Is car seat necessary for newborn？

suitianshi

It is very near my due time,I'm preparing my hospital bag.
Is car seat necessary? Some mothers told me if I don't have a car seat I can't take my baby out of hospital.
I live very closed to hospital and we don't have a car,I suppose after my labor, I can take the baby home just by my hands . Or is there other stuff that can instead of car seat？

And another question, when my baby is 6 months ,I will take her travel to some place ,I need take her on to the bus, can I just take her with a baby wrap? Will the bus driver let us get onto the bus?

Pinch Flat

suitianshi wrote: »

It is very near my due time,I'm preparing my hospital bag.
Is car seat necessary? Some mothers told me if I don't have a car seat I can't take my baby out of hospital.
I live very closed to hospital and we don't have a car,I suppose after my labor, I can take the baby home just by my hands . Or is there other stuff that can instead of car seat？

And another question, when my baby is 6 months ,I will take her travel to some place ,I need take her on to the bus, can I just take her with a baby wrap? Will the bus driver let us get onto the bus?

Car seat is absolutely necessary. Baby wrap no issue.

Ghekko

If you are very close to the hospital maybe your partner could bring the baby home in the pram/buggy while you go home with your bags in a taxi.

suitianshi

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Car seat is absolutely necessary. Baby wrap no issue.

thank you for reply, but we don't have a car ,I don't quite understand

suitianshi

Ghekko wrote: »

If you are very close to the hospital maybe your partner could bring the baby home in the pram/buggy while you go home with your bags in a taxi.

OK, but if we don't have car seat or pram, doctor won't let my baby and I go out of hospital

Do I understand it right?

HelgaWard

I think you should ask at your next medical appointment. I think if you explain that you do not have a car and that you will be walking the baby home in a pram then that will be fine. You don't need a car seat to bring a baby on the bus.

maxsmum

Why the hell would she need a car seat without a car?!
Ridiculous.
Bring baby home in a sling or whatever suits. Sling or buggy on bus is no problem at all. You only need a car seat for taxi or car.
Speaking from vast experience here. I don't drive.

suitianshi

maxsmum wrote: »

Why the hell would she need a car seat without a car?!
Ridiculous.
Bring baby home in a sling or whatever suits. Sling or buggy on bus is no problem at all. You only need a car seat for taxi or car.
Speaking from vast experience here. I don't drive.

Thanks so much！

suitianshi

HelgaWard wrote: »

I think you should ask at your next medical appointment. I think if you explain that you do not have a car and that you will be walking the baby home in a pram then that will be fine. You don't need a car seat to bring a baby on the bus.

I will ask at next appointment，thank you

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

suitianshi wrote: »

thank you for reply, but we don't have a car ,I don't quite understand

Because he didn't read your post

If you don't have a car, you don't need a car seat. If they insist on it, ask to talk to somebody with a bit of common sense.

Take your baby home in a pram or sling. Best of luck with your newborn

dori_dormer

Id get a buggy. There's usually a minimum weight for carriers, and depending on the type / you may not know how big your baby is when Born. You could also get a clueless midwife who thinks you're suffocating your baby in a wrap or something silly like that. Defiintly talk to the midwife are your next appointment. There shouldn't be any issues but this is Ireland!

suitianshi

Madeleine Ancient Architect wrote: »

Because he didn't read your post

If you don't have a car, you don't need a car seat. If they insist on it, ask to talk to somebody with a bit of common sense.

Take your baby home in a pram or sling. Best of luck with your newborn

Thank you very much, after I read your reply ,I can understand,I'll explain will the hospital.

suitianshi

dori_dormer wrote: »

Id get a buggy. There's usually a minimum weight for carriers, and depending on the type / you may not know how big your baby is when Born. You could also get a clueless midwife who thinks you're suffocating your baby in a wrap or something silly like that. Defiintly talk to the midwife are your next appointment. There shouldn't be any issues but this is Ireland!

OK, I come to Ireland only 11 months. It is so different from our country.I need to learn more. Thank you very much .:)

AlanG

suitianshi wrote: »

OK, but if we don't have car seat or pram, doctor won't let my baby and I go out of hospital

Do I understand it right?

