So, this is just an idea we're tossing about at the moment... Last night DH and I discussed baby things, particularly car seats/capsules. We're thinking about not getting one.
We don't drive much (over the last 9 weeks our car has done 231kms, most of which was to visit my sister 100km away) and we live within walking distance of most things we need (we also ride bikes a lot, but obviously this is out for quite a few months) We're trying to think of any unforeseen reasons that we would *NEED* to transport baby in the car rather than pram/sling/bike/bus.
Has anyone done this? Do you have any ideas? What possibilities aren't we seeing?
Mmmm what if you do want to go and visit your sister?? Can you get there by bus etc easily? What about Dr's/Child Health Nurse appointments etc? How will you get home from hospital? If you are able to do most things already without a car more power to you! I wish I could do 231kms in 9 weeks! Far out, we do that in less than a week and with the cost of petrol I wish we didn't.
Maybe you could check out places like Hire for Baby that are close to you so that if you did need one in a hurry you have their phone number handy and can get there to pick one up. Good luck.
I think that if you have a car then you should get a capsule, even if you don't use it much. Legally a baby must be in a capsule or car seat, so not getting one is virtually rendering your car useless. IMO even if you don't drive much there will most often come a time when you will need to use it, e.g. emergency, so if you don't have a car seat, you won't be able to. Also, most taxis don't have baby seats so if you need to use one you have to book one specially or provide your own seat.
Having said that, they are expensive, so maybe you could hire one (we hired a capsule for $90 for 6 months) or you could perhaps borrow one, or get a second hand one off ebay or something. Hope this helps.
In Melbourne, you hire capsules from the council. Can't remember how much it was but probably not very much - for the first six months. You could do that and see how you go. If you find you don't use it much then perhaps go without.
In any case, it's not something you have to decide on now - as I always say, "the shops are still open AFTER you've had the baby."
I don't drive so am used to PTing everywhere BUT you might find you use the car more with a baby. Less time-consuming if you just want to "pop" out rather than walk, catch the bus etc. particularly if you've been short on sleep.
I would definately get one, I found before Cooper the older ones were at school and I very rarely used the car would get bus everywhere as iot was close but it is soo much easier to do shopping ect with the car, visiting freinds and family and also playgroup ect, I too would hire or buy one second hand.
If we get one, I'll be buying one new, as we don't really know that many people up here that I could get one from. That said, I work in childcare, so there are plenty of families around me that I could trust with one.
We did toss up specially booking taxis with capsules, and this would be a really good option for us, because - trust me - we don't drive.
For visiting my sister, we have thought about hiring one. Actually, we have thought more seriously about hiring a car to visit her, and doing away with our car altogether.
BeautifulMadness: I'm really interested in what sort of "just in case" moments you mean? Just so I can really thinka bout my options and come up with the best choice.
I would be getting one but not spending a forturn. You can get a decent rear/forward facing car seat from Big W for About $170. At least then you have it for those time you may need it.
eta - Just in cases... Baby is sick needs to go to Dr, its raining outside making that walk, ride, bus wait a bit of pain & not good for a sick baby to be out it.
YOUR sick & need to get to Dr, really want to walk?
doing your shopping, its going to be much harder to do your shopping then lug it home on the bus while you have a bubba.
Ummmmm I don't know, I can't not drive as I don't live near anything.. I use to walk/bus a fair bit before we moved here & I miss that. But I know it was difficult to catch the bus with kids.
If you don't drive at all, then I guess there is no rush to go out & buy one, but these days the expense to get a car seat isn't that big so I would get one anyway.
Last edited by *Efjay*; August 24th, 2008 at 10:31 AM.
The only 'just in case' moment that I can really think of is if you needed to take bub to Doc/hospital in a hurry. I say that because I frequently care for my nieces and I don't like driving with them in the car ... it's a silly mindset that I have. I will often get SIL to leave carseats though 'just in case' I had to make an 'emergency' trip.
