# Does Your Hospital ... ?



## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

Does your hospital check your child restraint before you can be discharged? Are the people who do the checks knowledgeable?


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Neither the hospital nor the birth center checked the seat. The only thing they did was make sure one was in there. Other than that it wasnt mentioned.


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## 34me (Oct 2, 2006)

none of ours have


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## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

They checked that we had a seat, but the nurse was completely clueless, wrapped DD up such that she couldn't be buckled into the seat and told me "oh, it's more important for her to be warm than buckled. You'll drive safe."









Then she was pissed that DH and I sat there and undid all her dumb swaddle nonsense to buckle the baby into the seat!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

I birthed my first at the hospital and the nurse checked the straps on him to make sure they were snug and below his shoulder, and then she checked the base in the car to make sure it moved less than 1" and she also checked the angle.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Yes. That's my job


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

Ours did. We had the seat in way too loose so she fixed it and showed us how to do it. We didn't even have the seat until the day DD was born when I made DH leave the hospital to go get it so there was no chance to get a tech to do it. I'm incredibly glad the nurse knew how to get it in right.


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## Madders (Jul 15, 2009)

They make sure the baby is leaving in a seat, but do not check to make sure they safely installed.


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## yarngoddess (Dec 27, 2006)

For my first 3 babies it was checked and looked over- but no one really looked at the base in the car to see if it was right. Then with my 4th my HUBBY put the seat in (roll eyes here lol) and the base was buckled, but no clip or mighty tight on it or anything! AND- this kills me- the nurse said Oh, that's ok it will be fine. I heard what was going on and got out of my car, back into my wheel chair (i wasn't walking) and had to fix the seat because I was NOT leaving until the baby was in right. DH and the nurse got a lesson in propper car seat safety


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## mjol (Jul 14, 2009)

Yes, with all 4 kids. The checked that we had it snug against baby where it needed to be, they even informed us how the 'extra' padding was not necessary and to use rolled up receiving blankets. They also had a class on how to install it with our local police and car insurance companies. Very helpful, thorough and useful.
Although I always wondered what happened if you choose not to drive therefore bypassing a car seat????


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## victoriaaustin (Apr 22, 2007)

Not the seat installation or the way we had her strapped in. We needed to have one to leave, but they said during the hospital tour that they could not check the seat b/c that would open them up to liability.

However, DD was a slight preemie (36w) and they did a "carseat test" in the ICU to check that she could breathe properly while strapped in. I think they do this for preemies or those under 6 lbs. Luckily, she passed. (If you don't pass, I think they try again or you rent a car bed.)


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## Twinklefae (Dec 13, 2006)

The nurses here are trained as CRST's (there were some in my course) and they only check how the baby fits, not the install in the car.


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## ProtoLawyer (Apr 16, 2007)

I've always wondered: Do hospitals require babies to leave in a safety seat if they're going home via bus, subway, or stroller/carrier?


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## elmh23 (Jul 1, 2004)

When we had dd almost 5 years ago, they checked that we had one and that it was installed RFing. Apparently they had had a couple parents who knew they should have a car seat, but installed it FFing or just set it on the seat FFing.


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## ashleyhaugh (Jun 23, 2005)

our hospital made sure that we had a seat, but that was it. they made it perfectly clear at the l&d tour that the nurses couldnt install or check the install of seats for liability reasons. the hospital did host regular seat checks though, and we were encouraged to go to one to get the seat installed before baby was born


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## moaningminny (Dec 31, 2007)

Yes, they do check. Before we left we had to go to the front desk and show a RN our baby strapped in her bucket.

I haved no idea how knowledgeable they are.


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## inkedmamajama (Jan 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChetMC* 
Does your hospital check your child restraint before you can be discharged? Are the people who do the checks knowledgeable?

with my two hospital births the nurse escorted us to the car, and made sure the carseat was installed properly.

with my homebirth, the local fire dept came by to make sure our carseat was installed properly.


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## Mandynee22 (Nov 20, 2006)

Not mine. They actually can't because they would be held liable if they missed something. They do make sure there is one and that the straps are tight enough but they cannot check the installation.
I have heard of some with CPSTs though


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## Twinklefae (Dec 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ProtoLawyer* 
I've always wondered: Do hospitals require babies to leave in a safety seat if they're going home via bus, subway, or stroller/carrier?


