Question about taking newborns home from hosp

AmyJoy728 · February 2012

So we were promised two hand-me-down infant car seats from trusted family/friends. We've gotten one so far and the other is 5+ hour away at BILs house. We are getting a double snap and go stroller off of craigslist, but haven't gotten it yet. We registered for 2 convertible car seats that my aunt will be bringing tomorrow. I'm 31 1/2 weeks and on bed rest. My ILs aren't willing to go pick up the other car seat from BIL because they are sure that is when the twins will come and they are very excited to see the twins shortly after birth (they didn't get to see BILs kids shortly after birth because of them being 5+ hours away).

My question is, will we be able to put one twin in the infant seat and the other in the convertible car seat leaving the hospital? I checked and the weight range on the convertible car seat is 5-100 lbs. Or is the hospital going to require both being in infant seats? Newborns wouldn't be released from the hosp under 5 lbs, right? We can't justify buying a car seat just for the trip home from the hosp, since BIL says they will be bringing it shortly after the babies are born...

afwifestrecker7706 · February 2012

Mine were all released under 5lbs. We had to take carseats in to the nursery for the car seat test on all but 1 of ours. It would depend on when yours are born for all of it.

amanda31H · February 2012

No way I would have brought mine home in a convertible car seat. One left over 5 lbs, one left under 5 lbs. Honestly, they both looked like they were swimming in the infant car seat and DH was scared sh*tless driving home!

gringa78 · February 2012

I would speak up about needing the car seat before the babies are born. Ask them to put it in the mail - the postage will be cheaper than buying a new one. Plus, who wants to be running out to the store to buy a car seat last minute when all you want to do is get home with your babies? Hospitals are strict with this stuff.

kthappy76 · February 2012

Do you have body and head supports? This is the only way I would use a convertible for a newborn. We needed them with our infant seats (our twins were just over 5/ea when we came home). Most seats (infant and convertible) are rated from five lbs., so I'm not sure what you do if they are released smaller than that. I would try to find a way to get the infant seat in the next month or so. The likelihood that your ILs will miss the birth by going to get it are very low, but get higher the longer they wait. Also keep in mind that you only need it to go home (and for the car seat challenge if the are LBW, under 5 1/2 lbs.), so you'll have several days after you have them (assuming no NICU time) to get the seat.

LucyRicardo3 · February 2012

Both of my girls were under 5 lbs, born at 34w5d which is not uncommon in multiples. At the advice of other MoMs on this board, I purchased carriers early on in my pregnancy that were rated for 4lb min because of their prior experiences as well.

The NICU discharged them after a carseat test (3 hrs of being in the carseat and having no incidents on the heart & respiratory monitors) and proof that the seats were rated for babies so small. If mine weren't rated for that size, I would have been required to purchase new ones that were.. My girls were 4#9 and 4#13. I bought Graco Snug Ride 30's. I think Chicco also makes one that is rated for 4lb'ers.

I can understand if you are on a tight budget, but this is just something else to think about..

august8080 · February 2012

My DS was 9#8oz at discharge and even at that, I didn't feel comfortable with him in the convertible seat til 8-12 weeks. Their head control just isn't good enough and his head would flop down and I was worried that he'd not be able to breathe.

Plus, you have to bring the car seats into the hospital and get babies strapped in and then they'll DC you (at least that's what my hospital does) because they want to check that they're in safely. Bringing a convertible in would be a huge PITA.

I'd insist on having the infant seat one way or the other. Blame hospital policy. If your ILs won't help, do you have a friend who could let you borrow one for just that day?

AmyJoy728 · February 2012

The infant seat we do have (and is the same as the one we are waiting on) is the keyfit 30 which has a 4lb rating.. so we're okay with that.

I've been trying to talk to DH about this for over a week, and I seem to be the only one concerned with not having the other infant seat yet. DH and his parents all seem to be under the assumption that it will all work out while we're in the hosp after they are born.. But I just don't believe that his parents will come see the babies and then drive 5+ hours to get us a car seat... not to mention if somehow they don't need NICU time.. Everyone else just keeps saying that the convertible seats should work in a pinch, not thinking that multiples are generally smaller than singletons.

Luckily, with all of your responses I've been able to get DH to understand the significance of getting this worked out sooner and that the convertible seats won't be good enough... Guess I proved that it wasn't me being a crazy FTM after all LOL.

GeauxTigers82 · February 2012

Mine both left the NICU under 5 lbs., and they did require us to bring the car seat in for the car seat test (as mentioned above). I guess if your convertible seat is recommended for the size that your babies are (but who knows how big/small they will be?), you could bring the seat into the hospital, if they required that. All my kids were in the NICU, so I don't know if they require this of full term babies, but I really don't think they do. The convertible seat would just be a lot heavier and bulkier to carry than the infant seat, but it's not like you'd be walking around with it! I agree that I'd be a little nervous bringing home a tiny baby in the big seat, but it's just because they look so small. If they meet the minimum requirement of the seat, it should be okay. I think it's more important that they are positioned correctly, with the straps properly in place and tightened. I know our Britax Marathon starts at 5 lbs., but it just looks crazy big for a little baby!

Is there anyone close to you that has an infant seat that you could use just for that day? Even if they were still using it, maybe your DH could stop by and pick it up the day you're going to be discharged. He could bring it right back after dropping you and the babies at home (not the best situation, but it beats buying one, or paying a ton for shipping!).

What area do you live? You might want to check your local Mother's of Multiples club. The people are always willing to help, and I bet someone would let you borrow one, or may have one they would just give you.

Something to think about...if your babies are term, they will probably be a little bigger, so the convertible seat should work, just to get you home (depending on which one you have). If they are preemies, and therefore smaller, then they will probably be in the NICU awhile, so you would have time to get someone to go to BIL's house to get the infant seat.

Good luck! If you lived close to me, I have 3 perfect ones sitting in the garage you could borrow!

kldanzinger · February 2012

Another suggestion, instead of buying, if you can't get BIL's right away: check with your hospital. They might rent them? We were able to rent a car bed from our hospital, anyway, as DS2 was <5 lbs (the weight limit on our infant seat).

AmyJoy728 · February 2012

Thanks everyone! We have one friend that has a baby that should be almost out of his car seat so I'll ask them this weekend. If not, my gf has one that she'll be using to April or May so maybe we'll try to borrow it for the day.

ardilla · February 2012

Ditto the PPs -- both of ours left under 5 lbs and had to pass the carseat test.

cocojack10 · February 2012

Boys also had to pass the carseat test, but then again they can test one at a time.

ColleenS629 · February 2012

Mine were released at 4 14 and 5 15 so one of them would not have been able to use the convertible. I wouldn't have been comfortable putting them in anything other than the infant seat at that point.

Question about taking newborns home from hosp

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