I'm sure they would too lol! I just think it all sounds a bit draconian. I just think there needs to be flexibility and a little dose of realism from some people in terms of what hospitals can and can't do. Like Marley said, they can't stop you leaving!

Yep

They didn't stop me leaving with second dd but hubby had taken bags and was back at the car, which was at the maternity entrance, u can only stop for a few mins, and carseat was in the car, kindly let me use their fone to ring and get dh to bring it in, and midwife had to come down with us anyway so why they couldnt jsut walk down with me i dont know. bit petty.

I think different areas had different policies .

My friend Debbie lives 2 mins 30 secs walk across from hospital (We walked it to prove a point lol).
She doesnt have a car and uses them walk on buses with Pram so she never needed a car seat , When she had chelsea she rang me in tears asking to borrow Laylas car seat and for me to get a taxi to bring it to her to get a taxi to her house and she would pay me back .
She was in floods of tears the hospital made her feel irrisponsible , I thought this was a joke ..
So i think they should change the rules a little its silly the rules should state "Baby to leave ward in car seat or Pram" .

Allso they say there suppose to walk you down to the car to check , They never did with any of mine lol .
I just said my goodbyes and waited (May i state for eternity) for a taxi on the front of the building i didnt have a clue if i had fitted teh car seat properly i assume i did .

In regards to Taxis , I think its common sense to not travel without a seat of some sort .
It could be soooo dangerous .
Allthow i would allways buy new , I think you have done the next best thing and got a second hand car seat ..

OH and me never had a car when we had our first child seven years ago, but we bought a travel system with a car seat as although we knew car seat wouldn't be used everyday, we were aware that situations would arise when we would need one, such as taxi rides, lifts from family and friends and in case of medical emergencies that would neccessitate a possible cab ride also!

As for people saying they are not aware of the need for one.....I have always found that the Pregnancy magazines, leaflets in bounty packs and maternity books all point out clearly that this is an essential buy when purchasing baby equipment!

I don't own a car but it has been necessary for us to have a car seat. For reasons mentioned above taxi rides, the odd time we do rent a car etc. Same as above really we bought a travel system with the car seat included, it's worked out well for us.

The hospital wont let you leave with out one. They cant stop you leaving but they can stop you from taking your baby on the grounds your baby is at risk. When my mam had my yougest brother who is now 2 (i am 21 and the eldest of 5) the midwife (who must have been 25) tryed to show my mam how to fit the car seat my mam just laughed at her and said she had been fitting care seat since the midwife was 5.

They can stop you from taking your baby out of the hospital. Here you need to bring the car seat up to your room and have your baby in it before they discharge you. They make sure that the baby is buckled in properly. I don't see why some people think this is a stupid policy, it is the proper policy and I am happy they have it because I can see all sorts of people doing dangerous things with their newborns.

It's not a stupid policy wendino, it just ought to be flexible and from the accounts of other posters who have some more experience of this it does seem that in real life there usually is some flexibility.

But as MM has illustrated with the story of her friend, this policy when strictly enforced can be utterly horrendous. Under no circumstances should anyone who has just given birth be brought to tears or made to feel irresponsible because they don't have an infant carrier or want to walk the two minute walk to their own front door!

Here they make you bring the car seat into the hospital, because they do not allow you to use bunting bags or have the baby in a snow suit in strapped into the car seat- the baby must wear clothes and for extra warmth have blankets on top, over the straps. Apparently it's not safe to use bunting bags or heavy snowsuits in car seats? I guess I can understand WHY, overheating, etc. But the reason they have you do this is that the hospital policy is they must ensure you strap the baby into the car seat correctly, that the baby is dressed adequately for the weather, and that you're following 'saftety standards'.

some of the policies do seem a tad OTT!! I wanted to buy the britax baby safe sleeper carrycot/car seat thing,but it wont allow enough seat space for my other 2 kids that are in booster seats,so we have decided against that now and we are just going to use the big car seat we had for ds-that can be used from birth......but is fixed into the car and is too big to carry....so how are they going to enforce that rule then?? well just strap bub in the pram and walk down to the car with him!!