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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Bringing baby home
I live in Dublin and am pregnant with my first (yay!). Because of living in the city, I don't have a car - do I need to have buy a car seat just to bring my baby home from the hospital? We rarely take taxis, mostly walk or take the bus places. What are your thoughts.
Re: Bringing baby home
Chronically hilarious - you'll split your stitches!
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Although I am highly suspicious of this post, I will refrain from saying anything too "snarky" due to my newness of the board...
http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/index.htm
Q: Is there any advice for carrying children under 3 in taxis?
A: Although there is an exemption in the new laws, which allows children under 3 to travel unrestrained in the back of a taxi, it is clearly a far from ideal situation. The exemption is there for practical reasons, rather than safety reasons, and there may be ways that you can provide a better level of safety for your child.
I will leave it at this...Why are you suspicious of this post? We didn't own a car in London, and when my son was born there we wondered what we do as well, and while riding in a taxi without a car seat was not something I felt comfortable with it is a legal option. We went in taxis several times with ds as a baby without car seats in London - and have done it with both my kids one time in DC, where you also do not need car seats in taxis. We ended up renting a car in London when my son was born and borrowing a car seat.
I'm not new, but I'll also refrain from snark since I'm not sure whether it's an honest question or not.
Anyway, OP - how will you be getting home from the hospital? If you'll be in a regular car, then yes, you need a car seat. Ask a friend if you can borrow one. If you're in a taxi, see the posts above. If you'll be in a bus, then no, you don't need one.
I am suspicious because this is OP's first time posting,no intro,and it could be considered somewhat of a controversial topic. I guess I am looking at this situation through my "American" pov, in which they reiterate the importance of car seat safety.
That being said, I could not, even for one time put DD in a car unrestrained. That is just my opinion. I am not purposely trying to ruffle any feathers. If I have, I apologize.
I think it looks like MUD typically found on TB. As you said, 1st post, no intro, controversial topic. Boring MUD, but if it's a real question then she has the answers she needs.
Ditto, and now I am moving on to more important things like what to make for lunch
I don't think it is MUD, it is a valid question. I was unsure if I had to have a car seat when we left the hospital, if they check like they do in the US. If you notice she didn't say they would definitely be in a taxi or car, she said they take the bus or walk everywhere. They don't need a car seat if they do either of those things. I just don't see why there should be any snark in this post.
BFP Apr 2012, EDD Dec 19 2012 * twin h/b at 6wk, 9wk scan * Baby A lost at 12wks, Baby B was my rainbow born at 36wks
There wasn't any. On my bmb on TB there were several MUD (and non-MUD) posts where women got all up in arms about car seat things. All ccpic and I did were voice suspicions that this might not be someone actually looking for advice - in my case it was because I wanted people to keep that in mind in case they were going to go all crazy on her (OMG!! I'm going to google you until I find you and call CPS on you! - seriously, there have been such incidents on TB. I think at least once it was even about car seats.). But we're a reasonable board and no one went crazy, so there was no reason to give a possible MUD alert. Hindsight's 20/20. Shrug.
You would think this would be a common problem for those who live near city centers with great public transport. I would of thought an infant car seat rental agency would pop up for such cases.
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Yep. I borrowed one. There are also rental companies you can use.
Ok, a reply from the Irish Mammy is needed I think...
Firstly, check with the hospital you are attending. I know that the Dublin hospital I attended last year would have had issues about letting you carry the baby in an unprotected way (eg just in your arms) around the hospital. And there is a very, very slim chance that you would be able to get a buggy to the ward you are on. We would not have been able to take N out of the hospital until they were happy with her safety. (We weren't allowed to carry her to the nursery to change her, we had to wheel her in her little crib... in case we tripped...)
Secondly, I took a little stroll 5 days post-partum (from Mercer Street to South Anne Street and back again, after having lunch in Gotham) and that was too much for me and I was in bits for several hours afterwards (and I wasn't pushing a buggy or carrying anything at all). At most you are going to be in 3 nights in hospital with a normal birth, 6 days with a cs. Think about how you would use public transport - are there bus stops right beside the hospital that would drop you beside your apartment/house?
Thirdly, look up the following Irish websites and you can ask people on there what they did - www.rollercoaster.ie and www.boards.ie
Yes, I'm with the cynics about the poster - why register and post on this site for a question that could more easily be answered on an Irish board... But I replied just in case this was genuine...
Really? I do NOT get the people doubting this is real. Maybe she is American and has been lurking? I never posted on UK baby boards when I was pregnant with my son and living in London.
Regardless, I was unable to walk the halls with either of my children in the hospital either, they had to be in their bassinet things. But when we were able to go they didn't care how we left, and neither in the US or the UK did they check either of my kids to make sure we had a car seat or that they were in appropriately.
No protocol, it just struck people as a bit strange, that's all.
I think that outside of N. America it's less common for people to have cars and more common for people to use public transportation, which the hospitals will have considered. I'd opt for a taxi, chances are you won't be feeling up to taking a bus home from the hospital with a newborn and a devestated vagina. If you aren't comfortable holding your baby in the back of a taxi either borrow a car seat, buy a stupidly cheap used one or rent one from somewhere. Easy peasy.
Chronically hilarious - you'll split your stitches!
I wrote a book! Bucket list CHECK!
http://notesfortheirtherapist.blogspot.co.uk
I used the bus and often walked places when living in Madrid--without a carseat. I do the same here actually. When she was very small (a little over one week) we would go on the bus with her in our stroller with a bassinet.
I have also *gaspgasp!* been in a taxi three times with DD without a carseat. I was wearing her, but sometimes when you are out without a car seat in a big city you still need to get a cab.
If you aren't taking a personal car home then no you don't need a carseat.
ETA: You don't need one, but if I were you I would buy one or at least borrow one like PPs mentioned. I agree you likely won't feel up to taking a bus or walking unless you live two minutes away. A taxi seems to be in your future.