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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Do you HAVE to leave hospital with baby in a car seat?

92 replies

TotallyAndUtterlyPaninied · 18/10/2009 19:38

Or can I buy a birth-4 years car seat?

DS lived in his car seat last time as it rocked and he loved it, but we've got lots of rocking chairs and bouncy chairs and swings etc so no need for that really. I hate struggling to get a baby seat in a car, would rather leave one in and then put baby in it.

Does this sound good or like a silly idea?

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June2009 · 20/10/2009 11:49

our local birth centre had a car seat workshop which was great (if only a little late, i think everybody had already bough their seat by that time.)

the guy was an ex policeman who runs a shop once a week (paid for by council) where you can go and show your car and they help you choose (this is in enfield london). they can also help you fix your car seat properly.

The workshop suggested that the birth to 4 year old are ok but not that great because you end up with a seat that you have been using everyday for 4 years and straps buckles etc wear out.
He liked the seats like the maxi cosi that can click into an isofix, they are well made, good and secure. (we've got that).
Your car manufacturer should tell you what is available for your car.

theboss no painkillers after c-section, OUCH. I had my prescription repeated a couple of times...
and the mw also mutterred something about my nipples when I couldnt get dd to latch on (though mine were allegedly "too small")

thatsnotmymonster · 20/10/2009 12:21

We weren't allowed to leave the hospital without dc's in a car seat. Dc1, dh came in without it- it was in the car- and he was told he had to get it as you are not allowed to walk around a hospital carrying a baby

Casserole · 20/10/2009 13:07

We had that "not allowed to carry a baby in the hospital" bit too - DH had to wheel the bloomin plastic cot down to the day room to see his ILs - but no-one checked what we were leaving with or what DS was being put in. It seems a complete lottery. As Riven said, they can't MAKE you do anything.

TheBossofMe · 20/10/2009 13:22

June2009 - was a bit puzzled about the lack of painkillers but was first DD so I think I was in that blissed out stage of staring at little one! Next time will holler for them until they are given!!! And I'm dying to know what perfect nipples should look like....

WrigglyFish · 20/10/2009 14:13

Check with your hospital. With 1st baby I left with baby in a sling and hailed a cab outside. Second baby, born 2 years later in another hospital 10 miles down the road they wouldn't let me walk down the corridoor carrying my child. Had to be in a pram, car seat or bassinet.

Debs75 · 20/10/2009 14:49

With all 3 I left with them in a car seat and then fitted it myself in the car. With the 1st 2 we didn't have our own car but knew we would use taxi's so used my sis's car seat. With no 3 we have a car so did a bit of research on getting a decent car seat and made sure i knew how to use it.
Had to come home in car as we live 2 buses away from the hospitals
There is no reason not to know how to fit the seat or baby into it I think parents are just caught out and overstressed.
Hospitals are only looking out for you when they say 'no car seat no going home' How would you feel if you left with 1 day old and got in car put her on your lap and then crashed on way home.
They are only saying it to cover their backsides and maybe should be more flexible about how you leave. You don't need a car seat if you are getting bus home or live a few mins away and can walk

verytiredmummy · 20/10/2009 16:10

We've got the Britax first class and it's fine. Halfords fitted it wrong, though, at first, so when we took our son home it wasn't right anyway. My husband sorted it out in the end.

As for leaving hospital, I had a midwife poke her head round the curtain, say "you can go now", chuck an envelope with my notes in it at me and that was it. I walked out with my son in my arms, met husband at the lift and didn't even say goodbye to anyone.

AliGrylls · 20/10/2009 18:49

I remember when I left hospital with DS. They asked if we had a car seat, hat for baby, towels to make sure baby would not get too cold. Bizarre thing was that it was 30 degrees outside then they told us to put the car temperature to 21 degrees and put an extra 3 layers on him. Could someone explain the logic of that. It made me think some midwives weren't quite right in the head.

lynniep · 20/10/2009 18:54

We were told to go and get a car seat to take DS to the car. I never questioned it at the time but they told us it was 'policy' not to let parents leave without one. I wasnt even allowed to carry DS the 200 yards from scbu to the maternity ward - he had to go in the wheely 'cot'.

wideratthehips · 20/10/2009 20:43

we have a birth to 4yrs one...britax first class and its bloody massive....no way you could take that up to a ward

your baby, they can't stop you leaving the hospital!..have a great image of pogo stick

wideratthehips · 20/10/2009 20:47

i remember feeling pissed of having to wheel baby around in the cot thing and not allowed to carry them around.....i guess its so you don't trip up in the hospital and have to stay any longer

PinkyMinxy · 20/10/2009 21:28

wWhen I took DS home we had to put him in the car seat and the MW had to carry him to the car then watched DH fumble with the straps (we had practised with a teddy but DH was more nervous this time!). They also had the no carrying your baby on the ward policy.

At the other hosp where I had my DDs I carried my babies everywhere and no-one said anything. We did take them both out in the car seat but in that hosp the MWs were not allowed to carry the baby for you and they didn't follow us past the door to the ward.

But I think I am inclined to agree that evidence of the car seat is not unreasonable, even if it seems patronising- I have seen children in cars without them and overloaded cars with babies on laps- I'll never forget when I saw a woman shouting/struggling with a tantruming toddler at her feet in the front of a car at a very busy junction that goes ono the motorway ring road up the road from us. Very scary.

alysonpeaches · 20/10/2009 21:43

Before the days of infant car seats The nurse used to carry the baby to the hospital door where your car was waiting, or accompany you to the exit. We had a carrycot with a mothercare restraint when I had my first in 1982. But he rode home on my knee in the back seat. When his sister was born in 1986, the Britax rear facing car seats had just come in and we got one for her. It didnt have a carry handle. We carried her to the car too.

I am pleased to say that I carried my granddaughter to the car when she was discharged following her mums c section. We had a seat in the car and used it, but didnt have to take it into hospital.

Mmmcoffee · 21/10/2009 09:08

I got wheeled to the hospital door in a wheelchair with DD1 in my arms, then it was "right, off you go!" and the door metaphorically slammed in my face.

Anyone else had the moment of total panic when you suddenly realise that you are the ONLY PERSON ON EARTH in charge of this squirming little bundle?

naturopath · 21/10/2009 09:49

What? I can't believe this thread - why would you HAVE to have a car seat?? I carried both of my dcs out to the car in my arms - and if we had lived nearer to the hopital I would have walked home with the baby in a sling or the pram. Why assume everyone is travelling by car? And it's YOUR baby!

MumNWLondon · 26/10/2009 19:01

You don't need to actually take the car seat up to the labour ward - ours was fixed in the car in the hospital car park.

If they said anything I'd ask them to come down to the car to have a look. Some car seats eg Britax birth-4 are very heavy to carry and hard to take out of the car.

Although legally you don't need a car seat in taxi I personally wouldn't get in a taxi without one. In a private car you do legally need a car seat.

funtimewincies · 26/10/2009 19:09

Another vote for the Britax First Class. Ds has one and we've just got another for the baby due at the end of November. I'll have a wrap sling as well, but certainly don't intend taking a cumbersome pram into the hospital.

If I'm not allowed to leave, then I'll stay put being fed at the hospital's expense and taking up a bed until they see sense !

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