Car-less?

Mommabroad · January 2015

So this might be a stupid question but I keep reading you need a car-seat installed to drive home from the hospital... which leaves me wondering what people do who don't have a car?? I plan on taking a taxi there and I certainly don't expect a taxi to have an infant car-seat... can you baby-wear an infant in a taxi or on a bus? How do most people get home from the hospital if they don't have access to a car + car seat? Just worried I won't be up to the 3 mile walk home just after giving birth haha...

Brittanyg713 · January 2015

At my hospital you have to have a car seat properly installed before you leave....whether that is in a taxi, car, bus, etc. If it's not, then I have been told they cannot let the baby leave with us. As long as you can properly install the car seat (according to the standards) I guess it will be ok.

I am a little OCD so I would probably call the hospital to confirm though.

NanSee3 · January 2015

Call the hospital you plan to deliver at but I think you can request a taxi with a car seat (ewww...gross). That said, I'm not a city/urban mom. I don't know what the norm is for bus travel or taxi use. Car seats don't have to cost *that* much so it seams like the safest, cleanest choice to just get one. I had never thought about this before until reading your post. If you plan to travel, like ever, with your baby just get a car seat.

AliceKC9876 · January 2015

WTAF?! You would really bring your newborn child into a taxi cab without a carseat even if the hospital allowed it?! That's fucked up....get a car seat and install it into the cab if you value the life of your future child....geez this is ridiculous.

kateamart · January 2015

Good question! I am also an city-mom, and this never even crossed my mind. We only live about 10 blocks from our hospital, and are fortunate to have a car, however I didn't even think that they would have an issue if you tried to leave in a taxi.

I'd ask your Dr. / Hospital. I'm sure they get this question all the time in cities because so many people don't drive, and will have a quick answer for you.

MissRissx3 · January 2015

Ask a family member maybe they could drive you home.

sml72978 · January 2015

Are you serious? You do realize those infant carrier car seats with the handle are easily buckled in using the regular seat belts. Why would you even risk it, of course you need a damn car seat.

blankenbakerh · January 2015

Echo other PPs : Where I live you are not allowed to leave the hospital without a car seat installed in into the vehicle. You will most definitely need a car seat. As far as the bus scenario I wouldn't know as I live in a small town without public transportation.

Lezzie82 · January 2015

Thank GOD hospitals are smarter than the people who give birth in them. No car seat = you don't get to leave with your baby.....

Common sense. Why would riding in a taxi be any different than riding in a fucking car??? They're both vehicles. You really want to risk breaking your newborns neck on the ride him for the hospital?

JESUS H CHRIST.

This place is so full of terrible advice now. Any poster with half a brain has left.

Someone could be bleeding profusely with the baby sticking halfway out and MissRiss would probably give them a love tit and tell them "everything will be okay". Good luck getting anything useful out of this dump hole.

MissRissx3 · January 2015

Yeah your best bet is to get a car seat, or your baby will be living at the hospital. There's no way it's safe to strap your baby in a car with no car seat. I'm not trying to be mean, but I mean.. come on

nykkybaby · January 2015

I am at a loss right now. Obviously you will be using a taxi/bus in the future. You are ok with just strapping your child to your chest and "praying" you don't get hit?

manacita · January 2015

In Seattle you can baby wear on the bus. I don't think you can opt out of the car seat with kids 2 and under. Most taxi companies have cars with seats. Also, it takes FOREVER to actually check out of the hospital. Once they tell you they are checking you out, you have about 3 hours before you actually get our. Call the taxi company at that point and schedule a pickup. Then tell the nurses that your taxi is coming at x time. Barring any huge issues, they'll help you get out by then and verify baby is secure in their seat.

renarene · January 2015

Just bring a laundry basket. My mil put my husband in one for the car ride home in 1979. He survived.

