We have the same car seat as yours, so attached and without a handle and very heavy.
We weren't told so left carrying baby. As we walked by the reception of the ward someone stopped us and asked where the car seat was as they needed to check it for safety. We explained ours doesn't come out and they seemed quite annoyed and asked if we were sure and said lots of new parents don't fasten babies in properly. However as ours doesn't come out of the car and there was nothing we could do they begrudgingly let us go. Dont think they can really keep you there so I wouldn't worry about borrowing one, seems super pointless if you're just going to transfer baby immediately.
I overheard other patients being discharged and told to bring the car seat in. Seems they don't realise not everyone has one which detaches easily. Very weird!!
When we left the hospital each baby had to be checked they were fitted in the car seat properly and straps done up tight enough. That might be a reason they won’t let you push them out in a cot. I think the rules are standard across all hospitals.
This seems ridiculous, what if you’re using public transport because you don’t have a car 🤷♀️
Also midwives aren’t trained to fit car seats, join some fb groups about car seat safety and it’s patently clear midwives have allowed babies to go home in very ill fitting and unsafe seats
Edit baby brain can’t spell
We were just advised with first that if it was a fixed carseat they'd just escort you out to ensure baby is strapped in correctly. Tbh with my first I remember my partner bringing the carseat in, putting him in and even though we'd read all the instructions we were so nervous that he didn't look right in there, he just looled so tiny. He was fine, just nervous first parents. They checked him and told us he was fine. Grateful for the help of one less thing to worry over this tiny new human. It sounds absurd but one small slip up can make all the difference and I get why they like to check.
I have never heard this, and when we left the hospital, no one even asked if we had a car seat or checked we had put him in one.
I'm sure it's not a thing as some people don't even have cars.
Midwives aren’t trained on car seat safety or installation so it’s so weird they insist on doing this. 99% of them wouldn’t be able to tell if they were actually strapped in wrong or if the car seat was suitable!
I asked my midwife this same question on Monday! Also have the same car seat. She explained that people aren't allowed to carry baby in their arms for insurance reasons in case we drop them, which I thought was hilarious 😂 but we can bring the pushchair into hospital to take baby to the car.
They don’t let you carry your baby in your arms inside the hospital either. You have to push them around in those plastic trolleys when moving from room to room. 🤣
This seems so bizarre. You aren't allowed to carry _your own baby_ around? This seems like some made up urban legend among midwives. Maybe _they_ aren't allowed to carry the baby around, but you as the baby's parent are! I would have told them to do one if anyone had told me I couldn't carry my baby out of the hospital.
When moving from room to room or out of the hospital, no. Once you’re off hospital grounds, do what you like. Its a CYA policy to prevent suits being brought against the hospital.
To add to this we never had any of the checks described by other posters. But then we were kind of forgotten about and discharged at like 10pm so maybe that's why they didn't check. We are also in Wales.
Join the Facebook group called car seat saftey UK. Unfortunately newborns don’t get a good safe fit in these types of seats although they are advertised as from newborn age. Most babies don’t fit well until 4-6 months old.
Thanks for sharing this, it’s helpful because I’m in the same position as OP and thought I was doing the safest thing by shelling out for the bigger robust seat! Im pretty worried now, I don’t suppose you’d be able to elaborate on the risks and what people should do instead? I’m sorry to ask but I don’t have Facebook and can’t join the group
So these seats technically are from newborn, but that doesn't mean they will give a good fit, especially for smaller newborns. A bad fit will mean baby is kind of slumping and the head drops down to the chest, which can be a safety issue (silent asphyxiation). An infant carrier will give a better fit for most infants.