They do here, and it's absolutely ridiculous. I knew a couple who lived ACROSS THE STREET from the hospital and they STILL weren't allowed to leave unless the baby was in a carseat.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

Ours just checks off that you physically have a seat. There is no inspection, no help, no correction. I've had parents come in that didn't understand how to use the seat, and said the nurses said they couldn't help. I've also had parents that said, "Well, the hospital said it was OK! Why are you saying it's wrong?" To which I have to explain that the hospital only checks to see if you HAVE a seat, not how it's used!


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## northwoods1995 (Nov 17, 2003)

Yes, my kids were born at a small community hospital and the OB nurses are certified car seat technicians.

They checked the fit inside and went out to the car to check also. They give away new seats to anyone who needs a seat too.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yarngoddess* 
For my first 3 babies it was checked and looked over- but no one really looked at the base in the car to see if it was right. Then with my 4th my HUBBY put the seat in (roll eyes here lol) and the base was buckled, but no clip or mighty tight on it or anything! AND- this kills me- the nurse said Oh, that's ok it will be fine. I heard what was going on and got out of my car, back into my wheel chair (i wasn't walking) and had to fix the seat because I was NOT leaving until the baby was in right. DH and the nurse got a lesson in propper car seat safety









I just want to point out that in the majority of cases you don't need a locking clip and we never recommend the Mighty Tight. Mighty Tight's cause more harm then good, they damage seat belts, put too much strain on car seats, and will void the warranty of your car seat should it fail. All seat belts have been required to lock in someway since the 90's, so unless you have an older vehicle your seat belts will lock, even lap only belts. Check in your vehicle owner's manual to determine if you car seats lock at the retractor, by pulling the belt all the way out and "switching" it into locked mode, or at the latch plate, where a piece of the plastic/metal, swings/slides into place to "pinch" the belt and hold it in the locked mode.


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## Equuskia (Dec 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Twinklefae* 
They do here, and it's absolutely ridiculous. I knew a couple who lived ACROSS THE STREET from the hospital and they STILL weren't allowed to leave unless the baby was in a carseat.

Unfortunately, there are parents that say they are going to take the bus/train/taxi, and leave in a car instead, without a car seat. It would be safer to assume that if the parents leave the hospital with a car seat, they will use it, as opposed to assuming that the parents will get one later if they leave the hospital without.


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

My first was born in a hospital and they asked us to bring her seat up, but it wasn't a bucket so we told them we couldn't. They didn't even look at the car when we left.


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## medicmama (May 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ilovemyavery* 
I just want to point out that in the majority of cases you don't need a locking clip and we never recommend the Mighty Tight. Mighty Tight's cause more harm then good, they damage seat belts, put too much strain on car seats, and will void the warranty of your car seat should it fail. All seat belts have been required to lock in someway since the 90's, so unless you have an older vehicle your seat belts will lock, even lap only belts. Check in your vehicle owner's manual to determine if you car seats lock at the retractor, by pulling the belt all the way out and "switching" it into locked mode, or at the latch plate, where a piece of the plastic/metal, swings/slides into place to "pinch" the belt and hold it in the locked mode.

GREAT INFO! And so very true.

Our hospital just made sure we had one,looked at it from across the room. I actually walked out holding DD. No one ever said anything.


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## AnnaNova (Nov 2, 2008)

honestly, i thought it was kinda rediculous... our hospital did check it, but the baby HAD TO leave the labor floor in the car seat. we were like 'well, we have a convertible car seat that's already in the car, we cant take it out', but they told us we HAD TO...
so we ended up bringing a bucket seat that we borrowed from someone, buckle him in there, have the nurse check (that part was actually ok, she knew what she was doing, and helped my husband to make sense of it). and then we carried him to the car, unbuckled him and moved him to the convertible...


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## moobiegirl (Sep 10, 2007)

Each time (two different hospitals) they checked to make sure there was a seat, but they did not check the straps or the seat itself.


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## caemommy (Apr 16, 2009)

Ours just checked that we had a seat period. I am fairly certain that the volunteer helping us to the car had no idea whether the baby or the seat were properly installed.


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## babymommy2 (May 14, 2009)

both babies were born in the same health region, different hospitals, so the same rules apply, but had different expereinces,

first baby checked that we had a seat, and checked how the baby was installed in the seat (they don't change it if wrong, just tell you and watchyou, they can't touch it, liability issue) no one comes to the car ever, there is not extra staff for that.

