[cassandra_2006]

Hi girls,

I have a question for you. I am going to be at St Thomas hospital (in london) for labour/delivery, it's our local hospital, and it's a 15 mins walk from our home, so very very near as you can see. Here's what I'm wondering. I've heard that hospitals insist that new parents bring (& show!) a carseat in order to take baby home after he/she is born. However, we don't own a carseat, because neither of us drives, so obviously we have no car. I'm wondering what your suggestions would be. My partner insists we should put the baby in his pram & walk him home (!!)...he rather fancies the idea of walking down the South Bank with our new baby. I on the other hand see this as a bit ridiculous, with me just having gone through labour, and the anxiety of taking a brand new baby out in the streets! I know it's only a 15 mins walk, but still! Any suggestions? Are there taxis that include baby carseats & which we can order?

Many thanks in advance. I know it's a bit of a silly question, but still, it's kind of stuck in my mind  .
Cassandra

 

[♡ C ♡]

have you rang the hospital see if they can advise you?  don't know london but guessing you quite central, so there must be others in the same kind of situtation.

 

[bib]

Can't see why they would have a problem with bringing a pram to take your bubba home in hun  I am sure that there are lots of people in London who are in the same situation....

Good luck huni, hope all goes well 

Jo xx

 

[Tripitaka]

Hi Cassandra!

Brilliant to see you're progressing well and about to join us on 3rd tri! 

I'm not sure I'd want to count on being in any fit state to walk 15 mins home after childbirth... you just don't know how you'll feel or what you'll be able to do.... or what the weather will be like more's the point... no fun if it's p'ing down with rain!  Don't let DP get carried away with his ideal walk home... the reality could be very different from whatever he's imagining. 

There surely must be a taxi firm that has child seats (sorry I don't know one to suggest) or do you know anyone who has a child seat you could borrow, or even better, who has one AND a car AND could collect you?

I might have suggested this before but the other thing I wonder is if your hospital rents out car seats?  I know ours has a car seat rental programme.

Like Clare says I would have thought your hospital will be able to advise you of what to do in your situation - you cannae be the only ones with this dilemma.

Good luck with everything!
Trip xx

 

[~ Chux ~]

Do you know anyone you could borrow a car seat from? As you don't know how the birth is going to go then don't rule anything out - I can see why you'd think the idea of walking is ridiculous but you aren't kicked straight out so you never know. If you stayed overnight then you may feel up to the walk so never say never!

Just one other thought, you could always log onto to your local netmums site and ask if anyone knows of a taxi firm that has car seats or has one they can lend you - www.netmums.co.uk.

Chux xx

/links

 

[sallywags]

I went for quite a long walk with M before she was 36 hours old!  we went into the village to buy more vases for all the flowers - and some woman was horrified when i told her how old M was!! she told me i should be in bed!  i asked why as i didn't believe i was ill....

it was a bit much though and with hindsight i probably shouldn't have walked quite so far! however, hun if the weather is nice and you are up to it, it might be quite nice to get a bit of fresh air after being cooped up in a stuffy maternity ward.  i wouldn't worry about bubs - i figured a bit of fresh air would be good for her too, and it was the middle of november! she was fine - well snuggled in her buggy!

 

[kitten1]

I went out for a walk with DS when he was about 2days old. Walked for about 30mins, very slowly mind!!  And, it was December when I had C but really felt I needed to get outside as I felt suffocated!! 

Don't rule it out as yet but best to make some 'alternative' arrangements just in case! 

 

[~ Chux ~]

Where I was they couldn't have cared less how you got your baby home, they just escorted you out of the maternity ward to make sure you left!!

Chux xx

 

[Marielou]

I didn't even get escorted out ... they did my discharge notes at 12, then DH turned up with the carseat at 2pm (visiting time) and we just put him in it and walked out!  They didn't bat an eyelid at all. 

Might you need to buy a carseat if you use taxi's? Or do you use the tube/buses more regularly?  You may well be up to walking home, but I'd see if someone you know has a carseat you could borrow just in case.

Marie xxx

 

[♡ C ♡]

I didn't either, I was told could go at 11 was 2 before my notes were done, Dh had brought the car seat up when we'd got the OK at 11 so guess they knew we had one as it was sat there, but then we just stuck our head in the room where all the mws were to say bye and we left

 

[~ Chux ~]

I was given my discharge notes and told me to tell them when I was going as they had to escort us out the building and at the door do a final check that my hospital tag matched the baby to be sure I had the right one!!

Chux xx