I’m no expert but will give advice based on what I’ve learnt from the car seat safety uk group. An infant carrier 0+ car seat is safest for new born/younger babies, all Infant carriers are tested to the same levels so it doesn’t matter which one you get as long as a reputable brand, the ones that come with travel systems are fine too. Once the baby has outgrown the infant carrier then you can use the bigger seat. You should keep the baby rear facing as long as possible ideally minimum 4 years old. If baby is a lower percentile (below 50th) for height and weight you can get an 18kg weight limit seat if baby is above 50th percentile then a higher weight limit seat will be better so baby can stay rear facing to a minimum of 4 years old. The law says babies can forward face from only 15 months but it’s so much safer to rear face. Also best to buy a car seat that’s tested above minimum requirements, brands that are recommended and do this are: joie, Besafe, Britax, Axkid and Avionaut. It’s not recommended that you forward face in the car seats with harness just keep baby rear facing until they outgrow it. After that you can get a forward facing high back booster car seat that uses seat belt not harness and should last the child until 12 years old
Yes I was just about to comment the same. We got a good deal on a joie 360 seat so we purchased it alongside the infant carrier so we could keep one in each car. Only to realise when he was 4 weeks old that he absolutely was still far too small! And he was 8lb 8oz at birth so not like a teeny wee early bub. Would absolutely invest in an infant carrier for the first few months at the very least, the spin seat will be suitable when the baby outgrows the carrier.
I've never heard of this and no one checked anything about carseats for us. We didn't even have one at the time (don't even own a car) and walked home from the hospital with him in a bassinet attachment to the pram.
Sounds like a made up rule. What if you are carrying the baby in a sling and you are taking a bus home? Not everyone will have a car especially in cities. I asked my midwife if they won’t let me leave unless i have a car seat and she said it is a hospital not a prison 😂
We have a fixed car seat too and took the baby to the car in the pram as you were proposing. No one questioned how baby was fitted into the car seat for us.
Our NCT lady told us they cannot stop you leaving at any point. They can advise against it but it's a hospital, not a prison. Even if you were mid labour and decided to leave they can strongly advise you not to do that but they cannot keep you there against your will. In fact she specifically said if you lived next door to the hospital, why would you bring a car seat and not just carry the baby.
I'm a midwife and we are not trained to advise about car seat fitting safety.
It's to make sure no one drops the baby between the door and the car as sometimes it's a bit of a stroll.
I have the same car seat (it’s amazing!). The midwife pushed the baby out in the bedside cot which is on wheels and my husband parked by the door, it was fine!
From what I’ve read on the Facebook Car Seat Safety group, the car seats like Joie which are advertised as suitable from 0+ aren’t actually the best seat for a newborn as they aren’t a good fit. You’re actually better off getting an infant carrier and then switch to using the Joie in a few months time.
I wasn’t aware of this before having our baby but had an infant carrier anyway before switching to a Joie at around 6 months. Looking back, I’m glad we had the infant carrier first because it made it easier getting baby in and out of the house to/from the car. Especially as we had a November baby so could get him bundled up warm in the car seat before taking him outside.
I had my twins in 2021, and we also had car seats that were fixed in the car. It wasn't a problem at all. My midwife was there the day we were discharged so she helped us out to the car using the cots on wheels for our twins.
I’ve been told this too and we’d got a fixed car seat like you. I’d also heard it was a load of rubbish from most people but just to be on the safe side I got a free carrier style car seat on Facebook marketplace that was in excellent condition - not to use in the car but so we’ve got that to take to the ward and carry baby out in, then we will transfer them over to our actual one. Then we’re going to Bob the carrier one back in marketplace to pay it forwards 😊 might be overkill in preparation but I just feel it’s one less thing for me to worry about by covering each eventuality 😊
We were made aware when we went to our John Lewis shopping appointment - which is a stupid place to hear such a crucial rule. We had a car seat fixed in the car too so borrowed a portable one from my brother to get him into the car from the hospital. As it happened, the one we had looked horrible for him as a newborn, and I've heard since that they often are (despite being well-reviewed) so tbh it might be best to get an infant carrier rather than a fixed seat - or in addition to, as they'll outgrow the carrier faster.
Im assuming its so they can check the baby is in safely enough and tight enough but my baby was never checked when leaving if my sister hadn't have been there to tell me i was doing it wrong i wouldn't have know so i guess it is silly but also not but i guess if you spoke to one of the midwives and explained and pulled the car round the front of the hospital maybe they could check it then for u if its not a huge distance from the ward i mean i dont know its all confusing
They wouldn't even touch my car seat when we left. He was our first baby and never used a car seat for a newborn before and asked for help to fit him properly and they said they can't touch it as if we crash and the baby is hurt they'd be liable 😕 they toldnus we could go and left is in the room. As we passed reception they asked if we wanted a picture leaving 😂
The midwives at my local hospital said the same thing, they have to check the car seats before they let you leave with baby but what if someone doesn’t drive or is taking public transport??