That is an urban myth - you will have no problem taking your child from the hospital. Doctors don't have the time, interest or authority to stop you once the child is healthy.

Victor

For you, how practical is walking home withing a day or two of delivery?

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

You should have a pram anyway, you’re going to need one either way. The midwife will get your address off you for the birth cert etc and they’ll probably know it’s beside the hospital. There won’t be any issue with walking the child home in a pram.

bbudab

I don't quite understand why you don't just have a pram or a buggy if you plan on walking home.
I don't have a car, but we got a car seat as baby is being driven home (i'm due in 6 days).
Car seat came with the pram we got so it was a non issue, I was told that we wouldn't be allowed leave the hospital without a car seat. No idea how strict they might be. Guess it depends on what hospital you're going to.
This is what it says on the Rotunda website

Travelling home with your baby

Leaving hospital with your new baby is one of the most exciting and scary parts of the whole pregnancy, birth and baby journey. You and your partner will remember your first night at home with your baby forever. If you are taking your baby home by car or taxi you must have an appropriate car seat. It is very dangerous and also illegal to travel without a properly fitted car seat.

You should buy your car seat well before your baby is due to be born. You and your partner should become very familiar with the seat and know how to fit it correctly and safely into a car. Babies up to 13 kgs (29 lbs) must be strapped into the seat, which must face the rear of the car – not the front. Never put a rear facing baby seat into the front passenger seat of the car where an airbag is fitted. If the airbag was ever activated, even in a small accident, the airbag could severely injure or even kill your baby. For further information on car safety, please check the website: www.rsa.ie

lawred2

A car seat is for securing a baby in a car..

If you're not leaving the hospital in a car, I fail to see why you would need a car seat.

You should have a pram though! This isn't the African plains.

bbudab

Coombe website is the same, if you are bringing baby home in a car, you need a car seat.


Bringing Baby Home

You and your baby could be discharged from hospital within 24 hours or up to the third day after birth the birth if you have had a normal delivery, or up to the fifth day if you have had a Caesarean section.

Before leaving the hospital you will be given a date for your baby to have a Guthrie test (metabolic screening) if this has not already been carried out. Your midwife or public health nurse may do this blood test or you may have to return to the hospital to have the test carried out.
CHILD SAFETY IN CARS

If you are travelling by car from the hospital, please make sure your car has been fitted with a rearward-facing baby seat. Children under the age of three years may not travel in a car or goods vehicle (other than a taxi) unless restrained in a child car seat.

Rearward-facing child car seats must never be used in the front passenger seat of cars with an active airbag.

The Road Safety Authority has a useful guide with information on correctly fitting a child car seat. Look up their website on www.rsa.ie and check out the Leaflets and Booklets section, or click on the quicklink on this page.

lawred2

There is no car.

whiskeyman

Victor made a good point.
If it's a C-section, walking any sort of distance would not be recommended.
Even many natural births and walking could be hard.
As mentioned above, you don't need a car seat if taking a taxi.
Might be your best bet.
Factor in our lovely Irish weather too! Could be snowing!

otwb1

lawred2 wrote:

You should have a pram though! This isn't the African plains.

After two babies I don't use the buggy. wraps all the way here (I'm not in the African plains, but I appreciate not having to wheel buggies everywhere, the ability to walk up and down steps and anywhere that's not tarmac/concrete!)

lawred2

otwb1 wrote: »

After two babies I don't use the buggy. wraps all the way here (I'm not in the African plains, but I appreciate not having to wheel buggies everywhere, the ability to walk up and down steps and anywhere that's not tarmac/concrete!)

All power to you... You're already well prepared for post apocalyptic Ireland

anndub

bbudab wrote: »

Leaving hospital with your new baby is one of the most exciting and scary parts of the whole pregnancy, birth and baby journey. You and your partner will remember your first night at home with your baby forever. If you are taking your baby home by car or taxi you must have an appropriate car seat. It is very dangerous and also illegal to travel without a properly fitted car seat.

I'd beg to differ on that point, I hardly remember the first few days at home I was so exhausted post labour/noisy ward and didn't find the car journey stressful or memorable despite the expectation it would be. Those moments are glamourised and dramatised no end by the media/movies. In reality they're just one more step on a long journey.

