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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Travelling in car with newborn

23 replies

lockdownbabyx · 18/08/2021 10:33

So I'm due in October and I'm probably over thinking things! I live about a 35 minute car journey from my friends and family (hoping to move closer next year). At the moment I probably drive there once maybe twice a week. Once baby is here, il probably want to drive there more to see everyone, of course they will come to me sometimes aswell. However I'm a little nervous driving for that long with a new born! I'm just picturing him screaming and me not in a safe position to stop and tend to him. Is 35 mins too long in a car for a newborn? Im a FTM, if that isn't obvious 😁

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TakeYourFinalPosition · 18/08/2021 10:36

My midwife said 20 minutes max for the first six weeks, as longer than that can start to affect their breathing. We’re between 35 - 50 minutes from most family, so we’re going to meet people half way, or stop off… but we’re expecting to go less with a newborn, so it’ll only be once a week/once every two weeks or so, and we’ll go when we’re together, so one of us can sit in the back in the early days.

You could stop off at a service station half way and get baby out, I think they only need 5 - 10 minutes or so.

shouldistop · 18/08/2021 10:37

I would plan to have people visit you for the first 4-6 weeks. You'll be very tired, getting to grips with being a mum and recovering from pregnancy and childbirth.

Original poster

lockdownbabyx · 18/08/2021 10:43

Thanks guys, I probably won't for the first few weeks anyway as il be adjusting to life as a new mum etc like you said. I'm thinking more once we're settled and DP is back to work, as il be on my own majority of the time. So the thought of driving with a baby that is weeks old, on my own is freaking me out a little!

OP posts:

SillyBry · 18/08/2021 11:10

Once baby arrives, you'll find a nice rhythm I'm sure... the car is a great soothing place for them to sleep quite often. Personally, I used to feed and change mine, then go out in the car so it fell into the sleep part of their daily routine quite nicely.

If the worst case happens and they cry, you are either close enough to keep going and deal with it when they arrive or you pull over somewhere and sort them out.

I highly recommend a little mirror for the back seat - means you can see baby from the driver's seat, which might help with any anxiety.

My hospital is 35 minutes from home - so my first born travelled that distance when she was days old with no issues :-)

PurBal · 18/08/2021 11:16

My midwife said an hour was fine. The hospital was 45 minutes away and we left during busy traffic so took almost an hour anyway. After 2 nights in hospital and desperate to get home we weren’t stopping.

Chelyanne · 18/08/2021 13:37

Some have to travel longer home from the hospital. I wouldn't worry too much, the motion of the car tends to send them off to sleep. So long as you feed and change not too long before setting off they are usually okay for a short journey.

NeverMetANiceOne · 18/08/2021 13:39

The hospital I had my DC in is almost 3 hours from where I live (stopped twice on the way home) , and from my house to the nearest shop is 35 mins each way. All my children have got used to the driving we do.

LakeShoreD · 18/08/2021 13:41

I’d do 35 minutes in one go with a newborn. Just ensure you get them out of the seat as soon as you get there Feed and change right before you set off and hopefully you’ll find they will go straight to sleep.

museumum · 18/08/2021 13:42

Trips in the car will be fine occasionally but not every day. I’d invest some time now trying to meet other pregnant women in your more immediate area. You don’t need to become best mates forever but having some local acquaintances with babies the same age is really really valuable and it can be easier to meet now before you have the babies.
I’d strongly advise attending ANYTHING local for pregnant women (yoga, aquanatal, antenatal classes, doesn’t matter what)

Ughmaybenot · 18/08/2021 13:45

I think the guidelines are half an hour at the start but I think 35 minutes would be okay. In all honesty tho I think I would plan for people to visit rather than going to them.
That being said, I’m due start of November and live an hour and a half from the hospital so we’ll have to travel for much longer than the ‘recommended’ and I’m certainly not of the opinion it’ll be the end of the world.

Whatamuddleduck · 18/08/2021 13:48

I have a lay flat car seat. It’s safe to be in for longer than the sitting ones which is great for car journeys but also means baby can stay in there for a bit if asleep. Also have a mirror so I can see baby’s face whilst driving. My daughter is 3 now but will use the same when current baby arrives x

llmk · 18/08/2021 13:53

My midwife said 20 minutes max for the first six weeks,

Goodness that wouldn't even get me home from hospital - is this the latest advice?

HangingChads · 18/08/2021 13:55

35 minutes will be fine, just feed and change before you get in the car and have some snacks and water in case you need to stop on the way.

FawnFrenchieMum · 18/08/2021 13:56

Honestly after a few weeks once your fully on your feet a 35 min journey a few times a week wouldn’t have worried me at all.
Like the others have said, feed, change and set off. They will most likely sleep all the way there.

Original poster

lockdownbabyx · 18/08/2021 14:15

Thanks all! I feel better now 😁. Of course will probably stay put for the first few weeks but my mind has definitely been put at rest. Now to tackle the task of picking a car seat, why are there so many choices 🤦🏻‍♀️ x

OP posts:

gogohm · 18/08/2021 14:39

It's fine, I drove dd 3 hours at 10 days old (with 2 stops). Many people have a longer drive home from hospital, an hour is normal here

shouldistop · 18/08/2021 14:41

Also I know it's not best practice now but my parents drove my brother from Germany to Scotland when he was 2 weeks old.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 18/08/2021 14:58

@llmk Yep, seems to be. It doesn’t get me home from the hospital either… and it’s not a motorway; so no services to stop at. But she was insistent that 20 minutes was the max until 8 weeks, and then we could push it a bit and do 30/40 minutes if needed.

bookwitch13 · 18/08/2021 15:08

Our MLU is further than 20 mins from our home… I’m thinking 35 mins will be fine!
As an above poster says, you can get some tilt car seats now which support the breathing and spine development- we have the Joie Ilevel for this and I think maxi cosi have one too!

shouldistop · 18/08/2021 15:33

I've never even had a midwife mention anything about car seats to me. I have a 5yo and 8mo.

Garman · 18/08/2021 15:45

Feed baby just before you leave, plan car journey for nap time, sorted, usually! You just have to be prepared to stop if needed, it's a pain but A. You get used to it and B. within a few months it gets a bit easier.

NavigatingAdolescence · 18/08/2021 18:46

I note people tend to follow this advice for car journeys, but then push baby around for hours around shopping centres in the car seat rather than in a pram. Guessing they don’t understand that it’s the car seat, not the car that’s the issue.

shouldistop · 18/08/2021 19:35

@NavigatingAdolescence do you know that it's the same people doing that though?

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