver I was in labour - none of their business. Your risk of making a mess in the Uber is probably less than the typical drunk they pick up all the time.

RolytheRhino · 09/11/2019 13:24

We got a free cybex aton with our pram- I think a few places still do deals like this- and the seat secured with a belt very easily. We never bothered buying the isofix base because the belt was so simple and worked in every car we ever tried it in.

itbemay1 · 09/11/2019 13:28

Don't call 999 as PP said unless it's a real emergency. If in london a black cab will take you to and from with no issues. And you can fit a car seat in a black cab.

Contraceptionismyfriend · 09/11/2019 14:13

The hospital can't force you to stay. If you and baby have been given the all clear you can leave how you want.

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