I recently discovered it is not illegal to carry a child in a taxi without a carseat. It's perfectly fine to have them on your lap. Whether you feel comfortable doing so or not is a personal choice but it would seem foolish to buy an additional baby item if it's not going to get used very often. There's enough stuff needed without buying extra

lazygal

When we brought our children home, no one checked that we had a car seat or how we were travelling. There was no big send off from anyone in the hospital, we packed up, wrapped up baby and left. We had a car seat and drove home. I was wrecked after my sections and no sleep so it wasn't anything special or a big memory.

catrionanic

I just want to echo what somebody else said about whether you’ll be able to walk home a few days (or hours) after delivery.

I had a natural birth, but like 95% of first-time mums, needed a fair few stitches. Also like everyone who has a natural birth, I had some lovely haemorrhoids (sorry if that’s unpleasant to read but Mother Nature is what it is). I had also lost a lot of blood and was weak and lightheaded.

We had to walk to the car park, which was just a couple of streets away, two days after delivery and I found it difficult enough. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to walk much further.

I would advise your partner to walk baby Home in a pram, and for you to hop in a taxi.

mickoneill31

I had a car seat when we left the hospital but nobody really cared. I definitely remember that drive home. First time outside hospital with baby was special for us.

If the baby is ever going in any car then get a car seat. It's illegal otherwise. And as for sitting on laps in a taxi. That's not fine. All you need is one accident.

I know your OK with wraps but I'd recommend a pram. Essential tool for getting the baby to sleep when all else fails, and all else will fail at some stage Car seat is very handy for that too, but obviously not if you don't have a car.

lazygal

I found slings impossible after a section. Too fiddly with the scar and everything else.

angryInch

Seem like a lot of people are replying and giving you random advice you did not ask for.

So, to answer your question.
If you are not leaving the hospital in a car you DO NOT need a car seat.

Depending on the distance, yes, you may be sore, but you can always jump in a taxi and your partner can bring home the child, or you can just carry the child in your arms in a taxi (totally legal).

Whether or not you decide to buy a pram/buggy is something you can figure out for yourself, and you can always get it after the birth if you need to.

Neyite

The car seat won't be an issue if you aren't in a car, but do have a think about how far you'd actually be able to walk post partum. You might not be able for the walk home.

maxsmum

I just love that people think someone will be at the door of the hospital checking all babies are leaving in a car seat... hilarious.
You can carry it in your flipping handbag if you like.
To be fair I couldn't walk too far and defo not uphill for a few weeks so take that into account obviously but the people who get everything on the list to the letter are just mad.

hullaballoo

The main point here isn't the car seat as such but that you need to have contingencies in place for getting home if you cannot walk.

As mentioned already, if you end up requiring a C-Section delivery, you certainly won't be walking home. But even with a natural birth, you will likely be exhausted when the time comes to go home with your baby and may be unfit to walk home unless it is a very very short walk in the order of under 5 minutes.

lazygal

maxsmum wrote: »

I just love that people think someone will be at the door of the hospital checking all babies are leaving in a car seat... hilarious.

I'd love to know how people think this rule is enforced! The staff are far too busy to be conducting checks on how the baby is brought home. I was on a private ward with a good level of attention and even at that no one was waving us off having checked how we were getting home. Are they going to detain you until you come up with a seat or something?!

rainbow kirby

I walked home with my baby in the buggy both times. I live 800m from the hospital and had two vaginal deliveries with minimal damage.

heldel00

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I walked home with my baby in the buggy both times. I live 800m from the hospital and had two vaginal deliveries with minimal damage.

Fair play but jesus the husband would have ended up carrying the baby and pushing me in the buggy if i had to walk home after either of mine!!

PhoenixParker

lazygal wrote: »

I'd love to know how people think this rule is enforced! The staff are far too busy to be conducting checks on how the baby is brought home. I was on a private ward with a good level of attention and even at that no one was waving us off having checked how we were getting home. Are they going to detain you until you come up with a seat or something?!

I've heard it can be part of the discharge procedure in the US.
They check for a correctly fitted car seat.
It causes massive consternation in the vanishingly rare cases (in some US hospitals) that somebody leaves in a different mode of transport.

