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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Going out of hospital

26 replies

Altmosphere · 12/01/2020 17:54

Hi all,

Do you know if you need a car seat when you go out of hospital taking an uber or black cab?

I don’t wanna spend money on sth we will never use since we don’t own a car ourselves.

OP posts:

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Mintjulia · 12/01/2020 17:55

Are you part of an NCT group? I’m sure someone will lend you one, just to get the baby home.

KellyMarieTunstall2 · 12/01/2020 17:58

Yes you'll need one. See if you can borrow one or buy a cheap secondhand one.

Original poster

Altmosphere · 12/01/2020 17:59

Not really. It’s also not very practical to carry one more bulky item to the hospital while I am in labour, already hoping I won’t leave my hospital bag behind^^

I was hoping to know if it’s allowed by law to carry the baby in a sling or baby career.

Thanks for the tip though!

OP posts:

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 12/01/2020 18:01

Put the baby in a pram and say you are getting the bus?

Car seats are not legally required in a black cab but they are in an Uber. No idea why black taxis are exempt.

Mummyme87 · 12/01/2020 18:01

You will need a car seat for a taxi ride home.

I am a midwife, would recommend your OH goes and collects your car seat when he goes home whilst you are being discharged. Don’t bring it in labour.

Anyoed · 12/01/2020 18:02

Well I no u don't have to have them in a car seat in a cab as my dad is a taxi driver. However not sure how hospital rules are . They may mean you have to. As a duty of care. I would ask your midwife. Explain your situation. Good. Luck.

Babdoc · 12/01/2020 18:10

This has made me ponder. Obviously a baby seat is the safest option and car owners have them, but I’ve never seen one used on the bus or any other public transport.
My local buses have a dedicated space for prams and buggies to sit, with the baby still in them.
Do non-car owners seriously borrow one every time they use a taxi? Or just put a carrycot on the floor, or the baby on their lap?

Ummusomebody · 12/01/2020 18:22

What would you use on a day to-day? If you have a carrycot, I think some hospitals would allow that particularly if you said you were taking public transport

piperk · 12/01/2020 18:26

For the sake of the price of a cheap one I would buy one I don't see how it's worth the risk

FanSpamTastic · 12/01/2020 18:43

Does your progress have a carry cot attachment? I would use that if it does.

turnthebiglightoff · 12/01/2020 18:50

I'd buy a travel system with a car seat with it. When they're born you won't want to put them straight into a buggy, they will seem to vulnerable. Car seats hold them in beautifully at first.

Bibbidybobbitysplated · 12/01/2020 18:53

Joie juva is very well rated and £40.....lasts most til 16m so worth a look

fedupandlookingforchange · 12/01/2020 18:56

I wasn't allowed out of hospital without the baby being in the car seat DH carrying baby to car was not allowed baby had to be in car seat.
Ask the hospital now what their rules are.

misselphaba · 12/01/2020 18:59

I don't drive but had a car seat as we did use one from to time. I found I took more car trips once I had the baby then before e.g. Going out with friends with babies to baby groups or the other pointless places we take young babies too. I sometimes used cabs and put the car seat in next to me along with the buggy in the boot and clipped the car seat onto the buggy when we got out.

I'm due again and still don't have a car but will definitely getting another car seat. The old one was actually borrowed from a friend now I think about it. Maybe that's an option?

Original poster

Altmosphere · 12/01/2020 18:59

@Bibbidybobbitysplated

Looks like a reasonable price, thanks!
I guess if they won’t allow us to take the baby without a car seat we will go for a cheap one or second hand. Even though it will be never used again...

OP posts:

Peony99 · 12/01/2020 19:07

No one checked ours when we left hospital last week, in central London so I assume lots of people get the bus home.

But I would have felt very, very unsafe with her in a taxi without a proper seat. It's certainly worth the money to know you're not putting your baby at unnecessary risk.

Bibbidybobbitysplated · 12/01/2020 19:15

Be very careful buying second hand as you can never be sure if its been in a crash and therefore unsafe, you may well find someone to lend you one though. If i knew a friend needed one for the journey home I'd have no issues lending ours over and just not using the car until i could pick it up

Mummyme87 · 12/01/2020 19:24

Yes my issue is why would you take a baby in a car outside of a car seat? I just don’t get it

strawberry2017 · 12/01/2020 19:25

Second hand or borrowed, really not worth risk on your tiny days old baby. There might be a local charity who could lend you on or alternatively look at Facebook market place.

WelshMammaofaSlovak · 12/01/2020 20:56

We don't have a car but we have a britax cheapie (£70) but that has a good safety rating that we keep for emergencies and for lifts with friends and family. We have used it. For the first year we used one that friends in the same situation as us gave us but then we bought the next one. Whatever you do don't look on Facebook car seat pages for advice - they will slay you alive for not spending hundreds of pounds regardless of your situation and they will make it seem like you hate your baby and need social services to be called! They are honestly the most judgmental place I've been on Facebook! It is pretty galling to have spend money on something you really don't need but it is peace of mind to have it there.

Bibbidybobbitysplated · 13/01/2020 08:48

@WelshMammaofaSlovak its such a shame those sites have those reputations. Im on some and do my upmost to reply to threads asap in a positive way before others get in there (as at times you are right, people can be downright nasty). HOWEVER they are where I've heard the Joie Juva is great and cheap so i ignore some of it and take the useful info

Tallilah · 13/01/2020 08:51

If you don’t drive chances are you will get a taxi at one point again, so it’s good to have anyway

Bert2020 · 13/01/2020 08:52

Will you be using a pram? If so you can keep one up in a taxi.

Dandelion1993 · 13/01/2020 09:01

You should have a car seat anyway.

When dd1 was born I didn't drive but found myself taking taxis more and yes it's not legally required but having a car seat is safer.

We also had an issue where dd1 had to go to hospital and when the ambulance arrived, they asked us to strap her into her car seat (wasn't too serious but needed to be checked) and then they'd strap it into the ambulance.

Car seats are needed and surely it's better to have a cheap one in the cupboard available the none at all

ECPCR2 · 13/01/2020 11:13

There was a taxi driver in my antenatal class and he said that companies will often have car seats that can be booked at the time of ordering the taxi. Would mean you'd have to wait a little longer to leave the hospital than getting an Uber/black cab, but if you're certain you'd never need one again it would be cheaper. However the concerns people have voiced about the safety/age of a seat you haven't bought new yourself would remain.

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