question for 2+ moms about leaving hospital

hilwithonelary

In the post below about carseats having expiration dates, some posters mentioned that the hospital won't let you leave without a carseat or with an expired carseat.  I've seen this type of info before in other posts. 

Did your hospital check your carseat before you left?  Mine didn't.  There was a volunteer than pushed my wheelchair to the garage, and then we were left to fend for ourselves.  DH went out to the car to bring the carseat back in, and when we couldn't figure it out, a nice lady who had no affiliation with the hospital helped us out. 

EDIT: oops, the post I'm referring to was on the 2nd tri board.  But I still want to know, did your hospital check your carseat?

lostaspen

We were wheeled to our car and that was it.  We were asked about having a carseat and that was it.  No one checked it, or how we put DS in it.

niknak7

Nope, we brought the infant carrier into the hospital to pack DD up, but no one actually checked it out or anything. They gave us advice about getting the straps right but that was it.

GuppyAmy

The hospital my friend works for he has to go out and check to make sure that everyone's car seat is unexpired and properly installed.

kmiller1012

We brought the carrier in and then I was wheeled out.  But nobody checked it or asked about it.

farfanoogen

I got wheeled out to the curb and that was it. Nobody looked at our seat.

TheBeeCharmer

Nope. Wheeled out and left in the entrance way!  

amos2006

We had to carry DD out in the car seat, but they did not check it for an exp date.

mommynpink

We had the base in the car already and had it checked by the CHP a month before my due date. When I was discharged we brought the carrier in and put LO in. The nurse checked to see if LO was buckled in correctly. We actually had the straps too low so we had to fix that before we could leave. I was wheeled out, hubby got the car, snapped LO in and the nurse looked again and then we were off! 

satama

I think they asked if we had a carseat, but no one checked. We did bring the carrier in though and put the baby in and then just carried him out to the car in it for our own convenience.

Kristinmo

Nope. I've heard hospitals are going away from checking carseats (at least installation) because they are worried about opening themselves up to liability if they ok it and then LO gets hurt in an accident.

DevonPow

Lurker from the April 2012 board Yes, at my hospital you had to bring the carseat into your room and put the baby in. before you could check out they did a full check to make sure the seat was safe and that you had strapped the baby in correctly (we got a mini lecture about having the straps too loose initially). They did not go out to the car to make sure the base was installed correctly, though.

jakdw

The nurse checked mine..adjusted the straps and wouldn't discharge us until she finished a car seat inspection.  Must be different at every hospital.  My sister was not allowed to go home till she got an insert for her carseat bc the baby was too small for it.

tash_rn

None of the hospitals I have ever worked at require us to check expiration date (and I've always worked with babies so it comes up). 

Fergie+1

No, our hospital didn't check. After we installed it, I had H take us to the Fire Dept and we had one of the firedogs check it. He gave us some pointers on how to get it in there as tightly as possible, as well as checking after H installed it.

If you take the carseat to a fire station to have them help, be sure it's not a volunteer station. We have two in our area and didn't know until we tried to get them to check it. :

diana.filipi

They didn't check :-/

dinnerfor2

No, they didn't check my car seat either.

SCSmithbride

They didn't check if it was old or new, but each time a nurse wheeled me out and they helped situate the baby in the car.  They tightened the belts where they were supposed to be and made sure the base was secure.  

but no they didn't ask when we bought it, if it was new or how old it was.  

bootsnbananas

amos2006:

We had to carry DD out in the car seat, but they did not check it for an exp date.

This 

Babymamawithdrama

They told us we must have a car seat, we had the infant one the snapped into the base, no one checked if the base was correctly installed or if it was properly clicked in. Nor did anyone check the expiration date that I was aware of. I think as long as the car seat looks brand new they are less incline to check the expiration date.... they might only look at car seats that look used

FinallyMrsBMW

We had to watch a carseat safety video and sign that we had watched it.  Then we had to bring the carseat in and buckle her up in it.  Then the nurse showed us that we had it too loose.   I carried her in the carseat on my lap in a wheelchair that a volunteer wheeled out to our car.  They didn't check it in the car though.

HSartteach

lostaspen:

We were wheeled to our car and that was it.  We were asked about having a carseat and that was it.  No one checked it, or how we put DS in it.

this.

LilyPotter218

My hospital does check.

09saluki86

Our hosp. actually gives you a car seat.  We always used our own and no one ever checked it but it was a decent back up.

sunnyday016

No one checked. DH brought the seat in right before we were discharged and we packed her up inside. Then we were on our own.