Bringing Our Newborn Home Safely
In the lead up to the birth of our daughter last Summer I spent hours cleaning the house, sorting out my hospital bag, going to NCT classes, and generally preparing mentally myself for the birth, as well as sunbathing as we were experiencing a really hot summer in London. My husband was also spending time sorting out the car seat, fixing the ISOfix base into the car, working out where we going to park, and collecting loads of £1 coins for the hospital car park.
Once our little girl arrived and enduring nearly a week in hospital we were really excited to be taking her home, and to be finally getting out of hospital. I had a C-section so I could barely move at all, and I remember carefully and slowly packing everything up in our tidy cubicle on the maternity ward. We had so much stuff to take home that my husband had to make many trips to and from the car. Finally we left late on a Friday night with a baby, loads of drugs and the hope that we would get a good night’s sleep.
I remember the walk to the car being one of the hardest things I have done, I could barely move my legs, or stand up, so I was walking bent over in half – I must have looked really silly. Getting into the car was incredibly difficult, we had recently got a new BMW 3 Series which is really low to the ground, and getting into that when I just had a C-section was hard without causing excruciating pain, it took a few deep breaths. The drive home was equally as painful as there were so many speed bumps between the hospital and our house, I was literally having to hold my stomach over every speed bump and I asked my husband to drive over them at a snails pace (I think we had a car tailgating us pretty much all the way home, which wasn’t too nice).
Looking back now at our journey from hospital to home it went with no hick-ups, apart from a very painful experience for me. However in the run up to the birth we were so pre-occupied with getting everything ready for the birth that we didn’t pay any attention to our safety and our baby’s safety coming home. Partly this was due to us having a new car, but you never know what could happen especially with loads of speed bumps and tailgating cars. As I said car safety was not our top priority but did you know that there are 700,000 newborns who will make their first journey home from hospital by car this year, that’s a huge number, and as many as 1 in 4 of these babies may travel home on illegal tyres. These statistics are really high, and could have massive consequences should there be any issues with your tyres whilst travelling. We only had a short journey on slow London roads, but I’m sure that many babies would be taking their first journey on motorways in cars travelling at much higher speeds.
To overcome any concerns or worries with your car, Point-S are offering free tyre checks throughout the Summer on your vehicle. It’s really easy, simply pop along to any Point-S tyre dealership and ask about their free summer tyre check, they will check your tyres for wear and tear, and show you what to look out for, as well as checking to make sure your tyres are correctly inflated. Brilliant, and it’s free!
I would recommend that for anyone preparing for birth and planning to have their baby in hospital, to not forget about getting your tyres checked. I found my nearest branch by entering my postcode into their branch finder.
Claire x
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Point-S.
35 Comments
A mum track mind
Such a good point Claire! I had Sophie in January, so the middle of winter when weather and conditions are at their worst and I didn’t think much about the state of our tyres at all! Thankfully, everything was fine but it should be part of the prep for the hospital run shouldn’t it?! #fortheloveofBLOG x
bridiebythesea
Great to know – I was the same as you and hadn’t really thought about it beyond the “get a car seat” thought! This took me back to when I had my c-section and had to almost lift myself out of the seat a little as my other half drove over the speed bumps. Great post x #triballove
bridiebythesea
Just popping by again from #fortheloveofBLOG to say thank you for hosting and welcome back! xxx
Kaye
It is definitely something that gets overlooked in all the excitement, but obviously safety is paramount especially with such a teeny one. #fortheloveofblog
Nursery Whines
We planned to get a cab home from hospital but a cabbie told us traffic was gridlocked so we got the tube! Such a cosmopolitan baby! Love the new logo. #fortheloveofBLOG
Sarah - Mum & Mor
I was fortunate enough to have my sister-in-law pick me us up from the hospital. She kindly helped up set up the car seat and carry some things. I didn’t have a c-section, but I still felt achy in my joints from the birth. It was good to have someone’s assistance and knowledge, as she had children before. #fortheloveofBLOG
alisonlonghurst
A very good point and one that even now I overlook. It takes my partner to notice the tyres and quite often they are dangerous – scary stuff, especially when you relate it to bringing a newborn home. Thank you for the reminder – I’ll check these guys out 🙂 Alison x #fortheloveofBLOG
Kate Orson
a great tip which could be forgotten in the rush to get everything organised! #fortheloveofBLOG
Over Heaven's Hill
I would never ever ever have thought about this. In the mad rush for everything and excitement of it all I would never in my life have considered this. Another thing to worry about haha #fortheloveofBLOG
justsayingmum
You’re so right Claire – we go through all the steps of ensuring that our babies are brought into the world safely and then pop them in the most dangerous thing ever – the car! We have to ensure that this is also safe. A good highlighting post! #fortheloveofBLOG
Baby Anon
I think you raise a really important point – the focus was on having above all else! But I understand my parents did get the car checked over before my arrival and they did a dry run with the car seat…still. took them a while to work out how to strap it all together 😉 #fortheloveofBLOG
Squirmy Popple
We didn’t have a car when the Popple was born, but now that we do, we’re more aware of car safety. It took ages for us to get used to strapping in the car seat, since for months the only time we did it was for the occasional taxi ride. #fortheloveofBLOG
Laura: Adventures with J
Ooh I remember that first car journey and the pain! I was desperate to get out of the hospital so was pretending to walk as well as normal but it was hard and I had to sit down as soon as we left the ward. I was so focussed on the car seat and what my new baby was wearing that I didn’t actually think about water, de-icer or tyre pressure at all! Although to be fair my OH probably did as he is very good at that sort of thing! #fortheloveofBLOG
thetaleofmummyhood
Car safety is so, so important. I always make sure my car is as safe as it can be, you just cant be too careful. Its great that this company are offering free tyre checks!