Second baby, they could see that the baby was in the seat as we walked by in teh hall, nurse behind the nurses desk, I said we are ready to go, and she said, okay bye, we left.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

4 babies, 2 hospitals and yes, they somewhat checked. They made sure we had an infant seat, 1 I remember checked the straps a bit, and 3 times (I think) we were escorted out to our car.


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## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

The first time I brought the infant seat inside expecting to be asked and all they said was "Good you have a carseat" He wasn't even in it yet so they didn't know that he'd be put into it correctly or whether it was installed correctly in the vehicle.

The second time I had a convertible seat. I walked out of the hospital with my baby in my arms and put him in the car when I got the door... Noone even asked if I owned a carseat let alone whether or not he was going into it for the trip home or whether it was installed correctly.


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## Maedze (Dec 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yarngoddess* 
For my first 3 babies it was checked and looked over- but no one really looked at the base in the car to see if it was right. Then with my 4th my HUBBY put the seat in (roll eyes here lol) and the base was buckled, *but no clip or mighty tight on it or anything!* AND- this kills me- the nurse said Oh, that's ok it will be fine. I heard what was going on and got out of my car, back into my wheel chair (i wasn't walking) and had to fix the seat because I was NOT leaving until the baby was in right. DH and the nurse got a lesson in propper car seat safety









Addressing the bolded: the Mitey Tites are lethally dangerous and should never be used for any child seat in any car for any reason. They are NOT a part of a safe car seat install.

Also, if your car was manufactured after 1996, it has locking seat belts and a locking clip is unnecessary


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

I've never had a carseat checked, at either hospital my children were born at.

Edit - I think with the second baby they might have asked about it.


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

When I left the hospital with my first born they checked that she was in a seat then carried it out for me. The nurse watched me put it in the car. I don't know if she would have said anything if she saw me do it wrong.

My cousin had a baby at a different hospital. She had a donated car seat and they told her that the seat was too old so her mom had to run out and buy a new one before they would let her go. I was impressed with that, but I also left at the same time and they didn't send anyone out with her. That hospital now has a safety store that sells car seats so you'd be able to buy one on site if needed. The selection is not great though.


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

We actually couldn't bring our bucket up to our room, that was considered a liability. BUT they did have the nurse come down to the car to make sure there was a seat in there.


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## SparklingGemini (Jan 3, 2008)

When we were discharged from the hospital all that was check was if DD was in the infant carrier carseat. And we had to have her buckled in it to be wheeled out of the hospital.

The person discharging us never even peeked in the car.









Also, the discharge nurses and orderlies know absolutely nothing about car seat safety and certainly don't check to make sure your seats are properly installed.

However, our hospital does have safety checks on certain days, you just have to get it done before you ever go into labor. Thank goodness I'm a bit obsessive about carseats and carseat safety.


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## 2lilsweetfoxes (Apr 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mysticmomma* 
My first was born in a hospital and they asked us to bring her seat up, but it wasn't a bucket so we told them we couldn't. They didn't even look at the car when we left.

My roommate at the hospital was in a similar situation. They made her and her husband take it out of the car and bring it up to the mother-baby unit to be checked.

They check the carseats against a list of recalls. We have a baby-bucket type--that we still use (she's tiny). I had gotten a new one for each baby--number 2 because the one we had for #1 was at grandma's house (and a good thing--he came a couple weeks early) and for #3, we had long since gotten rid of the one we got for #2--and the kids are 6 years apart.


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## Anastasiya (Jun 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yarngoddess* 
For my first 3 babies it was checked and looked over- but no one really looked at the base in the car to see if it was right. Then with my 4th my HUBBY put the seat in (roll eyes here lol) and the base was buckled, but no clip or mighty tight on it or anything! AND- this kills me- the nurse said Oh, that's ok it will be fine. I heard what was going on and got out of my car, back into my wheel chair (i wasn't walking) and had to fix the seat because I was NOT leaving until the baby was in right. DH and the nurse got a lesson in propper car seat safety









Question: Why would you need a locking clip? Do your belts not retract? No LATCH?

And I would never use a Mighty Tite...car seat techs never recommend them, either.


