Public Transportation

So, this may seem like a silly question, but here it goes . . .

How do you feel about babies on public transportation? There are no seat belts on the bus or the train to secure a child restraint. Still, having a little one in arms in a moving vehicle just seems wrong. I know it's legal and some people have no other options. Me, I've actually skipped some trips when it meant the bus. I don't know when (and at what age for the little one) my tune will change on that. Am I just too car seat crazy?

The bus is remarkably safe. I usually try to wear Laine on my back so she uses me as an airbag rather than the other way around, but I've also held her in arms, let her move around when we're stopped, and nursed her during the trip. They're so safe I don't stress it too much.

Wendy

Our local transit let you bring a stroller on as long as there are no wheel chairs on the bus. This happens rarely. You lock the wheels of the stroller and really I have never had a problem. When she was younger I would hold her in the ring sling.

I was very nervous the first few times but not so much lately.

Buses and trains are very safe, and I'm comfortable with taking a baby on them. There are some safety measure you can take- sitting towards the middle of the bus or train and keeping baby strapped into something if you have it (car seat, stroller, whatever) will help. I also tend to be of the school of though that if the baby is VERY little then having them strapped to you is also a plus, if they're big enough to sit in their own seat having them sit in a seat too. Buses and trains also often have rear facing seats, I'll sit in them if I'm sitting with a child, with the belief that spreading frontal potential crash forces across their back will be safer for them (maybe not for me because of the short seat backs (can we say whiplash?), but for them probably). I avoid side facing seats.

But the basic laws of physics dictate that a bus will beat 98% of the vehicles on the roads today. That's not good for those 98% of people, but it's awfully good for bus riders. Plus the drivers tend to have fixed routes, drive a bit slower, and have more training that the average driver. And they get a lot more respect from other drivers.

Riding on the bus or train are the SAFEST trips i make with my kids.

I feel way safer on a bus than in a car.