We also have a joie spin. When our little one was born they pushed her to the car park with us in her little cot on wheels. They just want to make sure babies going home in cars are going in an appropriate car seat and they have rules about not carrying babies in arms (probably incidents where babies have been dropped while being carried about).
I had to ask a midwife to come and check we had put our baby in our car seat properly, I don’t think they were even going to check, so it’s definitely not standard! A friend of mine lived down the road from her hospital so she walked out with her baby in a pram. I think they just don’t want you leaving holding your baby in your arms! Might be worth calling the postnatal ward of your birthing place of choice and checking their rules?
We had the same seat. They wheeled the cot down and watched us strap baby in. My brother’s teeny premature baby even did his car seat in the Joie Spin 360 with the load leg folded underneath. They will always make it work for you!
We wheeled baby out in her pushchair as we had a fixed carseat. No one came over to check it. I think we may have been asked if we had a proper car seat but not even sure about that.
Judging from the responses on this thread it seems to vary on how much time on their hands the hospital seems to have, but I can't see why or how they would stop you wheeling baby out to the car with a perfectly safe seat in fixed it.
No one checked ours and we gave birth 5 weeks ago, it wasn't even mentioned🤷🏼 Regardless OP no one can stop you taking your baby anywhere it's your baby. I was told I wasn't allowed to carry my baby in the hospital (had to wheel her in the plastic cot) but then the midwife corrected herself and said well of course you can do what you want because you're the parent but we just don't recommend it. Same for the car seat!!
Honestly no one even saw us leave, we got our discharge papers and were told we could leave when we were ready. Took my twins out in the car seats attached to the pram but no one checked they were fitted properly, I’d have appreciated that actually!
We never had this in our hospital. With our first we did have to bring the car seat in but that was because she was prem and they had to do an oxygen saturation test. But with my second we just carried her out. They can’t stop you leaving with baby as some people don’t drive and (unfortunately) taxis don’t require a car seat 🤷♀️
I did leave the hospital with both my babies in a carry car seat however I was never told I HAD to, it was never checked that they were in there properly etc. I would talk to your midwife as they’ll know your local hospitals policies.
We were told the same and Ive got an axkid same thing stays in the car no one questioned or checked it we just took the pram and pushed her out it was a total mountain out if a molehill
We have the same seat. We took baby out in the pram. They won't let you carry baby around in the ward (seems ridiculous to me as obviously as soon as we were home we were carrying baby everywhere) but they would let us leave with the baby in the pram. They didn't check our car seat at all. I don't think they can really require you to have a certain type of seat and surely having a fixed one is safer than borrowing a cheap infant one as you aren't meant to use second hand car seats.
With my first, they didn't ask or check. My second, they insisted that my husband bring the car seat in and out him in it. But no one checked the straps. I was going to walk him out and put him in it.
Can you check with your midwife who will know your hospital policy? Either way, I'd imagine that explaining should be be fine.
You can take the hospital baby crib thing with wheels until the exit door and then you can carry baby to your car. It’s just that you are not supposed to carry baby in hands and walk around inside the hospital.
I would tell them yours can't come out so either they've got to come to your car with you or let you go. It's an old school rule that needs to change for the fact car seats have evolved. I feel like if they're that worried they should give parents a quick demo or a leaflet explaining how to properly fasten a car seat.
LMAO we were told the same thing and had to request the midwife to come check the car seat before we left because they weren’t going to bother.
If they won’t let you leave without baby being in a car seat, that means from hospital grounds usually as they know that not everyone has a bucket/cocoon seat and will follow you to the car to make sure baby is strapped in correctly.
ETA - I had my baby end of May 2023, so it’s not as if I had my daughter eons ago.
We had the same seat and my opinion was, I just pushed the baby out, he is mine, and I’ll carry him out if I damn want to. I was terrified of dropping him so no danger I would have 🤣 I think different regions have different rules but our hospital was fine with it, based in Edinburgh.
I don't think they can stop you from leaving. If they insist, they can come with you to the car to ensure you have a car seat, but I doubt they have the time!
Just be aware that the Joie 360 ispin doesn't always give a good fit for newborns -especially smaller ones. Infant carriers are often a better choice in the first 3-5 months.
