Taking a taxi to hospital to give birth

[VoilaAnotherGimlet]

Does anyone have any experience of getting to hospital in a taxi?

I'd prefer to do this than for DH to drive since we've already been warned there's very limited parking around the hospital (London). I was just wondering whether taxi firms dislike having amniotic fluid sloshing about on their seats etc...!

I have also wondered on the wisdom of booking in advance v springing it on the firm in one's hour of need and hoping they won't turn me away!

(Apols if this is a silly question!)

Japhrimel - it is not illegal for a cab to take you without a car seat. You can legally travel in taxis without child car seats (whether this is wise or not is another debate but as someone else has said, you can fix pushchairs into black cabs).

For anyone in London, Adisson Lee are great for this - I have used them twice when in labour.

Wow you're right. I didn't see how that could be (as the normal law is that it is driver's responsibility to make sure children are properly strapped in) but it seems there's an exception for taxis.

www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/fromseptember06.htm

Don't think I'd like to risk it though, especially not with a newborn in arms. Bit safer having older children in pushchairs in a black cab - at least then they couldn't go far.

If you're not getting a carseat because you don't drive, I think borrowing one would be best. After all, you'd only need it to get home and then you could give it back.

Find our from your local hospital what cab firms they use. Sometimes there is a phone in A&E which goes directly through to a specific firm, and often there is a set price to get home from hospital.

I have had DS in his pushchair in a black cab, and also in a sling in a mini-cab. The sling-plus-my-seatbelt combo is also what I did on a plane when DS was 2.5 months.

If you are really worried, perhaps ask local friends/ friends from antenatal group who have carseats to borrow theirs for the trip home? I would be delighted to help someone in this way, and your antenatal friends might be even happier - after all, having a baby is all about losing control, and the chance to be a Grownup for once in the months is a cool idea!