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Leaving the hospital procedure

  • 13-01-2020 5:28pm
    #1
    Uptheduff
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭


    We are hoping to forego using a buggy in favour of a sling (might not work in practice but we want to try.) Because of that we've got a fixed car seat rather than the kind that comes out and slots into a buggy.

    In terms of leaving the hospital, we've been told the baby cant be carried out just in the parents arms. Can anyone tell me if a sling can be used to carry the baby out to the car? What do people usually do when they have a fixed infant car seat rather than the movable kind?


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Comments

  • #2
    lazygal
    Registered Users Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    There's no law about this. Hospital policies are their policies, but your child can be carried out whatever way you want. Our baby wasn't checked any time we left Holles St, each time in a removable car seat. I used a sling from early on and I can't see how they could have forced me to remove baby from it and put it in a car seat I didn't own.


  • #3
    silent_spark
    Registered Users Posts: 461 ✭✭silent_spark


    How could this be enforced if parents don’t even have a car? We live in the city centre, for example, and either use public transport or taxis.


  • #4
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 26,991 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    silent_spark wrote: »
    How could this be enforced if parents don’t even have a car? We live in the city centre, for example, and either use public transport or taxis.

    You should still have a seat when using a taxi or public transport (for bus/train you should be using a buggy rather than a seat)


  • #5
    lazygal
    Registered Users Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    Legally you don't have to use a car seat in a taxi.


  • #6
    Meeeee79
    Registered Users Posts: 464 ✭✭Meeeee79


    lazygal wrote: »
    Legally you don't have to use a car seat in a taxi.

    But surely you are not in your right mind if you think holding a newborn in any mode of transport is safe


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  • #7
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,891 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    If you are very bothered by this, can you borrow a maxi cosi or similar to transport the baby to your car and your carseat. That is probably the simplest solution.


  • #8
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    To be honest, a lot of car seats that stay in the car and market themselves as being suitable from birth aren’t suitable from birth at all. They’re a bit too uptight, and not quite padded or supportive enough for newborns. I personally would use an infant carrier. If you choose not to, I presume you can explain the situation to the hospital staff and ask them to walk you to your car if they have an issue.


  • #9
    sheep1234
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭sheep1234


    When i left the coombe, they had no interest in what the baby was leaving in! You got the paperwork to leave, the tag was removed from the baby and the midwife said best of luck, headed out with him being held! I wouldn't worry too much about it.


  • #10
    sheep1234
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭sheep1234


    When i left the coombe, they had no interest in what the baby was leaving in! You got the paperwork to leave, the tag was removed from the baby and the midwife said best of luck, headed out with him being held! I wouldn't worry too much about it. Nobody accompanied me to the car, sure they were too busy!


  • #11
    Uptheduff
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Uptheduff


    The gist I got was its a liability issue. A nurse has to escort you out and see that the baby is being put in a proper car seat so they can't be held responsible if anything happens before you leave the grounds.

    I could be wrong but I've asked a few midwives and googled and none seem totally clear on "the rules" just that you can't stroll out with your baby in your arms and if your driving home there needs to be a properly fitted seat.

    I didn't want to get a carrier type car seat just for the 10 minute spectacle of a nurse watching us leave the hospital grounds. I'm gathering all hospitals have different policies but it seems pretty vague.


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  • #12
    lazygal
    Registered Users Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    sheep1234 wrote: »
    When i left the coombe, they had no interest in what the baby was leaving in! You got the paperwork to leave, the tag was removed from the baby and the midwife said best of luck, headed out with him being held! I wouldn't worry too much about it. Nobody accompanied me to the car, sure they were too busy!

    Same. No one even looked at us leaving. Three times leaving the private ward in Holles Street. They had enough to be doing I'd guess.


  • #13
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Just tell them you're walking....


  • #14
    Cash_Q
    Registered Users Posts: 1,920 ✭✭✭Cash_Q


    Left the Coombe with no questions or checks on mode of transport or car seat.


  • #15
    Minier81
    Registered Users Posts: 622 ✭✭✭Minier81


    I would use your sling. You'll be a bit sleep deprived leaving the hospital and with steps I think a sling is safer. Also on a practical level, I got my husband to drop everything else out to the car first so it was just me and baby, in car seat in our case, waiting to leave. A nurse did check our carseat but only because we asked her if baby was secure in it, we had never used one before and we wanted reassurance! That was Holles st last year.


  • #16
    ax530
    Registered Users Posts: 457 ✭✭ax530


    Galway hospital did insist baby in car seat.
    I always left car seat in car and put baby in sling found it easier and need my hands for holding onto other children.
    Leaving hospital we carried seat in put baby into it then strapped seat into car, didn't have isofix or travel system.


  • #17
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    I was just going to say we were in Galway for both babies and they never checked on the car seat. I know it was a thing years ago but cannot see them checking now...Had the little one just before Christmas and we barley got looked at leaving the hospital so I would think a sling will be fine..

    We even saw one lady sitting into a taxi leaving with the car seat in her lap in the front seat, so that goes to show they dont check a thing..


  • #18
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,234 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    bubblypop wrote: »
    Just tell them you're walking....
    That may be difficult for a new mother.


  • #19
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Remember we are women not men, we will be able to walk :)


  • #20
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,234 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Milly33 wrote: »
    Remember we are women not men, we will be able to walk :)

    Depends on how far you are walking and how many stitches you have while carrying baby and baggage.