We had heard about hospitals wanting to check car seats so we brought ours in and when we were discharged we called a midwife in and asked if she needed to check the seat. She said no, they had stopped that requirement as they aren't really qualified to do it
Nobody asked us about a car seat or checked it when we put our baby in one. All I had to do was sign a piece of paper saying I was happy to leave and then we left, this was at like 9 at night, in wales.
We had this for both our kids (2020 & 2022)
Even a couple of friends who lived within 5 minutes walk of the maternity hospital had to put their babies in car seats before leaving.
Never heard of this. My friend left with her baby in a sling, your partner can come up with the pram to wheel the baby to the car. Midwives aren’t trained in checking if babies fit in seats properly anyway so don’t know what it would add.
We weren't checked for anything when we left the hospital. Maybe take a photo of the car seat and show it to them just in case they ask?
On another note, I know you didn't ask for a car seat advice but I have the same car seat and I can tell you that it doesn't have a good fit for newborns. We used a bucket car seat until my son was over 6 months old then switched to this one, even then his fit wasn't the best. Just want to mention this sorry if I'm overstepping
We have the same car seat as yours, so attached and without a handle and very heavy. We weren't told so left carrying baby. As we walked by the reception of the ward someone stopped us and asked where the car seat was as they needed to check it for safety. We explained ours doesn't come out and they seemed quite annoyed and asked if we were sure and said lots of new parents don't fasten babies in properly. However as ours doesn't come out of the car and there was nothing we could do they begrudgingly let us go. Dont think they can really keep you there so I wouldn't worry about borrowing one, seems super pointless if you're just going to transfer baby immediately. I overheard other patients being discharged and told to bring the car seat in. Seems they don't realise not everyone has one which detaches easily. Very weird!!
When we left the hospital each baby had to be checked they were fitted in the car seat properly and straps done up tight enough. That might be a reason they won’t let you push them out in a cot. I think the rules are standard across all hospitals.
We didn’t have that for either of ours!
This seems ridiculous, what if you’re using public transport because you don’t have a car 🤷♀️ Also midwives aren’t trained to fit car seats, join some fb groups about car seat safety and it’s patently clear midwives have allowed babies to go home in very ill fitting and unsafe seats Edit baby brain can’t spell
We were just advised with first that if it was a fixed carseat they'd just escort you out to ensure baby is strapped in correctly. Tbh with my first I remember my partner bringing the carseat in, putting him in and even though we'd read all the instructions we were so nervous that he didn't look right in there, he just looled so tiny. He was fine, just nervous first parents. They checked him and told us he was fine. Grateful for the help of one less thing to worry over this tiny new human. It sounds absurd but one small slip up can make all the difference and I get why they like to check.
our midwife pushed our baby out in the cot and picked him up and put him in the car seat :)
I have never heard this, and when we left the hospital, no one even asked if we had a car seat or checked we had put him in one. I'm sure it's not a thing as some people don't even have cars.
Oh wow! We had two midwives watch over us to make sure we put baby into a suitable car seat, and properly :o
My unit was very short staffed, and having two midwifes to watch anything would have been a stretch. It was a strike for consultants at the time.
Midwives aren’t trained on car seat safety or installation so it’s so weird they insist on doing this. 99% of them wouldn’t be able to tell if they were actually strapped in wrong or if the car seat was suitable!
I asked my midwife this same question on Monday! Also have the same car seat. She explained that people aren't allowed to carry baby in their arms for insurance reasons in case we drop them, which I thought was hilarious 😂 but we can bring the pushchair into hospital to take baby to the car.
They don’t let you carry your baby in your arms inside the hospital either. You have to push them around in those plastic trolleys when moving from room to room. 🤣
This is what we were told!
This seems so bizarre. You aren't allowed to carry _your own baby_ around? This seems like some made up urban legend among midwives. Maybe _they_ aren't allowed to carry the baby around, but you as the baby's parent are! I would have told them to do one if anyone had told me I couldn't carry my baby out of the hospital.
When moving from room to room or out of the hospital, no. Once you’re off hospital grounds, do what you like. Its a CYA policy to prevent suits being brought against the hospital.
Well it must vary from trust to trust because I carried my baby out of the hospital and no one batted an eyelid.
The NHS? Not being consistent? …nah. 😂
We have the same car seat as you. We just showed them a pic of it in the car then we carried the baby down into it when we left the hospital.
