Carless needs to buy a car seat

[tomkitty]

I am due in July, don't even own a car. Baby will come home in a taxi. Most of the shopping will be done on foot with a pushchair, with the occasional taxi ride.

Should I buy a car seat? Everything I read says it would be irresponsible not to. Any suggestions which one?

hi tomkitty, have you bought your pushchair yet? lots can be bought as a package to include a car seat and that generally works out cheaper. You should get one, it is actually illegal for a baby to not travel in one. also, when I had my ds, a midwife accompanied us out of the maternity ward to our car to make sure he was fastened in properly. hope this helps

Our friend and her dh doesn't drive either but were told they had to have a car seat to bring the baby home in they brought one like this one

www.toysrus.co.uk/Product.aspx/BruHome/BruTravel/BruTravelCarSeats/BruTravelCarSeatsInfant/705071

Quite cheap but still did the job perfect and they've used it more than they expected.

I have a maxi cost city I am giving away, if you live in London (really can't be doing with packing and posting it and it was brand new in September, non smoking non pet house hold)

Oh Suzy youve beaten me to it, but i have a maxi cosi too that i no longer need its in the black and white Zebra design. Your welcome to it if youd like it

Great minds think alike CP3 (how are you doing, haven't chatted to you for ages)
They are great aren't they, but big boys like ours tend to grow out of them quickly.
It's not worth re-selling them on e-bay either.
Well tomkitty, mine is grey and I live in North London, but CP3's is a jazzier design, it's up to you

Shall i open a chat bar Suzy and we can try and catch up before kiddies awake

would love to but baby needs feeding right now
will look in throughout afternoon though
xxxx

I've got a very basic mothercare car seat you can have for nothing ( north London). I've also got one of the ones that fits into a buggy, but found the seatbelts in alot of cars/taxis to be too short for it, so the basic one is actually better!! Two seats, and we don't even own a car....!

Wow, what a response! Thank you ladies for your help and the kind offers. Can you imagine if a midwife walked out with us and realised we didn't even have a car seat? She probably wouldn't let us take the baby home.

I live in Notting Hill gate. Charlieplus3, is that anywhere close to you? If not, I am happy to run up to north London to see SuzyWong or Ixel.

Thanks again.

tomkitty - agree that you should get a car seat if you intend using car/staxis with baby. It's the only safe way for baby to travel.

However it is NOT actually illegal in the Uk for baby to tavel without a seat. If one is available in the car then, yes, the law says it must be used. If one is not then it isn't illegal to still travel. Sadly this is true

Our midwife did not ask us or see a car seat and were more than happy for us to leave with DD, via the car park.

ill have to post it too you Tc. When do you need it by

CP3, I won't need it until July, but I am happy to collect it if that's easier for you. My email address is [email protected]

thanks again

Tomkitty, i live to far away. Wokingham near Reading. If your ever passing then that would be great we are up M4 Junction 10. If not ill post, not that heavy so dont think postage would be too much

If you want, we could meet half way, for a coffee and to give you the seat?! It seems a shame for cp3 to waste money on postage. I'm in the Baker St/ Marble Arch/ euston area quite alot. The offer is there if you want it. I also have a wilkinet baby carrier going spare if you need one. I'm trying to declutter!!

I'm afraid I can't match the offer to meet halfway, just wouldn't work with two kids and an extra car seat onthe central line somehow, but I too am very desparate to de-clutter as we are leaving the country soon , so if there is anything else you are after it's worth asking.

I just sent CP3 an email before I read the new posts, duh. It does make sense to avoid the postage unless it's necessary.

Suzy, no probs, I certainly understand. Where are you moving to?

Ixel, I will definitely need a carrier too and it would be fun to meet in town for a coffee! I work pt in King's Cross, so I am near euston,marble arch, baker street very often. Are you around weekdays? Tell me when/where would be easiest for you. I get off work at 4 on Mon and Fri, but could meet any afternoon on Tues-Thurs.

Tomkitty,
This week is hard because we have family staying, but any afternoon the following week (26th onward) would be ok. Euston would be handy, as I can get a straight bus there. Or Starbucks at Warren Street has a big sofa, and a disabled loo, so I can fit the buggy in with me! Did you want the car seat too, or just the carrier?

Tomkitty: we are also car-free, but I think it is essential to have an infant carseat. Personally I bought a seat 2nd hand (I know, I know... you're not supposed to) but I felt satisfied that it was still safe to use. Don't know if they still make them, but ours was a Britax Rockatot with came with handy infant-carrying handle, made it easy to sling over a pushchair handle while shopping with pushchair. Then it'd be handy for when you wanted to go shopping and then catch a taxi home. Whereas (I think??) the Maxicosi that you'be been offered, while well made and very easy to fit, is a lumbering, heavy, enormous thing!

Hulababy: I think you're wrong, (somebody arbitrate if I'm wrong, eh?!). But by UK law, babies under 1yo really MUST have a carseat or go in a carrycot, it's babies over 1yo that the law is lax about. And it's all changing in 2006 or 2007, anyway, to more like US standards of all children will have to use a "car restraint system" or whatever the technical language is, possibly up to age 11yo (new EU rules).

Since I'm contributing now... is the Maxicosi suitable for a baby under 9 months??? I thought not...?
Argos used to sell infant seats for something like £40, if you can't find a 2nd hand one that suits & otherwise you have faith in.

Am i missing something here? Of course the maxi cosi is suitable from birth, it even has the head support with it.

The Law

"Cars - Children under 3 years old
If carried in the front seat, an appropriate child restraint MUST be used (the adult seat belt is not sufficient). Children under 3 years old may not travel in the front unless they are in a child restraint.

If carried in the rear seat, an appropriate child restraint MUST be used, IF AVAILABLE.

If an appropriate restraint is fitted in the front of the car, but not the rear, children under 3 years old MUST sit in the front and use that restraint. Remember, you could move the restraint from the front to the rear if you wish. Rearward-facing seats are designed to be used in the rear as well as the front. You should always put a rearward-facing baby seat in the rear if is a front passenger airbag fitted."

charlieplus3 - yes, you are right. The Maxi Cosy Citi is suitable from birth.

Ixel, the week of 26th April sounds great, so does the Warren St Starbucks. Is it on Tottenham Ct Road or actually on Warren St? I can't place it. I think CP3 is posting me the carseat early next week, so probably just the sling.

Its in the post. Hope it gets to you ok.

Tomkitty
Its more or less opposite the station, where the small sainsburys and the inland rev centre are; I think technically this is the junction of Hampstead Road and Marylebone Road... if its still Marylebone Road once you get that far up!
Anything else you want? I'm hanging on to alot, in the desperate hope dh will want another, but some stuff we dont need or have doubles. Anyway, if you only want the carrier, at least it'll be good to have a chat and a coffee!