HELP! Canadian Issue! May need Car Bed for Premee

crstcrzy · Jun 19, 2009

Ok, so one of my besties from school just had her baby at 25 wks 2 days. He's doing surprisingly well given everything, and they're hopeful that he should be able to come home around the end of August.
Heres the catch
He may need a car bed/special needs car seat
HELP!

I am a CRST (waiting on my lisc. no), and have 0 experience with car beds. Where do you get one? how much do they cost? will our provinical medical plan cover it (Nova Scotia)? Do they need UAS/LATCH (her mom's car has it, her mother in law's doesn't)
Obviously if he's under 5 lbs, he'll need the car bed, what other criteria would necessicitate the use of a non-typical restraint system.

BTW, Baby Aiden Kenneth Scott was born June 17, 2009, 1 lb 12 oz. He is a very sweet little guy, and is doing extremely well. He is breathing with assistance of a ventilator, and on IV nutrition. His heart and brain show no signs of any abnormalities, and beyond being immature, his lungs are doing great too!

Thanks for any advice!!!

hipmaman · Jun 19, 2009

I'm going to flag Allport (Transport Canada) about this post and hopefully she can help more.

And congrats on the little guy

crstcrzy · Jun 19, 2009

Thanks!!!

serabi · Jun 19, 2009

Honestly, I wouldn't worry quite yet. I had a 24 weeker and by the time she was ready to be discharged, she passed her car seat test on the second try in a Companion. According to our hospital, which did the car seat test 3 times before discharging to a car bed, the number of preemies who go home in car beds is actually fairly small.

Also, not to be a wet blanket

but I wouldn't pay too much attention yet to when they say he might or might not come home

It is really hard to tell when micros will come home until closer to their due dates.

Congrats on the little guy

Shanora · Jun 19, 2009

She's Canadian, so there is also very few picks of infant car seats she can use for a baby under 4 pounds.

Like the PP stated, wait until close to the time the allow baby to leave, but I'm guessing she should probably look at getting the Keyfit22 as it allows children as small as 4 pounds to be in it (graco is 5+ pounds), and it has a really good infant insert that helps preemies fit properly.

An Aurora · Jun 20, 2009

Yep, I wouldn't worry about it until much, much closer to the baby's due date/discharge date! Very few babies go home in car beds, since the NICU will try to avoid it if at all possible. A traditional car seat is much preferable to a car bed, and they will only use it if absolutely needed.

snowbird25ca · Jun 20, 2009

There are currently 3 seats available in Canada which start at 4lbs - the Keyfit, the First Years Via, and the Sure Fit. The Via and the Sure Fit are currently only available in travel systems - the Sure Fit comes in the Endeavor travel system available at TRU/BRU and Sears. Via travel system is only at Zellers and while the seat is approved for 4lbs it may not fit a preemie the best.

The Companion is also supposed to be rated to 4lbs, but who knows if it will show up before baby is ready to come home.

I'm in agreement with the others, it's rare for a baby to be released in a carbed. In the event that that is how baby is being released, the hospital OT department will set mom up with a place where the car bed can be rented from. I've spoken with a person in the city whose baby was in a car bed and the rental was pretty expensive from what she said. If it's how baby needs to come home though, there's not much that can be done...

Car beds can be installed with the seatbelt and she will need to allow for it to take up 2 seating positions if it's in the back.

hipmaman · Jun 22, 2009

Hi,

Just in case if your setting is not set for PM to pop up, check your PM for a message re. Allport and carbed.

HELP! Canadian Issue! May need Car Bed for Premee

crstcrzy

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hipmaman

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crstcrzy

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serabi

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Shanora

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An Aurora

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snowbird25ca

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hipmaman

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