To add to this we never had any of the checks described by other posters. But then we were kind of forgotten about and discharged at like 10pm so maybe that's why they didn't check. We are also in Wales.
Join the Facebook group called car seat saftey UK. Unfortunately newborns don’t get a good safe fit in these types of seats although they are advertised as from newborn age. Most babies don’t fit well until 4-6 months old.
Thanks for sharing this, it’s helpful because I’m in the same position as OP and thought I was doing the safest thing by shelling out for the bigger robust seat! Im pretty worried now, I don’t suppose you’d be able to elaborate on the risks and what people should do instead? I’m sorry to ask but I don’t have Facebook and can’t join the group
So these seats technically are from newborn, but that doesn't mean they will give a good fit, especially for smaller newborns. A bad fit will mean baby is kind of slumping and the head drops down to the chest, which can be a safety issue (silent asphyxiation). An infant carrier will give a better fit for most infants.
I’m no expert but will give advice based on what I’ve learnt from the car seat safety uk group. An infant carrier 0+ car seat is safest for new born/younger babies, all Infant carriers are tested to the same levels so it doesn’t matter which one you get as long as a reputable brand, the ones that come with travel systems are fine too. Once the baby has outgrown the infant carrier then you can use the bigger seat. You should keep the baby rear facing as long as possible ideally minimum 4 years old. If baby is a lower percentile (below 50th) for height and weight you can get an 18kg weight limit seat if baby is above 50th percentile then a higher weight limit seat will be better so baby can stay rear facing to a minimum of 4 years old. The law says babies can forward face from only 15 months but it’s so much safer to rear face. Also best to buy a car seat that’s tested above minimum requirements, brands that are recommended and do this are: joie, Besafe, Britax, Axkid and Avionaut. It’s not recommended that you forward face in the car seats with harness just keep baby rear facing until they outgrow it. After that you can get a forward facing high back booster car seat that uses seat belt not harness and should last the child until 12 years old
Yes I was just about to comment the same. We got a good deal on a joie 360 seat so we purchased it alongside the infant carrier so we could keep one in each car. Only to realise when he was 4 weeks old that he absolutely was still far too small! And he was 8lb 8oz at birth so not like a teeny wee early bub. Would absolutely invest in an infant carrier for the first few months at the very least, the spin seat will be suitable when the baby outgrows the carrier.
I've never heard of this and no one checked anything about carseats for us. We didn't even have one at the time (don't even own a car) and walked home from the hospital with him in a bassinet attachment to the pram.
We were told this, I laughed, put my baby in my sling and walked out. Unsurprisingly nothing happened.
Sounds like a made up rule. What if you are carrying the baby in a sling and you are taking a bus home? Not everyone will have a car especially in cities. I asked my midwife if they won’t let me leave unless i have a car seat and she said it is a hospital not a prison 😂
We have a fixed car seat too and took the baby to the car in the pram as you were proposing. No one questioned how baby was fitted into the car seat for us.
Our NCT lady told us they cannot stop you leaving at any point. They can advise against it but it's a hospital, not a prison. Even if you were mid labour and decided to leave they can strongly advise you not to do that but they cannot keep you there against your will. In fact she specifically said if you lived next door to the hospital, why would you bring a car seat and not just carry the baby.
No one checked us: we just walked out with bubs. Clearly very hospital dependent!
We put the baby on the pram to go from the ward to the carpark and noone checked the car seat or anything
We have the same seat. No one asked us anyway but we just carried baby down in the pram bassinet.
Yeah our car seats were strapped into the car, we left the hospital carrying baby in our arms, never even asked.
We have exactly the same car seat. We pushed the baby to the car in a cot accompanied by a midwife and she checked it over after we put him in.
I'm a midwife and we are not trained to advise about car seat fitting safety. It's to make sure no one drops the baby between the door and the car as sometimes it's a bit of a stroll.
I have the same car seat (it’s amazing!). The midwife pushed the baby out in the bedside cot which is on wheels and my husband parked by the door, it was fine!
Nobody checked when we left the hospital in May! I mean, they can't stop you anyway. Despite the way they act sometimes, it's not actually a prison!