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## Evergreen (Nov 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *EviesMom* 
They checked that we had a seat, but the nurse was completely clueless, wrapped DD up such that she couldn't be buckled into the seat and told me "oh, it's more important for her to be warm than buckled. You'll drive safe."









Grrrr. Especially since when dd2 was born we were making a left out of the hospital parking lot and some idiot ran the red light and missed us by about a centimeter. Then someone tried to change lanes when we were beside them and missed us by about an inch. That was a scary drive with a newborn.


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## Smalls181 (May 12, 2006)

I dont remember my hospital really doing much when my DD was born. I think they mostly just checked to see that we had one.

The town I live in now has a certified car seat tech employed in their OB unit, and she happens to be my MIL. She does a good job checking seats, but if parents are giving her a hard time about it and don't want her help, she has them sign a waiver.


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## AFWife (Aug 30, 2008)

No, she just saw that we had a seat. We even asked "do you check to make sure it's in properly?" and she looked really confused and said "...no. just that you have one."

In fact, it was _mis-installed_ until recently when DH got it checked.


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## aja-belly (Oct 7, 2004)

with jet our midwife made sure we had a seat (he was born at home). with marvel the nurse checked out the seat but i have no idea if she knew what she was doing. with the twins the nurse or nurse aide (not sure which) walked us to my car and helped hold babies while we buckled them up, but she left before we were done and never like checked out the seats or anything.


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## Caneel (Jun 13, 2007)

The hospital my best friend gave birth at was so strict about the seat to the point it causes problems. In her case, they had taken the seat an installation expert and had him help with the installation. It was properly installed according to the guidelines but apparently the nurse thought she knew better and an agrument ensued.

The hospital where we were (about 30 minutes from the one mentioned above) didn't even look in the car.

Yet, I heard from another family that the hospital was very involved with them in checking the seat for proper installation.

I wonder if it is a case-by-case basis at that particular hospital? If so, who gets targeted and why?


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## Maedze (Dec 16, 2008)

Very few hospitals have CPSTs on staff, and when they do, it's possible that the technician simply isn't able to check the seat of every discharged newborn.


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## SoxMama (Jul 7, 2009)

Nope. No one ever asked anything including whether we actually had a carseat or not.


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## possum (Nov 23, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Equuskia* 
Unfortunately, there are parents that say they are going to take the bus/train/taxi, and leave in a car instead, without a car seat. It would be safer to assume that if the parents leave the hospital with a car seat, they will use it, as opposed to assuming that the parents will get one later if they leave the hospital without.

But it's just not the hospital's business. If someone has a valid reason not to take their baby out in a seat, they should be able to walk home or take a bus or fly on a magic carpet if they want. I would feel rather violated if my midwives had checked my car to see that the seat was installed properly before they left my house.
As it was, I had it checked (and re-installed) at a local fire station a few weeks before my son arrived, but there are A LOT of reasons I can think of that you might not need a seat, and it's overstepping their boundaries for a hospital to insist that you have one. If they care to watch you put your LO in a car without a seat and report you to the police, that's a different story. But to insist that someone bring a bucket into the hospital to carry their baby across the street is ridiculous.
Melinda


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Maedze* 
Very few hospitals have CPSTs on staff, and when they do, it's possible that the technician simply isn't able to check the seat of every discharged newborn.

Right, or, like at the hospital I work at, there are some nurses who think they know more about car seats than I do and argue with me about things like the BundleMe, insisting that they are fine even though I can show them the highlighted part of the hospital policy about "nothing in the seat that did not come in the box with the seat, and nothing behind the baby."


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

They just checked that there was a seat. They did offer certified tech inspections, but you had to do it before baby was born. We weren't allowed to bring the buckets up to the hospital room-- they wanted me to carry the babies out in my own arms. Even DH couldn't carry them, which irked me because after a c-section they MADE me carry both twins out at once, which can't possibly have been safer than having them in the buckets or having DH carry one twin.


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## mckittre (Jan 15, 2009)

My baby was allowed to leave in a baby carrier (we were on foot). They couldn't have possibly checked the carseat since the car was in a different town than the hospital, and he didn't get in a car until he was 5 days old. No one had a problem with it.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Yes they do. We use a convertible. They made us uninstall it, bring it up, put the baby in, and then checked it. Thankfully, we are pros at car seat installing and uninstalling, but that is not a good situation. I keep meaning to write a letter complaining to the hospital because not everyone uses a bucket. They should have sent a nurse down to our car like I suggested. They looked at me like I had 3 heads.

