Baby on bus/cab?

**6enny** · 05-09-2012, 08:53 PM

Having conversation with my wife about the ride home from the hospital with a newborn.

"We'll need a carseat by then." she says.

"A carseat for the cab?" I ask.

Who is right?

**Marc** · 05-09-2012, 08:59 PM

I'm pretty sure they won't let you walk out without a car seat, regardless of your intended means of transport.

Separately, you should have a car seat in a cab.

**CV's mum** · 05-09-2012, 09:09 PM

To ride home in a vehicle, hospitals require a car seat. Only in rare occasions do they inspect to determine if it is installed correctly--and most are not. Some hospitals, but not all, will allow you to walk home without one. We walked and it is one of my most cherished memories.

On any other day, however, it is 'legal' to have a baby/child in a taxi without a car seat. See thecarseatlady.com for the best transportation/safety restraint information available, including why you should never have a baby in a cab without a car seat and why it is relatively safe to bring babies and children on the bus without restraints.

**6enny** · 05-09-2012, 11:54 PM

Really? I feel like most Philadelphia mothers are already riding the trolley standing up with and/or smacking their babies by that age.

I guess I'll need a car seat at some point. Just seems really early is all.

**LUCas** · 05-10-2012, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by 6enny

Really? I feel like most Philadelphia mothers are already riding the trolley standing up with and/or smacking their babies by that age.

I guess I'll need a car seat at some point. Just seems really early is all.

Do you want to be like most Philadelphia mothers? How is it "too early"? Are newborns immune to car accidents?

**CV's mum** · 05-10-2012, 01:35 PM

I think its fair to be skeptical of all of the "must-haves" when a baby joins your family. Most baby registries are filled with short-lived or completely useless junk. I was convinced we needed a baby swing, and my son was in it for 45 minutes, max. Money down the drain. A car seat, however, really is a necessity, even for a family without a car (like mine). I'm not sure I can think of a single other consumer item that you "must" have.

**eldondre** · 05-10-2012, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by CV's mum

I think its fair to be skeptical of all of the "must-haves" when a baby joins your family. Most baby registries are filled with short-lived or completely useless junk. I was convinced we needed a baby swing, and my son was in it for 45 minutes, max. Money down the drain. A car seat, however, really is a necessity, even for a family without a car (like mine). I'm not sure I can think of a single other consumer item that you "must" have.

it's something you'll want but not necessary in the first few weeks, per se. certainly, our baby came home on the broad ridge spur, she certainly didn't need a car seat...I could have carried her in arm pretty easily. for the carless, the baby bjorn or something like it is the most important. that said, we found the car seat useful since we rent zip car, and at restaurants .
one thing to note if you don't drive much or use zip car, car seat weight is very important.
thanks for the carseat lady.

**ColeenH** · 05-10-2012, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

it's something you'll want but not necessary in the first few weeks, per se. certainly, our baby came home on the broad ridge spur, she certainly didn't need a car seat...I could have carried her in arm pretty easily. for the carless, the baby bjorn or something like it is the most important. that said, we found the car seat useful since we rent zip car, and at restaurants .
one thing to note if you don't drive much or use zip car, car seat weight is very important.
thanks for the carseat lady.

As a previous poster said, most (I actually thought it was all) hospitals requires newborns to be in a car seat to be discharged from the hospital. My S.O. (for some reason) thought we were supposed to just walk the baby down to the car, but the nurse said he couldn't leave the maternity floor unless he was in a car seat.

**Brooke** · 05-10-2012, 09:07 PM

Ah, but if your wife had had a c-section, she wouldn't have been on the Broad Ridge Spur and you would have needed one. We weren't allowed to leave Pennsy without one and they checked she was in right. I find that for walking around the city, yeah, the Ergo Carrier is priceless. (Luckily we registered for an Ergo because my daughter was born with hip dysplasia and the Ergo is the perfect design to reinforce proper hip placement as well as one of the only carriers to work when a baby is wearing the required Pavlik Harness.)

(We've used almost everything we've registered for. But then again, I had lots of counseling on what not to buy like a wipe warmer, etc.)

**kestohood** · 09-19-2012, 05:30 AM

The newborn baby skin is very sensitive and so baby car seat is necessary for traveling from bus or car. Baby feel comfortable in the car seat and also safe or you have another option to carry a baby is that trolley.

**Queen Villager** · 09-19-2012, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by 6enny

Really? I feel like most Philadelphia mothers are already riding the trolley standing up with and/or smacking their babies by that age.

I guess I'll need a car seat at some point. Just seems really early is all.

Really early? Newborns are very fragile. A 6-pound person held in someone's arms, or completely unrestrained, is unlikely to fare well in a car accident. Babies and children must be in car seats when riding in cars. In Pennsylvania, all children under 4 are required by law to be in child passenger restraints and all children ages 4 to 8 must be in booster seats.

And kids under 12 should never be in the front seat, especially if there are passenger air bags.

Buses are a different story; I don't think there are even seat belts on city buses.

Best wishes for you, your wife and your baby. Pennsy has some excellent baby-care and child-care classes for expectant and new parents.

**Queen Villager** · 09-19-2012, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by Brooke

(We've used almost everything we've registered for. But then again, I had lots of counseling on what not to buy like a wipe warmer, etc.)

I didn't buy or ask for a wipe warmer yet wouldn't have considered it a waste. Always thought those wipes seemed a bit chilly and felt a little guilty for not splurging on a warmer, silly though it may be.

**Brooke** · 09-19-2012, 11:36 PM

My kid is almost 1 now...you would have thought I am cleaning her face and hands with sandpaper. The cold wipes on the butt are barely noticed...

**Eastcoast** · 09-20-2012, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Brooke

My kid is almost 1 now...you would have thought I am cleaning her face and hands with sandpaper. The cold wipes on the butt are barely noticed...

Ahhh yes, and I would think that one of the primary ingredients in sunblock is hydrochloric acid from the response I get while applying it to the kiddos face!

**thegreattwizz** · 09-20-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Brooke

My kid is almost 1 now...you would have thought I am cleaning her face and hands with sandpaper. The cold wipes on the butt are barely noticed...

Its the pressure we use; mine is 9 now, and she gets the pressure part of it. When they're younger, we don't realize how much we're 'scrubbing'. Wipe softly, they won't freak.

**Brooke** · 09-20-2012, 04:24 PM

Uh, maybe your kid doesn't mind. I blot. Of course, stopping walking with her is murder too. Tantrums start at this age. Typical.

**OldMama** · 09-20-2012, 09:31 PM

My daughter is 15 with a boyfriend. Face washing was easy compared to this. Enjoy.

**Queen Villager** · 09-20-2012, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by OldMama

My daughter is 15 with a boyfriend. Face washing was easy compared to this. Enjoy.

Can you make her stay home and wash her face?

**Queen Villager** · 09-20-2012, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Queen Villager

Really early? Newborns are very fragile. A 6-pound person held in someone's arms, or completely unrestrained, is unlikely to fare well in a car accident. Babies and children must be in car seats when riding in cars. In Pennsylvania, all children under 4 are required by law to be in child passenger restraints and all children ages 4 to 8 must be in booster seats.

And kids under 12 should never be in the front seat, especially if there are passenger air bags.

Buses are a different story; I don't think there are even seat belts on city buses.

Best wishes for you, your wife and your baby. Pennsy has some excellent baby-care and child-care classes for expectant and new parents.

I must have passed some 24-hour limit for editing my post. Just want to add that we took a couple of Pennsy classes ourselves and found them helpful. Didn't want to sound like I was recommending the classes for someone else as if I didn't need them!