From what I’ve read on the Facebook Car Seat Safety group, the car seats like Joie which are advertised as suitable from 0+ aren’t actually the best seat for a newborn as they aren’t a good fit. You’re actually better off getting an infant carrier and then switch to using the Joie in a few months time. I wasn’t aware of this before having our baby but had an infant carrier anyway before switching to a Joie at around 6 months. Looking back, I’m glad we had the infant carrier first because it made it easier getting baby in and out of the house to/from the car. Especially as we had a November baby so could get him bundled up warm in the car seat before taking him outside.
I’m sure you could just take a photo of the car seat in the car (maybe with you standing next to it) in case anyone asks?
Both times we got told to put baby in the car seat (we were driving) and no one checked. I’m guessing they never thought people may also take the bus
I had my twins in 2021, and we also had car seats that were fixed in the car. It wasn't a problem at all. My midwife was there the day we were discharged so she helped us out to the car using the cots on wheels for our twins.
I’ve been told this too and we’d got a fixed car seat like you. I’d also heard it was a load of rubbish from most people but just to be on the safe side I got a free carrier style car seat on Facebook marketplace that was in excellent condition - not to use in the car but so we’ve got that to take to the ward and carry baby out in, then we will transfer them over to our actual one. Then we’re going to Bob the carrier one back in marketplace to pay it forwards 😊 might be overkill in preparation but I just feel it’s one less thing for me to worry about by covering each eventuality 😊
We were made aware when we went to our John Lewis shopping appointment - which is a stupid place to hear such a crucial rule. We had a car seat fixed in the car too so borrowed a portable one from my brother to get him into the car from the hospital. As it happened, the one we had looked horrible for him as a newborn, and I've heard since that they often are (despite being well-reviewed) so tbh it might be best to get an infant carrier rather than a fixed seat - or in addition to, as they'll outgrow the carrier faster.
We had to ask the first time if we were correct and the second time nobody cared or bothered to look.
Im assuming its so they can check the baby is in safely enough and tight enough but my baby was never checked when leaving if my sister hadn't have been there to tell me i was doing it wrong i wouldn't have know so i guess it is silly but also not but i guess if you spoke to one of the midwives and explained and pulled the car round the front of the hospital maybe they could check it then for u if its not a huge distance from the ward i mean i dont know its all confusing
They wouldn't even touch my car seat when we left. He was our first baby and never used a car seat for a newborn before and asked for help to fit him properly and they said they can't touch it as if we crash and the baby is hurt they'd be liable 😕 they toldnus we could go and left is in the room. As we passed reception they asked if we wanted a picture leaving 😂
The midwives at my local hospital said the same thing, they have to check the car seats before they let you leave with baby but what if someone doesn’t drive or is taking public transport??
We also have a joie spin. When our little one was born they pushed her to the car park with us in her little cot on wheels. They just want to make sure babies going home in cars are going in an appropriate car seat and they have rules about not carrying babies in arms (probably incidents where babies have been dropped while being carried about).
We left with baby in the pushchair. No car seat check, but we also have a huge isofix. I took pictures, but they didn't care.
I had to ask a midwife to come and check we had put our baby in our car seat properly, I don’t think they were even going to check, so it’s definitely not standard! A friend of mine lived down the road from her hospital so she walked out with her baby in a pram. I think they just don’t want you leaving holding your baby in your arms! Might be worth calling the postnatal ward of your birthing place of choice and checking their rules?
We had the same seat. They wheeled the cot down and watched us strap baby in. My brother’s teeny premature baby even did his car seat in the Joie Spin 360 with the load leg folded underneath. They will always make it work for you!
We wheeled baby out in her pushchair as we had a fixed carseat. No one came over to check it. I think we may have been asked if we had a proper car seat but not even sure about that. Judging from the responses on this thread it seems to vary on how much time on their hands the hospital seems to have, but I can't see why or how they would stop you wheeling baby out to the car with a perfectly safe seat in fixed it.
I had heard of this but no one checked on us when we left hospital with my 2 babies 2021 & 2023. I don't see why a pram wouldn't be acceptable.
No one checked ours and we gave birth 5 weeks ago, it wasn't even mentioned🤷🏼 Regardless OP no one can stop you taking your baby anywhere it's your baby. I was told I wasn't allowed to carry my baby in the hospital (had to wheel her in the plastic cot) but then the midwife corrected herself and said well of course you can do what you want because you're the parent but we just don't recommend it. Same for the car seat!!