#fortheloveofBLOG
Emma Plus Three
So important Claire, thanks for sharing x #fortheloveofBLOG
themotherhub
Oh god I remember too that it felt like the bumpiest journey ever – and the stress of getting the car seat fitted properly . It was awful actually ! #fortheloveofblog
Jane Taylor
Isn’t it weird to think our parents just had us sat in their knee or on the backseat for their first drive home! I also remember when we were kids, sitting backwards on our seats so we could wave at cars through the windows and roll around when they surprised us by going round a corner. My parents also smoked and once my mum flicked her cigarette out of the window and it came back in and landed on my sisters lap!! I’m sure their tyres were the least of their concerns in those days too!
Jane Taylor
Oops. #fortheloveofblog
aliduke79hotmailcom
I think generally when you have an important journey coming up you should give your car a good check over, that way you will (hopefully) have no nasty surprises x
#fortheloveofBLOG
Mouse, Moo and Me Too
Oh god I remember that journey after my section! And I agree, you’re so preoccupied with everything else that tyres and other basic vehicle checks can be forgotten. Nice little reminder for new mums and a fist pump to you as a section mama
Something Crunchy Mummy
That first drive home is so nerve racking! #forthrloveofBLOG xx
Double the Monkey Business
I didnt know this, what a great idea!!!! That first drive home is quite a worrying experience from what I remember, we drove so slowly – probably annoyed everyone in London lol! xx #fortheloveofBLOG
Lucy
This is a good point and not one that we had considered, and we had to travel back in December. Luckily we didnt have too far to go, but we also had lots of speed bumps and me recovering from a C-sec! #fortheloveofBLOG
Jakijellz
We travelled home on the iciest of winter mornings with our newborn, we were even in a car we hadn’t planned on using due to hubby having a car accident the day before (probably the worry that started my labour 9 days early!). so we weren’t as prepared as we could have been. Valid points I’ll remember in future! #fortheloveofBLOG
Petite Library
So good to bring this to everyones attention! It’s a pretty surreal period in time so I can image tires are the last thing on you kind! #fortheloveofBLOG
TeamMomLife (@TeamMomLife)
That’s really nice that they are offering to check tires for free! I’ll admit I was not thinking about that when we were taking ours home. But you know what we probably should have seeing as home there happened to be a snow storm at the time. Thanks for sharing. And I’m sorry you had such a painful trip home!
#ForTheLoveOfBlog #TribalLove xx
babybykaybee
Im actually a post partum nurse, so its my job to ensure babies are safe and snuggled into their carseat…. but as i left the hospital with my son i was balling. i didnt think he was safe, i asked every nurse i could find to check him… its crazy how our hormones make that day super scary. great post 🙂 #fortheloveofBLOG
Silly Mummy
The first journey home with a new baby is always so nerve wracking! Good to check the car’s safety. #fortheloveofBLOG
Lana G. Overbeck
Thank you very much for telling your experience. This is precious cause not many parents notice that it’s necessary to bring along a spare tyre. Your post will surely help parents to prepare much better for bringing newborn home safely.
The Pramshed
Ah thank you, I think it’s something that is always overlooked. We are so busy preparing for the arrival, that we forget to look at the not the obvious stuff. Thanks for reading and commenting x
Rita Lee
Hi bridiebythesea,
This is an awesome post ! Great thanks for sharing your informative and helpful post !
Have a nice day !
Daniel Ryan
Wow ! Awesome story !A very good point and one that even now I overlook. It takes my partner to notice the tyres and quite often they are dangerous – scary stuff, especially when you relate it to bringing a newborn home. Thanks a lot for sharing !
Surak
Great Tips ! I breast fed till my children were six months old and then they had a bottle till they were nine months, that is when I started teaching them to drink from a straw.
Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing tips !!!!!
Ashley Casey
I had a baby last week and was told to keep her out of public places for at least 6 weeks, and to only let visitors touch baby who weren’t sick themselves and who had just washed hands. With my 2 sons who were premature/had minor health issues I was told 2-3 months.
The strongest recommendation (and maybe the only one your gf will accept) will come from your son’s pediatrician. Call their office and the nurse will let you know.
jakobcullen
Wow! wonderful tip, I would never think like this. Car safety is most important. We have to ensure that this is safe because of seafty first.
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