Advice from your hospital

[theshapeshifter]

It was a mixed bag. They had DH bring the bucket (Snugride) up to the room and we put DS in it there. The nurse did a good job of showing us how tight the harness should be, and correct positioning of the chest clip - but she rethreaded the harness to the top slots! Said it would save us having to do it later.

Alas, I wasn't quite so knowledgeable at the time, so by the time I realized the straps were supposed to be AT or BELOW for RF, DS was already up to the higher slots anyhow (which actually wasn't all that long a time, he's a tall boy, but still!).

And no one came downstairs with us, so I don't know what they would've done if someone was using a convertible.

 

[snowbird25ca]

With ds they made me loosen his harness because his nurse when he was discharged was supposedly "certified" and the rule was "two fingers" not one. I briefly argued with her and then just let it slide and tightened the harness once we were out of the room.

I met some parents at work a few months back who had been instructed to position baby in the seat so that the legs were going through the loop of the harness so that the hip portion was actually underneath baby's legs and then wrapping sideways to be buckled. They'd used it for something like 4 months like that before they ran into me and I broke my unwritten rule of not offering unsolicited advice at work and taught them how to buckle the baby properly... They'd been wondering the whole time why on earth it was so hard to use.

 

[Heamae]

With both mine I brought the seat upstairs and put the girls in the seat and then someone carried that seat while I was wheeled out. No nurse said anything to me about my seat. And this was at two totally different hospitals.

 

[Pixels]

I met some parents at work a few months back who had been instructed to position baby in the seat so that the legs were going through the loop of the harness so that the hip portion was actually underneath baby's legs and then wrapping sideways to be buckled. They'd used it for something like 4 months like that before they ran into me and I broke my unwritten rule of not offering unsolicited advice at work and taught them how to buckle the baby properly... They'd been wondering the whole time why on earth it was so hard to use.

Wait ... you mean they had to put both arm and leg through the harness? So there would be three belts coming up between baby's legs - one from each side, plus the crotch strap.

Holy cow.

 

[Spam]

DH brought the seat up, but the nurse said they didn't need to see it or anything, which I thought was odd because my sis just a had a baby a year before and they had to "inspect" the seat and make sure it wasn't recalled. Different hospital, but the hospital I delivered at said they no longer do that. This is one of the largest birthing centers in our area. They didn't wheel me out or anything, just see ya later.

 

[christineka]

I had four babies born in three hospitals. We brought the first baby home in a second hand fisher price t-shield infant seat, wearing a bunting. A nurse had to come down with us to watch dh install the seat into our car. She didn't test it or anything, just watched to see dh put the belt over the seat (in the slots since it was baseless).

Dd2 was born in the same hospital. They told us we could not use the headrest thingie since it hadn't come with the seat and gave us a blanket to roll up around dd's head. A nurse came down with us and watched dh put the bucket seat in its base. She did not wiggle the base or anything.

The other two came home from different hospitals and I think a nurse had to come down and watch dh place the seat in the base. Nothing more was said.

#3

#4

 

[jen_nah]

I work for a major hospital here locally. The nurses up on the floor are not supposed to give out any car seat advice unless they are a tech (which none are). Since our hospital is a local SK chapter they are supposed to refer all families to the hospital fitting station. If the NICU is really concerned they then contact one of the techs (usually my boss) to come assist.

I didn't deliver my 2 girls where I work but the hospital didn't say anything to me about car seats. They just verified we had one when being discharged.

 

[An Aurora]

I work at a hospital too and each baby's car seat has to be brought in and checked for expiration and recall before they are discharged. Any babies weighing under 7 lbs at birth undergo a 1 hr car seat test. When the baby is ready to go home we check the baby's straps, remove aftermarket products, snug the baby in, and walk the parents out. Nobody else is allowed to touch the seat in the car but since I'm a tech I can

When DD1 was born, we brought the car seat up since it was ungodly hot outside (Phoenix in July). The nurse just had to check off that we had one, but luckily the straps were snug and the chest clip was in the proper place. Scarlett was born at home but I was already a car seat freak by then, so when we went on our first outing at 3 days old to a LLL meeting, she was snug and safe

 

[Melizerd]

I had both a great WIC experience and a hospital experience.

During our birthing classes at Community Memorial we were given a sheet with how to contact local CPSTs. We were closes to one of the WIC offices that had them and I called and set up an appt. Well we took our seat and she showed us what to do and then had BOTH of use learn to do it. We needed a pool noodle for a good recline. She warned us that our seat expired in only a few months (From a trusted friend) and that we better be sure we had our next seat ready and WHY seats expired. Something I never thought about.

Also our hospital made sure the base was installed properly and that we had no aftermarket headrests. They showed us the rolled towel trick.

I was super impressed. Having that CPST tell me about expiration is what led me here.

 

[BananaBoat]

DD was born this past July & the hospital made us watch a car seat safety video - it was one of 3 mandatory videos prior to discharge. But when it came time to actually leave, the orderly loaded me up in a wheelchair, babe in arms & took me to pick-up where DH was waiting. It was 100% up to us to get her in safely...unfortunately, I didn't know as much as I know now & she had a Snuzzler in her SR, harness was too loose & the SR just didn't fit her right since she was down to 5lbs 7oz! We now have a KF for next time.

Our Newborn class (during pregnancy) gave us info about CPSTs/seat checks & that where I got our seat installed. Our hospital tour gave little info about seats until I asked about the policy because I had heard conflicting data. They require newborns to go home in a seat if they are leaving in a car, but have no such requirement if going in a taxi, bus or subway. This is their policy because there are no laws requiring seat use in taxis.