We don't drive a car. Can I use the taxi for going to the hospital for delivery and coming back home

[Anonymous]

My husband and I don't have a drivers license.
Are there anybody who used the taxi to the hospital and came back home with the baby?
Can I use the infant car seat when I take the taxi? How do I use?
We don't have any friends and family we can ask for help.
I'd appreciate your advice.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can do both.

On the way home, infant car seats can be installed by using the seatbelt of the cab. When you call for the cab, be sure to say you need one with working seatbelts for this reason. Many hospitals follow you out to the curb to see that the baby is going to be installed safely. You probably want to discuss the fact that you will be using a cab with them before you are wheeled down to leave.

You may also want to email or call your particular hospital to ask about their policies on using a carseat that is put in place by seatbelt.

[Anonymous]

You can certainly use a taxi to get to the hospital, just give yourself plenty of time. You will probably know in plenty of time and there are people with cars who don't make it to the hospital on time.

Coming home is trickier. You'd have to install the base and get a really patient driver to let you take the time to do this (and you couldn't have it checked by a professional to make sure it was done right. Most (if not all) hospitals will not let you leave without a carrier for insurance reasons.

Can you take public transportation? Maybe DH and baby (not ideal) since you will not want to be on the Metro two days after giving birth. Maybe you could ask someone from your church, etc or someone from a non-profit that works with immigrants (if you don't have licenses because you are new to the country?) Ask your OB to put you in touch with someone at the hospital who might be able to arrange something for you.

It probably can be done in a taxi if absolutely necessary, but you will need to take the baby other places (drs. appointments, etc) and will need to have a longer term solution if you don't live near public transportation.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you know a neighbor--even just enough to say hello? I would do this for a neighbor. Even one I really didn't know at all. Someone can drive you home from the hospital. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

What do new parents at NYC hospitals do? Buy a carseat that they will use one time?

[Anonymous]

We don't have a car either, and we plan to take a taxi to the birth. We bought a car seat that snaps into our stroller. We plan to use the car seat in a taxi on the way home.

Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

You don't need to install the base. Car seats can be installed very safely with the seatbelt. THe base makes it super easy and fool proof, which is why everyone has them.

Take a taxi, but make sure you have the names of a couple companies. Don't know where you live, but I find DC cabs notoriously unreliable in my neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

OP on the way home you lift consider hiring a driver in a safe SUV or something so you can strap in the seat and feel relaxed. Taxis are terrible drivers! Goodluck

[Anonymous]

Taxi is probably fine for the trip to the hospital, but you might think about hiring a car service for the ride home. The car will be nicer, and the driver will be more considerate and patient.

[Anonymous]

DC taxi drivers can be great, too, and way more family-oriented than some DCUM posters! OP, if you think taxis are your best bet, go for it.

[Anonymous]

We don't have a car either. We are buying a carseat, though, because it snaps into the stroller and because it's easy to install in a cab. We went to Great Beginnings, where they said the best carseat is the Chicco Keyfit 30. The base works really easily with cabs that are from 2003 or later, and for those that are from before 2003, you can manually put it in (a little more work, but still very safe).

Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

Agree about the using the seatbelt install on the carseat (no base needed). It shouldn't be an issue with the hospital. At Shady Grove, at least, they only cared that we strapped the baby into the carseat. They didn't come to the parking lot with us to check the install. (You would just need to take the baby out again before installing the seat, of course.)

[Anonymous]

I see no problem with a taxi to and from the hospital.

Make sure you buy an infant seat that can be installed with a seat belt and no base, like the Graco SnugRide.

I would also call the cab company you're planning on using and pay the cabbie to let you practice installing the seat belt. I might even do that more than once. The first few times you install a car seat is difficult and then it gets much easier. You could even get a cabbie to take you to a car seat inspection station and have someone show you how to install your car seat!

Actually, you probably want your husband to be the one practicing how to install the car seat. You're probably not going to be up for that when you've just given birth.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for the great advice, everyone.
I bought a car seat, so I am going to be ok.
I am new to this area, so all i can rely on is taxi.
I wish I knew some friends and neighbors.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

My brother's baby was just born in NYC, and this is exactly what they did - taxi with the carseat on the way home. That said, a car service sounds like a great idea if you can afford it.