Carseat Q

VitaLuna · August 2013

I don't know if this is really a question or a minor vent. DH and I did all the reading in our carseat, proper way to strap in , etc. As we're leaving the hospital with our late preterm babe, I asked if we needed to bring the carseat in. They said no, that they don't check them anymore because it's a liability, so you're on your own to know if they're in there right. It made me extremely nervous that no one looked at her in it, even though I had done all the reading,

Does this seem strange to anyone else? What the heck do the people do that have no idea about carseat safety??

blinnea23 · August 2013

Where I live , there is a carseat safety inspector that we can make an appointment with at the health department. If you're worried I would research where to go in your town. Some places have them at the fire department or police station. GL!

VitaLuna · August 2013

@blinnea23.. The problem is that it doesn't help the people at the hospital strapping baby in for the first time.

I worry for the LOs whose parents know nothing about carseat safety

blinnea23 · August 2013

VitaLuna said:
@blinnea23.. The problem is that it doesn't help the people at the hospital strapping baby in for the first time.

I worry for the LOs whose parents know nothing about carseat safety

If the hospital doesn't do it, then what would it hurt to bring LO to the carseat inspector to be checked out? I do think its stupid that the hospital won't do it but for someone who is worried about it wouldn't that be the next step?

Baxterman · August 2013

The Highway Patrol has a program. They not only spent an hour teaching me everything in the world about my car seat but they had a pretend baby so they were able to show me exactly how to strap mine in and what the straps should look like on my own car seat when my son is in there. It helped a bunch. I feel a lot better about it.

I agree with OP though. It is super sad that we live in such a litigious society that a hospital is afraid to offer a very needed and very important car seat check. That last look from a specialist could potentially save a very precious little life!

csspencer · August 2013

Its all over our paperwork from the OB and the hospital that they dont check. Our county has a free inspection once a month that you can make an appointment to have. It was the best 30-45 minutes I've spent.

cjelkin · August 2013

I hear you - wouldn't it just be nice if they had an official inspector right there at the hospital? Even if you had to sign a waiver, it would be nice to have another set of eyes. It's great that a lot of towns seem to offer the inspection services, but it is quite possible that the parents who need the most guidance are not going to know to avail themselves of that service voluntarily.
I am not quite sure how they do it here in Ireland. We bought our car seat as part of a stroller package, and they told us that normally the store insists on installing the car seat in your car when you purchase it. However, we don't have a car, so they couldn't really do that. I remember being in the store worrying they weren't going to sell us the car seat and that my husband was going to have to stop on the way to take us home from the hospital to buy the car seat and have it installed in his friend's car or taxi! (It all worked out in the end and they agreed to just deliver the car seat like we wanted.)
I do know that the hospital here won't let us take the baby home in a vehicle without a car seat, but I doubt they carefully inspect it for proper installation.

MallardDucky · August 2013

They may not do an official check before leaving the hospital but I am sure if you ask they will help you make sure LO is strapped in right.

lovemyboyyss · August 2013

With my first two they had mandatory checks upon discharge. We have moved, so I'm not sure about the new hospital, but I hope they do. I don't mind being checked as a TTM, and I really enjoyed the reassurance as a FTM that he was buckeled in right.

SweetPeaK26 · August 2013

For us, they made sure the baby was in the seat correctly, and watched us put them in the car, but didn't actually check the installation.

SeptMommyX2 · August 2013

Here in Chicago, we had to strap DS into his seat before being checked out and then they just watched us load him into the car. Just like what SweetPeaK26 said, no installation check.

missmuffin87 · August 2013

That's interesting. At my birth center, the MW carries LO in the carseat out to the car for you. I remember thinking it was odd when I had DD, but she said they had to.

mcg512 · August 2013

Our hospital requires you to have a car set but will not advise on installation or proper use. They do have car seat safety checks every couple weeks and a list of people who you can make any appointment with. We went to one of their Saturday clinics and it took less than 15 minutes for them check it over and make a couple suggestions on getting it as snug as possible. Definitely well worth the piece of mind knowing everything is properly installed. Check with the hospital or do a search on this site to find someone near you https://www.seatcheck.org

MrsShep613 · August 2013

Our hospital won't let you leave until they have inspected that the car seat is properly installed!! They have a person that literally just does the car seat checks, so I am definitely grateful for that.

OpheliaChem · August 2013

No its totally the norm these days. Once you walk out the hospital door, you are on your own. The lady that wheeled me out to our waiting car was literally 342 years old and DH was concerned that she was going to keel over while pushing me down the hallway. Once we left L&D, we didn't see another nurse. You just have to do your homework and make sure LO is properly strapped in!

Skalbrecht · August 2013

At my hospital the entire carseat and base has to come in for inspection. However they watch as you load baby, but I don't think anyone checks installation (or I don't remember that from the tour).

beckyandmiles · August 2013

Yeah, it's up to you to make sure it's in properly. I'm going tomorrow to a free car seat clinic to have the infant one put in & the preschool one checked. Welcome to the super scary world of being a parent!!! While it's necessary to tune a lot of crap out in the media/society that you DON'T need to stress over, I think it's worth it to make sure the car seat's in properly. Accidents happen & it could save your kid's life.

AsMom2011 · August 2013

Check your local fire station as well.

CNS1212 · August 2013

Our local police department does the safety seat checks. We thought they were just going to inspect it, but when DH called, the officer said he was going to uninstall what he did and reinstall it for us. DH was a little peeved at that (DH is an officer in another town), but whatever... as long as it is in nice and tight, that's all I care about. I told DH if that is their protocol, then that is protocol... and if he knows how to do it himself that is actually much better so that if we have to uninstall the bases for any reason, he is comfortable reinstalling them himself.

psychgirl33 · August 2013

auroraloo said:

I don't think it's stupid at all. The hospital isn't responsible for educating people on post-discharge things unrelated to their health care.

Hospitals here aren't allowed to inspect or say anything at all about the car seat.

This!! They are not certified car seat techs! At our hospital, you have to show them that you have the baby strapped in a non-expired car seat that is the appropriate size/stage. But they don't check installation because it IS a liability. They are not trained in it.

Burrberrymum · August 2013

I'm getting mine examined by the fire department, they have people certified there to do it cause our hospital doesn't do it.

MallardDucky · August 2013

I think everyone is hung up on the actual installation but I think OP is asking because she wanted to make sure the baby was buckled in correctly.

VitaLuna · September 2013

@MallardDucky: that's exactly what I meant. I wasn't talking about installation at all, I was talking about making sure LO is bucked into the seat properly. I can completely understand them not checking the base and wouldn't expect them to.. But the nurse was very clear that they can't even say anything or show you/check how you bucked LO into the seat. So if someone wanted to walk out with straps loose, blanket under LO, etc, they could.

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