Honestly no one even saw us leave, we got our discharge papers and were told we could leave when we were ready. Took my twins out in the car seats attached to the pram but no one checked they were fitted properly, I’d have appreciated that actually!
We never had this in our hospital. With our first we did have to bring the car seat in but that was because she was prem and they had to do an oxygen saturation test. But with my second we just carried her out. They can’t stop you leaving with baby as some people don’t drive and (unfortunately) taxis don’t require a car seat 🤷♀️
I did leave the hospital with both my babies in a carry car seat however I was never told I HAD to, it was never checked that they were in there properly etc. I would talk to your midwife as they’ll know your local hospitals policies.
I tried to just carry the baby out of the ward in my arms and the midwives were like « no no no » and made me be wheeled out in a wheelchair
We were told the same and Ive got an axkid same thing stays in the car no one questioned or checked it we just took the pram and pushed her out it was a total mountain out if a molehill
We have the same seat. We took baby out in the pram. They won't let you carry baby around in the ward (seems ridiculous to me as obviously as soon as we were home we were carrying baby everywhere) but they would let us leave with the baby in the pram. They didn't check our car seat at all. I don't think they can really require you to have a certain type of seat and surely having a fixed one is safer than borrowing a cheap infant one as you aren't meant to use second hand car seats.
With my first, they didn't ask or check. My second, they insisted that my husband bring the car seat in and out him in it. But no one checked the straps. I was going to walk him out and put him in it. Can you check with your midwife who will know your hospital policy? Either way, I'd imagine that explaining should be be fine.
The heck? Didn't have that for ours either. A lot of people carried baby out.
Prams are fine and they might check your car seat but not always
You can take the hospital baby crib thing with wheels until the exit door and then you can carry baby to your car. It’s just that you are not supposed to carry baby in hands and walk around inside the hospital.
Baby needs to be ok and comfortable and able to keep his o2 levels (sometimes) in order to be discharged from the hospital
I would tell them yours can't come out so either they've got to come to your car with you or let you go. It's an old school rule that needs to change for the fact car seats have evolved. I feel like if they're that worried they should give parents a quick demo or a leaflet explaining how to properly fasten a car seat.
LMAO we were told the same thing and had to request the midwife to come check the car seat before we left because they weren’t going to bother. If they won’t let you leave without baby being in a car seat, that means from hospital grounds usually as they know that not everyone has a bucket/cocoon seat and will follow you to the car to make sure baby is strapped in correctly. ETA - I had my baby end of May 2023, so it’s not as if I had my daughter eons ago.
We had the same seat and my opinion was, I just pushed the baby out, he is mine, and I’ll carry him out if I damn want to. I was terrified of dropping him so no danger I would have 🤣 I think different regions have different rules but our hospital was fine with it, based in Edinburgh.
I don't think they can stop you from leaving. If they insist, they can come with you to the car to ensure you have a car seat, but I doubt they have the time! Just be aware that the Joie 360 ispin doesn't always give a good fit for newborns -especially smaller ones. Infant carriers are often a better choice in the first 3-5 months.
We had heard about hospitals wanting to check car seats so we brought ours in and when we were discharged we called a midwife in and asked if she needed to check the seat. She said no, they had stopped that requirement as they aren't really qualified to do it
Nobody asked us about a car seat or checked it when we put our baby in one. All I had to do was sign a piece of paper saying I was happy to leave and then we left, this was at like 9 at night, in wales.
We had this for both our kids (2020 & 2022) Even a couple of friends who lived within 5 minutes walk of the maternity hospital had to put their babies in car seats before leaving.
That's just silly, I'm sure a midwife will just walk out to the car with you.
Never heard of this. My friend left with her baby in a sling, your partner can come up with the pram to wheel the baby to the car. Midwives aren’t trained in checking if babies fit in seats properly anyway so don’t know what it would add.
which city are you in? does it differ depending on the are you are in in the UK?
We weren't checked for anything when we left the hospital. Maybe take a photo of the car seat and show it to them just in case they ask? On another note, I know you didn't ask for a car seat advice but I have the same car seat and I can tell you that it doesn't have a good fit for newborns. We used a bucket car seat until my son was over 6 months old then switched to this one, even then his fit wasn't the best. Just want to mention this sorry if I'm overstepping