Seriously, get a car seat.

beaseg · January 2015

You can wear your baby on a bus in Chicago. I don't know if you would want to, when the time comes you may want to just do taxi w/car seat or a friend. Do you have any friends with kids that are currently using their carrier? You could maybe ask them to come get you (leaving their kid at home with their partner) if they were cool with it. I had a friend offer to do that for me when I thought I might be in a similar situation.

You're planning way ahead so you have time to figure out a solution that works best for you & your baby

chicago1985 · January 2015

You can also take strollers on the bus in Chicago. Maybe you could put your baby in a stroller to take it home?

ElleMuffin · January 2015

I live in NYC and here you must also have a car seat to leave the hospital, although i dont think they check installation. Maybe a friend with a car can give you a ride home? Also, get a snap and go for public transportation. You cant leave a stroller open on a city bus and its the lightest option besides wearing...but it gives you a place to rest packages/diaper bag/etc while out and about. You can also use just the carrier buckled ibto the back seat of a cab in a pinch. In real life, in a big city, traveling with the base of a carseat is just really not an option and when you hale a cab I can guarentee your cabbie will not make a car seat available to you.

Mari621 · January 2015

We borrowed a friend's car seat and took a car service home from Manhattan to Brooklyn. We had no issues with my son. Will probably do the same thing this time. They do have a car service in NYC to pick up families and can arrange them to pick you up from the hospital to go home.

CateOfChicago · January 2015

City girl here. They have car services with car seats that take you to the airport so I assume they can pick you up from the hospital. I would ask a friend so you can install it early and not have to deal with it at the hospital.

You deft need to buy a seat. Your baby shouldn't be in any moving vehicle without a seat (including a bus).

abethany · January 2015

Just call the taxi company. I live in SF and used to nanny here and they always great, clean options. The family I worked for was also neurotic, so I'm positive they were nice, sanitary seats.

No sense wasting money on a seat that you'll never use without owning a car. You can/should definitely baby wear on the bus or transit.

Great question for urban living.

Mommabroad · January 2015

Hahaha WOW thank you for all the responses!!! And I am laughing a bit at all the comments to buy a car seat just for the taxi ride home... seems a bit excessive, no? I hardly think not buying a car seat is a terrible idea for someone whose baby won't be riding in a car save getting home from the hospital! This babe will be getting around in a stroller or being worn! I will look into the type of stroller that has a carseat attachment again but I really like the style they use here for newborns, they lie flat though, not like the normal American style of carseat plus base. It's just not a driving culture here so everything isn't made to pop into your car.

I guess I am surprised most at the comments of shock because I can't think of ever in my life having seen a car seat on a bus! They don't even have seatbelts, so what good would a car seat be?! I always see women with their strollers on the bus. Maybe in different cities buses do have seatbelts now and this is the norm??

I will definitely call the taxi company and ask, plus checking with the hospital. Obviously posters, if I had family members/ friends here with cars and car seats, would ask them... but if they're here visiting they wouldn't rent cars so not an option.

Mommabroad · January 2015

Thank you also for the tips on car services with car seats, I'm sure they must have them here too and I will start investigating!

AlexandriaPR · January 2015

We live in a city too and don't have a car. Where we are, there aren't rules like that, you would be lucky if your taxi even had seat belts!

We are having a family friend drive us back to our apartment. Just be safe and remember how fragile your little baby will be.

blankenbakerh · January 2015

I am glad you got some answer! I live in the country and can only comment on the normal here.

I did find it really interesting to read about how things like that work in bigger cities.

NanSee3 · January 2015

I only see what is visible via mobile app and have never "talked" to you before. Hence, I have no idea where you are from. Good point, though, that cultural differences are just that. Again, I'm not an urban mom and have never thought about how an urban mom would navigate to/from dr appointments, etc. The reason I said infant car seats don't have to cost that much is bc HERE one could go to Walmart and just get one for $30ish. Good luck and congrats on baby!

sunnyday016 · January 2015

First, you CAN safely travel by bus without a car seat. Most buses don't have seat belts anyway, so there's no way to install it.

But a taxi, yes you need a car seat. Is it legal to not use one? Yes. Is it safe? No.

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