They wanted us to carry the baby down in the radian. Um, not happening. So I wore her in a sling.

If you are not using a car, you don't need to show a car seat, obviously.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *the_lissa* 
Yes they do. We use a convertible. They made us uninstall it, bring it up, put the baby in, and then checked it. Thankfully, we are pros at car seat installing and uninstalling, but that is not a good situation. I keep meaning to write a letter complaining to the hospital because not everyone uses a bucket. They should have sent a nurse down to our car like I suggested. They looked at me like I had 3 heads.

They wanted us to carry the baby down in the radian. Um, not happening. So I wore her in a sling.

If you are not using a car, you don't need to show a car seat, obviously.

Here, if you have a convertible we wheel the baby in the bassinet to the doors (hospital policy that parent's can't carry babies in the hall, they have to be in the bassinet







) and then check the baby's fit in the car. We do have to see the baby properly buckled in before they leave, but no reason we can't see that in the car







However, some nurses aren't aware of the policy and insist parents bring the seat in


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

I'm glad that the policy is the nurse is supposed to go down to the car. I wonder if the policy is the same here and the nurse didn't know.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

At all the hospitals I've delivered at, we had to physically show them the seat. All of my babies rode out of the hospital in their bucket seats in my lap.

At the local hospital here (that my youngest 3 were born at), if you come into the ER with a child 6 or under, they make you sign a form saying that you do have a proper child restraint and understand the current child passenger safety laws for our state, before they'll discharge your child.


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## klk197 (Apr 24, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Twinklefae* 
They do here, and it's absolutely ridiculous. I knew a couple who lived ACROSS THE STREET from the hospital and they STILL weren't allowed to leave unless the baby was in a carseat.

We don't own a car and walked home. Our nurse 'tested' me to make sure I could handle it, but had no concerns. That stroll home is one of my cherished memories.

She had another patient at the same time, however, who wanted to take the babe in a taxi without a carseat, and that caused quite a commotion. . .


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yarngoddess* 
For my first 3 babies it was checked and looked over- but no one really looked at the base in the car to see if it was right. Then with my 4th my HUBBY put the seat in (roll eyes here lol) and the base was buckled, but no clip or mighty tight on it or anything! AND- this kills me- the nurse said Oh, that's ok it will be fine. I heard what was going on and got out of my car, back into my wheel chair (i wasn't walking) and had to fix the seat because I was NOT leaving until the baby was in right. DH and the nurse got a lesson in propper car seat safety









Im glad he didnt put a mighty tight on it! Those things are VERY dangerous, and totally ruin your seatbelt.


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## MaterPrimaePuellae (Oct 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *EviesMom* 
They checked that we had a seat, but the nurse was completely clueless, wrapped DD up such that she couldn't be buckled into the seat and told me "oh, it's more important for her to be warm than buckled. You'll drive safe."









Then she was pissed that DH and I sat there and undid all her dumb swaddle nonsense to buckle the baby into the seat!

!!!! *Wow*.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *possum* 
*But it's just not the hospital's business. If someone has a valid reason not to take their baby out in a seat, they should be able to walk home or take a bus or fly on a magic carpet if they want*. I would feel rather violated if my midwives had checked my car to see that the seat was installed properly before they left my house.
As it was, I had it checked (and re-installed) at a local fire station a few weeks before my son arrived, but there are A LOT of reasons I can think of that you might not need a seat, and it's overstepping their boundaries for a hospital to insist that you have one. If they care to watch you put your LO in a car without a seat and report you to the police, that's a different story. But to insist that someone bring a bucket into the hospital to carry their baby across the street is ridiculous.
Melinda

Melinda, I totally, 100% agree with you. I know hospitals see very irresonsible parents coming and going all the time, so I can see how these policies develop. However, I _am_ offended by the fact that everyone is therefore treated like the lowest common denominator. One nurse explained to me how to use the digital themometer and then went on to explain that there is a difference between Farenheit and Celsius.









Our hospital certainly did not have nurses trained to inspect the install (which, at least, would have bene helpful)-- they just checked the existence of the seat.