I love the getting around with the girls without the car. We do the groceries, we run errands, we get all those everyday life things done. We are very well located to PT & the girls LOVE catching the tram or train. If you think getting rid of the car is possible for you I applaud you. Maybe don't make the final decision before bub is born, see how you go initially and if you're managing well more power to you!! So long as you have a 'back up plan' for an emergency I think you'll be fine
If you do buy one, a carseat is one thing that I would be careful about getting second hand. You do need to be sure that it hasn't been damaged in an accident. I would hope that people wouldn't on sell a damaged car seat, but it's hard to know who to trust these days.
TBH....I dont trust those few taxis that do have carseats in them, this is from knowing a mum that used to drive one of the few that had them, she said that they were very unhigenic not reglary cleaned ect, people would often leave with the seat wet from leaking nappies ect, one had a 2 yr old with shcool sores ect in, just some horror stories I have heard and then there can be a lenthy delay in getting on and if its an ermegency like in the middle of the night I would prefer to have a back up just in case.
Mmm rethinking- I think that hiring one or buying one JIC is probably wisest. I guess worst case scenario is that you want to go see a Dr or to the hospital(but not necessarily call an ambulance) and you can just get in the car and go.
You might get one and never need it but for peace of mind it might be worth it?
Are you having bub in a hospital? How will you get home? I don't think I'd trust a taxi for my bubs first trip... (yes I'm an overprotective mother!! Lol)
I'm also one of those "better to be safe than sorry" people, so I would get one JIC. You can get great rear/forward facing ones at a reasonable price, they are usually for up to 18kgs so I'm sure you would get some use out of it over the years!
All the best with whatever you decide darl
I don't drive (I don't even have a drivers liscence). I am of two minds about what you are suggesting - but basically my opinion is that if you have a car, have a seat - JIC. If it is a JIC seat, then a cheap second hand one should do, I mean if you plan on never using it, it hasn't cost you much, but if an emergency arises then you have it. If you are getting rid of your car though, then you obviously don't need one (but I have found having a spare one handy is a good idea, if only for when others babysit, etc).
Also, hire is a good option - But not in the middle of the night, plus you usually have to drive to pick up the seat in the first place. And relying on others generousity is not the best option either. I personally would never lend my kids car seats out to a friend, and would feel arkward and put on the spot, if they ever asked.
If you have one you don't have to use it. I would rather have my own than trust a taxi or hire car one - we've caught the cabs and hired the cars with baby seats and often they were totally inappropraite to our babies' development (ie the booster seat that we had to put 3 month old Yasin into) and really low budget without good side impact protection.
If you have your own you can put it in a cab or hire care.
Also you can use it on planes instead of the plane seats which can be pretty uncomfy for longer flights.
Since I have a child who gets bad croup I've done many, many late night hospital dashes. Our MO is to dump a parent and sicky at the front door and the other parent can worry about parking afterwards. Trust me - when your baby is gasping for every breath finding a parking spot before getting your baby through the door isn't an option.
Imran is still using the one that we bought for Yasin almost 4 years ago - it only cost about $300 which works out to less than $100 a year. To me that's a cheap price to pay to make sure that my child has an appropriate seat to sit in every time he travels by car.
I'm perfectly happy to save money by buying/using second hand clothes, books, toys and furniture but I would never scrimp on their car seats, helmets and other safety equipment.
Why don't you just see how you go without one first? Then if you think you need one, then buy one then. It doesn't take long to go to the shops, buy a carseat and install it. Just do your investigating now (ie. investigate which carseat you may want if you decide to get one) so then you only have to go to the shops and buy it.
I admire you to be able to do so many things without a car. And for what it is worth, it can be done without a car. Our mothers and grandmothers etc did it. We (yes including myself) have just become lazy!
Thanks girls... I think I'll go for it. Money's not the issue, it's just the resources and the waste that gets poured into creating things that hardly get used - i have enormous guilt over this! But I have a sister and brother who are yet to reproduce, maybe I could pass it on to them and that might assuage my guilt somewhat?!?!
I used to have a reversible one from my nanny days, and was pretty happy with it (currently the in-laws are using it in Melbourne) so I've been looking at a few of those.
Capsule/Car seat - a must-buy?
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