irrational concerns - insomnia - car seats

[gingerwench]

Is anyone else suffering from insomnia (I'm 21 weeks). Generally I'm not stressed but last night the big concern that was keeping me up at night was this....

we live in Scotland, i have grandparents on the south coast. DH may not have enough holiday left to allow us to travel with future child this summer/autumn so they can see him/her. So I may do it alone. Now I wouldn't drive that far alone with small baby because I know they shouldn't be in car seat for more than an hour or two at a time. So I thought plane or train, both of which I've used to make the journey alone before. Then it hit me - I'd need a car seat because I'd need to travel from station/airport to their house and back. Cue trying to imagine the impracticality of travelling by public transport with me, baby, carrier/sling or pushchair, bag and then heavy car seat. How on earth do people do it? I may be being completely irrational - DH said no problem we'd do a weekend trip and he'd be with me to carry extra luggage. No problem. Am I being completely neurotic? Do taxis ever have baby seats? how do single parents cope with logistical problems like this?

And when will I ever sleep all the way through the night again?

Travel system? Then car seat also clips into buggy and will prob be big enough to stuff with sling/baby bag/ other paraphenalia. I bet a friend would lend you one for the weekend if you are planning on separates for yourself.

I am also a ginger wench, love your user name!

PS sleeping again? Nope, sorry.

You think you worry now being pregnant, just wait until the baby arrives and it will reach whole new level.

Can't you just drive? As a one off being in a car seat for more than 1-2hrs honestly isn't going to do your DC any harm - you're told that to (try) and stop parents who sit their DC in the car seat all the time.

one of them travel system thingies or just hold the baby on your lap in the taxi. Or catch a bus.
We often hold dd in a taxi (she's nearly 4) because her wheelchair has to be laid on its side in the boot when we can't find a wheelchair accessible taxi.
dd is also a ginger wench

Baby carrier seats aren't that heavy and if you'd have access to washing machine you donlt need to take that much clothing wise. Very few taxis would carry them. Perhaps they could borrow a buggy for you to use ?

Ginger, do your grandparents live on South Coast of England or Scotland?! If Scotland, the drive can't be that long. I used to drive from London to Devon to see my family, about a 4 hour trip with one break for breastfeeding etc. They used to say hours in a car seat wasn't good (ie 8) but a one off drive of 4 hours or so is not harmful and a whole lot easier than public transport hell!
I'm 23 weeks and have major insomnia about 3 times a week where I get up at 3ish and go back to sleep at 6ish to then have to get up again at 7ish. Nightmare! I too have things that seem to spring to mind at this ungodly hour so I've just put a pen and pad by my bed in the hope I can write it down and worry later. Funnily enough I slept like a baby (ha!) last night.

I travelled 400 miles by train with dd when she was 6 weeks and it was the best journey I've ever had! To be fair, I didn't take a pushchair because my mum had borrowed one for me to use up there but if she hadn't I'd have used a travel system. I didn't take many clothes (washed at mum's) and was bf so didn't need steriliser etc so could travel light. My brother alos met me at the train station to help but I could have managed OK on my own; I had baby in car seat, small suitcase and nothing else
How long is the journey? We have driven regularly since dd was 10 weeks and it's at least 6 hours. We used to stop every 2 hours and feed dd, take a walk round services or just sit in the car for 10 minutes. It was much easier when she was smaller
As for the insomnia, I'm 34 weeks and suffered badly until a few weeks ago. My secret tip (and may be psychological) is Tetley relaxing tea bags. I have a cup of this about 8pm and since I started have slept a million times better, just the odd bad night. I hate herbal tea but this tastes fab even if it does have a small amount of caffeine in it. Fresh air and exercise helps. Also, keep a notepad and pen by your bed and write EVERYTHING down if you can't sleep!
Good luck

it would depend on how old your baby was when you took him/her. If s/he was tiny you could carry them in their car seat or get one on wheels (lke mine ). If they are to big for the carry car seat, your grandparents could borrow a suitable one I betfrom one of their friend's with grandchildren!

Thanks all

Yes it is South Coast of England i.e. a long long trip in the car. And I was thinking of travel with small baby so they don't have too long before they see him/her. Once we are into next year then DH's holiday won't be an issue.

We'll have a car seat - we've been given one already (just need to check it fits in our car - known home and history so safe) but it comes with a big heavy base and so I didn't think I would be able to carry all of it and anything else all by myself. Perhaps I misunderstood and it can just be used with the top part only. I need to check.

Buses would be my normal public transport option but aren't convenient for where my grandparents live so I would expect to use a taxi (grandparents could potentially pick us up but in their late 80s and rarely drive these days!). Needmorecoffee I thought it was the law now that babies/children had to be in car seats even in taxis? I think that is what was bothering me.

Minkus - good idea on potentially borrowing travel system if we end up with pushchair that is incompatible with our car seat.

To be honest I think my overactive mind was creating a mountain out of molehill. It's just there are SO many things to think about. Perhaps my brain is concentrating on the trivial rather than worrying about the big stuff i.e. labour/birth/complete life change!

What make is the car seat? With ours it has the option of an in car base that the seat slots into or you can just use the car seat directly in the car. It's a Britax Rock a Tot.
Is it feasible for you to give the car seat you already have to your grandparents to keep at their house for whenever you visit and buying another (cheap) one for you to use?

As far as I am aware, the law with the car seats does have an exception for taxis, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Just found this from the UK Dept of Transport website regarding exemptions - problem over! I can travel light after all!

"A. in a licensed taxi/private hire vehicle, if the right child restraint is not available
It is impracticable to expect the right child seat or booster to be available in a taxi unless a parent or carer has brought it with them. There is therefore a qualified exception which says that, if child restraints are not available in a licensed taxi or licensed private hire vehicle:

• a child under 3 years old may travel unrestrained but in the rear only - this is the only exemption for a child under 3 years old;

• a child aged 3 years and above must use an adult belt in the rear seat only. "

problem solved! KelaS is right.

I would suggest a backpack/sling (if you can do it) until the baby gets to heavey. You could buy a cheap second hand buggy for when you are down there, and use buses and taxis instead of cars.