Car seat safety is very important to me-- just like breastfeeding is very important to me. I think it would be just as inappropriate for a nurse to check to make sure the parents have no formula on their person, or that the parents aren't smoking around baby, or... etc. Educating the parents is GREAT-- but "checking" on them is crossing the line, IMO.

There are probably plenty of nurses out there who think that a Hep B vaccination would be even more important for baby's safety than a proper car seat install-- so I would be happier if the hospital made sure my baby was born safely, did their inital health checks, and then minded their own business.


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChetMC* 
Does your hospital check your child restraint before you can be discharged? Are the people who do the checks knowledgeable?


nope. they didn't even walk us to the car


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MaterPrimaePuellae* 
!!!! *Wow*.

Melinda, I totally, 100% agree with you. I know hospitals see very irresonsible parents coming and going all the time, so I can see how these policies develop. However, I _am_ offended by the fact that everyone is therefore treated like the lowest common denominator. One nurse explained to me how to use the digital themometer and then went on to explain that there is a difference between Farenheit and Celsius.









Our hospital certainly did not have nurses trained to inspect the install (which, at least, would have bene helpful)-- they just checked the existence of the seat.

Car seat safety is very important to me-- just like breastfeeding is very important to me. I think it would be just as inappropriate for a nurse to check to make sure the parents have no formula on their person, or that the parents aren't smoking around baby, or... etc. Educating the parents is GREAT-- but "checking" on them is crossing the line, IMO.

There are probably plenty of nurses out there who think that a Hep B vaccination would be even more important for baby's safety than a proper car seat install-- so I would be happier if the hospital made sure my baby was born safely, did their inital health checks, and then minded their own business.

absolutely.


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WC_hapamama* 
At all the hospitals I've delivered at, we had to physically show them the seat. *All of my babies rode out of the hospital in their bucket seats in my lap.*

At the local hospital here (that my youngest 3 were born at), if you come into the ER with a child 6 or under, they make you sign a form saying that you do have a proper child restraint and understand the current child passenger safety laws for our state, before they'll discharge your child.


I would not be okay with that. I like to hold my babies. Why would they have to be in their seat IN the hospital?


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Equuskia* 
Unfortunately, there are parents that say they are going to take the bus/train/taxi, and leave in a car instead, without a car seat. It would be safer to assume that if the parents leave the hospital with a car seat, they will use it, as opposed to assuming that the parents will get one later if they leave the hospital without.


So those parents who really are taking the bus, then have to lug a carseat aruond along with their brand new baby?? What if they plan never to use a car? That rule is ridiculous IMO,


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## funkymamajoy (May 25, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChetMC* 
Does your hospital check your child restraint before you can be discharged? Are the people who do the checks knowledgeable?

They only checked to make sure that we had a carseat. They never checked how it was installed in the car and I'm not sure that they're trained to do so.


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## WinterPearl (Aug 29, 2009)

We had to carry the baby out of the hospital in his seat, and they just watched us put it in the car, didn't 'check' anything tho.


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## Marsupialmom (Sep 28, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ProtoLawyer* 
I've always wondered: Do hospitals require babies to leave in a safety seat if they're going home via bus, subway, or stroller/carrier?

Yes, and I had a friend that had issues because she didn't have a car seat just a stoller.


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## pammysue (Jan 24, 2004)

The hospital where I delivered just asked if we had a car seat and never actually saw it as it was a convertible.

This weekend we were in an accident and went to the ER in an ambulance (everyone is fine). DS rose in his seat in the ambulance. When my MIL picked us up the nurse walked out to the car with us to make sure we were installing the car seat. When I put it in RF she asked, how much does he weigh and I explained that our car seat does up to 35 pounds RF.

When she saw me fiddling around with the car seat as much as I was(it is a bear getting DS's seat in MIL's car), she went back inside. On our way out I mentioned to MIL that we were going to have to buy a new car seat and that we were only using the old to go home. The nurse said "oh yeah, you can't reuse the seat." She said trauma centers have back up seats for parents to use but that their hospital was not a trauma center. I wonder if she would have said anything about replacing the seat if I hadn't.


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## Latte Mama (Aug 25, 2009)

My hospital just checked the seat part not the base. The NICU nurse made sure the baby was strapped in properly and used a rolled up receiving blanket for his head.
We had already had the seat checked by the police who do the checks in conjunction with the hospital several times a year a month before I gave birth.


