Q about taking a taxi to return home w/baby

msohn80 · March 2011

We don't have a car and I've been worried about how my hubby and I will make back from hospital after giving a birth in June. We already bought an infant car seat, but we've never used it before and don't really know how to properly install it or use it. The question is...when we call a taxi service to return home with our baby, is it 'universal' (and easy) to install our infant car seat (Chicco Keyfit30) on any car?

The last thing we want after a long delivery (hope not..^.^) is getting stuck in the hospital because we just can't figure out how to install this car seat thingy.

kas80 · March 2011

You may want to cross post this on the New York City boards, because I would assume this is a really common occurrence for ladies in the NYC. No one there has cars.

musiscout · March 2011

Yes, try NYC on the nest. The bump is slower. Are you in NYC? I don't think babies even need to be in carseats in taxis, as crazy as it sounds. Often the car service might be able to help you.

cvl105 · March 2011

I don't think the hospital will let you leave without having the baby in a car seat. I've read that somewhere, so maybe the source was wrong.

I would imagine that a nurse or someone at the hospital will help you install it if need be. Don't forget that you will need a base for the infant car seat too.

ashleah83 · March 2011

I would ask the hospital - I bet when they call a taxi for you, they specify that a seatbelt for installing car seat is necessary.

christelrn · March 2011

I would leave the base of the car seat home & just plan on securing it w/ a seatbelt. Look at the instructions for seat-belt installation. Typically a staff member (RN, CNA, transporter) will escort you & baby out but most hospitals will not allow staff to install the car set, they just verify that you are using one.

You could also still go to a fire-station and have them help you do a seat belt install or practice a few times maybe on a friends or family members car?

I live downtown & if everything goes ok I do not plan on driving home either. I was tempted to walk home since only 2 blocks from the hospital but not sure if I'd really be up to it.

janetphillips? · March 2011

its possible, and not very hard to instal the seat in a car without using the base...you thread the seat belt over the top of the car seat there are notches at the foot of the seat and then you buckle the seat belt as normal...ive done this many times when babysitting friends children

SpceCadet · March 2011

cvl105:
Don't forget that you will need a base for the infant car seat too.

Not true. Most infant car seats do not need the base to be safe and effective. The bases are used more now for convenience instead of necessity. In the cases of moving the seat from car to car frequently or a one-time-use car, it's often safer to use without the base because it forces the parent to double check and make sure that the seat is properly installed instead of relying upon the idea that the base is still tight enough. Reading the manuel will help to know how to install it and to make sure yours is compatible with seatbelt only installation.

chloephoebecali · March 2011

Not all hospitals care about the car seat situation. We brought ours up to the room to put LO in to leave and we were told we were supposed to carry LO out (me in wheelchair). They were not interested in the status of us having a car seat - how installed, etc, and it is a major hospital in our area. I believe they used to care, though.

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