In the OPs case I would buy a cheap car seat anyway, of the sort that does up to a decent weight. I might go second hand from a trusted source but I don't think I'd go completely without. It might be legal but I wouldnt take a taxi without a seat and I'd be worried about an emergency arising where we needed one.

rainbowtrout

PhoenixParker wrote: »

I've heard it can be part of the discharge procedure in the US.
They check for a correctly fitted car seat.
It causes massive consternation in the vanishingly rare cases (in some US hospitals) that somebody leaves in a different mode of transport.

In the OPs case I would buy a cheap car seat anyway, of the sort that does up to a decent weight. I might go second hand from a trusted source but I don't think I'd go completely without. It might be legal but I wouldnt take a taxi without a seat and I'd be worried about an emergency arising where we needed one.

Why would she buy a car seat when she doesn't have a car? Nobody is going to check or care.

XsApollo

I fail to see how the hospital could stop you taking your child home?
If you wanted to walk out with the baby in your arms They couldn’t stop you.

ted1

Pinch Flat wrote: »

suitianshi wrote: »

It is very near my due time,I'm preparing my hospital bag.
Is car seat necessary? Some mothers told me if I don't have a car seat I can't take my baby out of hospital.
I live very closed to hospital and we don't have a car,I suppose after my labor, I can take the baby home just by my hands . Or is there other stuff that can instead of car seat？

And another question, when my baby is 6 months ,I will take her travel to some place ,I need take her on to the bus, can I just take her with a baby wrap? Will the bus driver let us get onto the bus?

Car seat is absolutely necessary. Baby wrap no issue.

*only needed if going by car. And that’s the law.
You can leave the hospital with your baby anyway you want too

PhoenixParker

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Why would she buy a car seat when she doesn't have a car? Nobody is going to check or care.

Because in the next four years of the child's life, the chances are high that she will want to travel in a car at some point.
There's a lot more to having a baby then leaving the hospital.

I'd be particularly worried that there would be an urgent or even emergency situation where we needed to go by car and no seat was available. I would add that the people I know with baby's and no car do all have a car seat in the house for occasions when they want to travel by car.

Ms2011

I had my son in the Coombe in 2012, myself and another girl we're waiting to get discharged from the NICU to go home. She came into the room our babies were in raging cos the nurses wouldn't discharge the baby because she didn't have a car seat, she'd intended to walk home with the baby and pointed her flat out to me from the hospital window.
I don't know what ever came of it as I went home but just be mindful that it can happen.

fmpisces

My second born was 8lbs 5ozs at birth and I gave birth naturally. About 5 days after he was born I found myself having to go collect his older brother from school, and as I don't drive I carried him in a sling. It was the longest/hardest walk I ever took! I guess I'm just saying be prepared for the possibility that you might not feel up to the walk

comongethappy

No, you don't need a car seat if not travelling by car. A wrap or soft buckle carrier is fine if the baby is the appropriate weight... But I think most are 7 lbs and there is a slight chance your baby could be smaller. Also, there is a chance you may not feel well when you are released (I was very anemic after my first and felt very dizzy and jelly legged when walking) and would have not been comfortable walking more than into the next room holding the baby. For this reason I think you should have a buggy or stroller to hand in case it doesn't quite go as planned. There are some strollers which are quite compact and can the used to lie flat from birth if you have a small apartment. Best of luck!

Dravokivich

maxsmum wrote: »

Why the hell would she need a car seat without a car?!
Ridiculous.
Bring baby home in a sling or whatever suits. Sling or buggy on bus is no problem at all. You only need a car seat for taxi or car.
Speaking from vast experience here. I don't drive.

I thought Taxi's were exempt from requiring them?

beans

Dravokivich wrote: »

I thought Taxi's were exempt from requiring them?

Yeah, the UK has an exemption for under-3s

"If a child car seat is not available in a licensed taxi or licensed private hire car, the child may travel unrestrained in the rear. This is the only exception for children under 3 years. It was introduced for practical rather than safety reasons. You should always think about ways to make sure that a child seat is available."

lazygal

OSI wrote: »

It was part of the discharge procedure when our son was born. Midwife had to see baby put into car seat and checked he was properly secured.

Never happened on either of ours. Weren't asked about car seats or checked at all.