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## Latte Mama (Aug 25, 2009)

pammysue said:


> .
> 
> . On our way out I mentioned to MIL that we were going to have to buy a new car seat and that we were only using the old to go home. QUOTE]
> 
> You may know this already but you don't always need a new seat after an accident. I know there's a website with questions that will tell you if you need to replace the seat or not. It depends on how bad your accident was. Of course if there's visible damage to the seat it needs replacing. Sorry about your accident!


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## Maedze (Dec 16, 2008)

It also depends on the manufacturer. Most companies mandate replacement after any accident.


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## pammysue (Jan 24, 2004)

Latte Mama said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pammysue*
> ...


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## ishyfishie (Dec 20, 2006)

I think our discharge nurse told us to bring the seat in but I don't know that they were really checking it. However, idiot that I was, I accepted it when the discharge nurse buckled her in and then put the blanket over her so I couldn't see the straps--I figured she must know better than I would how to buckle na infant in when I'd never done it before. Yeah. Got home and the straps that go over the thighs were UNDER her legs.







We unbuckled her and were like "WTH? Is it going to be this complicated every time?" and then I saw what the idiot nurse had done. I'm ashamed to say I haven't sent my long letter of complaints yet but it's still in progress. I don't *think* she was usually on "discharge duty," thankfully, but if we ever end up birthing in a hospital again, no way would I let that escape my notice OR let the nurse get away without listening to quite a rant.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *vbactivist* 
I would not be okay with that. I like to hold my babies. Why would they have to be in their seat IN the hospital?

It was awkward, but since I was going straight from the wheelchair to the car, I didn't mind it that much.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

What kills me is when hospitals make women ride in wheelchairs.

I've never heard of that here, and I had a c/s for my last baby.


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## KristyDi (Jun 5, 2007)

I carried dd in my arms while they wheeled me to the doors of the hospital. The nurse came with us to check that we had a car seat. She didn't help us any at all and we could have used it. The car that we had installed the seat in originally wound up not making it to the hospital so DH had to go home uninstall the seat and re-install it and he was clueless. I was still a bit too weak to be much help.


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## ashleyhaugh (Jun 23, 2005)

i had to ride in a wheel chair (had a c-section, but they make everyone) down to the car... they started to fuss at me for dh carrying baby in the seat down, but if he would have been on my lap in the wheel chair, the seat would have been right on my incision, so they let it slide. normally the baby has to be in the seat, in moms lap, in the wheel chair for the ride downstairs

and mine was another hospital that wont let you walk around the halls holding the baby. if youre out of the room, he has to be in the bassinet


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## waiting2bemommy (Dec 2, 2007)

I had to ride in a wheelchair carrying ds in his bucket seat along with my other bags and paraphernalia down to the lobby. I wanted to send my mom with all the stuff including the carseat, to pull up the car, and walk down holding ds, but they wouldn't let me. But then again, every time they took him to the nursery for stuff they also insisted he be in a bassinet pushed by a nurse and I be in a wheelchair (that I wasn't allowed to wheel myself) following behind, so it took a whole procession of people. FTR I was fine to walk like 5 minutes after the placenta came out, lol. The doc hadn't even stiched me up yet and I jumped up and was like "I have to pee, I'll be back"

All reasons why I don't want to give birth in a hospital again....crazy policies.


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## kcstar (Mar 20, 2009)

We had this crazy checkout policy, where the pediatric nurse TOLD us we were okay to go, but I still had to get discharged by my doctor. So we got that, and then my nurse tells me that DS isn't discharged yet. Even though we had it in writing that he was, nobody had told my nurses station.

Anyway, I also had to ride in a wheelchair carrying ds in his car seat down to the lobby. They might have wanted to make me carry all my stuff, but while we were waiting, DH took everything else to the car.

My nurse was also pretty clueless, she couldn't get the footrests right on my wheelchair. I rode the whole way with them at a strange unusable angle. She didn't check the installation, just that we had DS in the seat. (She might have checked the seat straps, but not the base.)


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *the_lissa* 
What kills me is when hospitals make women ride in wheelchairs.

I've never heard of that here, and I had a c/s for my last baby.