  • #21
    Milly33
    Registered Users Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭Milly33


    Yes but the op said the seat is in the car, it just isnt the maxi cozi type so she be sorted


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  • #22
    CheerLouth
    Registered Users Posts: 2,415 ✭✭✭CheerLouth


    Would you not just bring the sling and then if anyone says anything to you when you are going home, you can explain the seat is fixed in the car & tell them that they are more than welcome to come and have a look for themselves? Chances are they are going to be too busy. At the end of the day, hospitals have policies and it's all grand saying that you have to carry the baby out in a car seat but I've yet to see any member of hospital staff check that said seat is correctly fitted in the car.


  • #23
    Uptheduff
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Uptheduff


    I think I'll take the sling and see how we get on. I've spoken to 2 midwives from the hospital were attending and both were adamant that a nurse will have to walk us out to check the car seat and that you can't just have the baby held in your arms til it's put in the car. Neither of them could answer whether a sling was ok for the walk out. They both seemed to have only come across people with the carrying type car seats.

    Since it all seems so vague and I can't find definitive rules anywhere I'm going to assume there aren't really any regarding the walk to the car. They can't hold us hostage over a policy that no one seems to have clear guidelines on.


  • #24
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 26,991 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    lazygal wrote: »
    Legally you don't have to use a car seat in a taxi.

    Where did you get that idea from?

    Its the drivers responsibility to ensure that everyone is properly restrained.

    https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/roads_and_safety/seatbelts_when_motoring_in_ireland.html
    https://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Child-Safety-in-Cars/The-Law/
    https://www.theaa.ie/blog/safety-advice-about-car-seats/

    "Children must use an appropriate child car seat if they’re under 150cm in height or weigh less than 36 kg (generally children up to 11/12 years of age). It’s the driver’s legal responsibility to ensure all passengers aged under 17 are appropriately restrained, whether they’re your own kids or others."

    As for why you would travel with a new born without having them properly restrained...:confused:



    /edit

    i missed the bit where you said "in a taxi"


  • #25
    lazygal
    Registered Users Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    Uptheduff wrote: »
    I think I'll take the sling and see how we get on. I've spoken to 2 midwives from the hospital were attending and both were adamant that a nurse will have to walk us out to check the car seat and that you can't just have the baby held in your arms til it's put in the car. Neither of them could answer whether a sling was ok for the walk out. They both seemed to have only come across people with the carrying type car seats.

    Since it all seems so vague and I can't find definitive rules anywhere I'm going to assume there aren't really any regarding the walk to the car. They can't hold us hostage over a policy that no one seems to have clear guidelines on.
    I would be AMAZED if a nurse is released from ward duty to walk parents to a car unless there are serious child protection issues and then it would be more likely to be a social worker or public health nurse.


  • #26
    maxsmum
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭maxsmum


    Of course you can leave carrying the baby! That's an urban myth.


  • #27
    maxsmum
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭maxsmum


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Where did you get that idea from?

    Its the drivers responsibility to ensure that everyone is properly restrained.

    https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/roads_and_safety/seatbelts_when_motoring_in_ireland.html
    https://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Child-Safety-in-Cars/The-Law/
    https://www.theaa.ie/blog/safety-advice-about-car-seats/

    "Children must use an appropriate child car seat if they’re under 150cm in height or weigh less than 36 kg (generally children up to 11/12 years of age). It’s the driver’s legal responsibility to ensure all passengers aged under 17 are appropriately restrained, whether they’re your own kids or others."

    As for why you would travel with a new born without having them properly restrained...:confused:





    /edit

    i missed the bit where you said "in a taxi"

    You can hold a child on your lap in a car. I suppose it's technically restrained. The car seat is if they're sitting alone.


  • #28
    Uptheduff
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Uptheduff


    lazygal wrote: »
    I would be AMAZED if a nurse is released from ward duty to walk parents to a car unless there are serious child protection issues and then it would be more likely to be a social worker or public health nurse.

    Two separate midwives from the hospital ill be attending told me this. One even gave out about how many new parents expect the nurse to know how to install the car seat, so it seems to be standard where I'm going.


  • #29
    lazygal
    Registered Users Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    Uptheduff wrote: »
    Two separate midwives from the hospital ill be attending told me this. One even gave out about how many new parents expect the nurse to know how to install the car seat, so it seems to be standard where I'm going.

    So let them tell you how you're going to transport baby. Choice of sling or in arms. I can't see how this is a good use of their time when all I heard in the hospital was how busy they were.


  • #30
    Anne_cordelia
    Registered Users Posts: 446 ✭✭Anne_cordelia


    Uptheduff wrote: »
    Two separate midwives from the hospital ill be attending told me this. One even gave out about how many new parents expect the nurse to know how to install the car seat, so it seems to be standard where I'm going.

    I’d love to know what they would do. I find this baffling!!


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  • #31
    Uptheduff
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Uptheduff


    Tell me about it! Midwife: "Oh god, you need a car seat you can't just leave with the baby in arms!" Me: "Ok I got a car seat, can I use a sling to walk out?" Midwife: "Oh, that I don't know."

    I'm just going to assume theres no hard rules about how you physically carry the baby out to the car as long as it goes home in a car seat. If there was a strict policy in place I imagine the hospital would make sure to outline that clearly.


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