That's so weird. I didn't even get offered one. But the hospital I had DD in doesn't have tray service for mom's for food either. I asked the nurse and she said mom's aren't sick so they can get their own food. I thought that was awesome. They do bring you food if you've had a C-section or feel like crap, but they strongly strongly encourage you to get up and walk around.


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## ~pi (May 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ProtoLawyer* 
I've always wondered: Do hospitals require babies to leave in a safety seat if they're going home via bus, subway, or stroller/carrier?

As pps indicated, sometimes.

However, ours did not. We took the streetcar to the hospital in the first place, and then took DS home in a pouch on the streetcar nearly a week later. It's a downtown hospital in a big city with very limited and very expensive parking, so I got the impression that they are used to people doing that.

They did ask us if we had a car seat, told us that they have car seats available for people who don't have one, and talked to us about proper installation and buckling. Then, like the reasonable human beings that they clearly were, they assumed that we were adults capable of running our own lives, wished us well, and saw us on our way.


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *~pi* 
As pps indicated, sometimes.

However, ours did not. *We took the streetcar to the hospital in the first place, and then took DS home in a pouch on the streetcar nearly a week later.* It's a downtown hospital in a big city with very limited and very expensive parking, so I got the impression that they are used to people doing that.

They did ask us if we had a car seat, told us that they have car seats available for people who don't have one, and talked to us about proper installation and buckling. Then, like the reasonable human beings that they clearly were, they assumed that we were adults capable of running our own lives, wished us well, and saw us on our way.

It's probably because I'm an Ameircan, but I love that sentence


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *the_lissa* 
What kills me is when hospitals make women ride in wheelchairs.

I've never heard of that here, and I had a c/s for my last baby.

As a teen, my DH volunteered at a hospital, and the policy at that hospital was that the baby had to ride in the arms of someone in the wheelchair for discharge, but didn't specify that it had to be the mother.

At least once, he wheeled a father holding the baby in the wheelchair while the mother walked with a bag.


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## dmpmercury (Mar 31, 2008)

Quote:

Here, if you have a convertible we wheel the baby in the bassinet to the doors (hospital policy that parent's can't carry babies in the hall, they have to be in the bassinet ) and then check the baby's fit in the car. We do have to see the baby properly buckled in before they leave, but no reason we can't see that in the car However, some nurses aren't aware of the policy and insist parents bring the seat in
Do you work at Mat-su or Providence? With both of my kids they insisted we bring our convertable in and both times it was very difficult to explain why we couldn't do that. They finally allowed us to wheel the bssinet to the door and check baby buckled up in the car but they acted like it never happend before and it was quite annoying. They really need a better policy that all the nurses know.


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## Ceinwen (Jul 1, 2004)

Here they don't check, and I wouldn't let them anyway. I would leave AMA first - quite frankly insisting on even having a car seat is a) elitist and b) a little big brotherish to me (I'm in Canada) My Radian was installed by a tech, and checked over at an OPP car seat clinic... but I tend to be difficult when it comes to 'have to' situations anyway.


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## Murph12334 (Nov 12, 2003)

both checked baby was in the seat, but did not check that seat was in car correctly. the people were not approved/certified or whatever, so they could not do that part


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

For DS, we had to bring the seat to the front desk and show them the baby in it. The straps were a little loose so they helped me tighten them before we left. They did not go out to the car to make sure that the seat was installed correctly.


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## pumpkin (Apr 8, 2003)

No, they do not check the car seat. I don't think they even waited for DH to bring the car around. I only had a wheel chair down at all because I had a csection.


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ceinwen* 
Here they don't check, and I wouldn't let them anyway. I would leave AMA first - quite frankly insisting on even having a car seat is a) elitist and b) a little big brotherish to me (I'm in Canada) My Radian was installed by a tech, and checked over at an OPP car seat clinic... but I tend to be difficult when it comes to 'have to' situations anyway.


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## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

They wanted to check, but we have a TrueFit, and it took forever for dp and I to get installed properly. There was no way I was going to take it out. DP likely couldn't have gotten it in right on his own. They were more than welcome to come out and check, though (but didn't).
They were confused, but said OK and told us to go to a seat check soon.
I don't know if it made a difference, but we used a midwife.


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## Noelle C. (Sep 3, 2009)

All are supposed to, but not all do.


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Noelle C.* 
All are supposed to, but not all do.

do you mean, where you live or in general?


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