from hospital to the car

How do you get the babies from the hospital room to the car with out an infant carrier? We aren't buying them we are going straight to convertible seats. I just remember being so high out of my mind with my singleton that I had a hard time holding on to her in the wheel chair. I'm just trying to figure out how to get two babies at once from the hospital room to the car

 

I saw your previous post about convertible car seats, and I agree with the other ladies even if you are going to wear your babies while out.  My girls were born at 34 weeks (3 1/2 lbs each) and were in the NICU for 2 weeks and came home just about 5lbs each.  They had to pass their car seat test with the infant seats in order to come home.  Depending on the size of your babies that might be a consideration.  Also we used the infant seats until my girls were 13 months old so I didn't find them a waste of money.  Then their convertible car seats turned into boosters so we actually still have them (use the boosters for our sitter's car and my girls are 8).  
 
I would ask during your hospital tour at what weight do they require a car seat test before discharge.  Good luck.

 

Have your partner take all the stuff out before you go and pull the car around. Ask a nurse to help, or have your partner carry both babies (hand him #2) and you ride in the chair.

You may not be so high this time, depending on when you/babies are released. After a c/s I was in for 5 days, vbac 3. I was happy and weak both times, but walked out with my vbac.

 

I just thought of another way. Have him wear one and carry one. If that will be what you guys primarily do, you may as well start from the hospital.

 

My girls were in their infant car seats but DH carried one and the nurse carried the other. They let me walk but wouldn't let me carry anything.

Edited for typo

 

We had to strap ours in their seats and they were wheelchairs out; I walked! Carrying sounds like a good option, if the hospital allows.

 

They had me hold them in the wheelchair and we put them in the infant carriers in the lobby.

 

 
I just can't justify the cost of an infant seat
 
and my hospital doesn't do tours cause of HIPPA and the NICU only answers those questions if you have NICU babies after they get here. and if you have no NICU time they don't do a test.

 

I'm hoping to not be as high but be discharged the same amount of time as I was before. I was discharged like 36 hours after birth

 

A little goofy story to share:  As I was waiting to be discharged with the twins, I am sitting in the room with my Mom, Dad, husband and babies...waiting and waiting.  So my husband and Dad decided to start taking our stuff to the car, packing it up while waiting.  Once they were done that, they had brought the infant carriers in and said, well, we will take the kids out to the car.  So they did while my Mom and I waited.  And we kept waiting, so in my infinite wisdom, I said to my Mom: I think they are done with us, I guess we can go.  So my Mom and I are walking down the hallway and one of the nurses says, "Where are you going?"  I said, "Home? Why?"  "We need to discharge you and the children." And my Mom was like, "Um, yeah, the kids.  Already in the car."  So they had to discharge me fast and get me downstairs in a wheelchair (I said I could walk, the nurse was like no) and my husband had the car warmed up with my Dad and the kids in the infant seats. The nurse checked it over and sent us on our way.
 
I would call the hospital, since you are having convertible seats (and I don't know how things have changed since my kids have been born) and see how they handle discharge with car seats.  Do you have to bring them in?  Or can they check your car?

 

We did a convertable with my daughter and they never said anything about it but she was also full term

 

With my full term twins, they rode on the cart with our 'luggage' as I was pushed out in a wheelchair.  They were in their infant carriers all buckled in. (C-Section)
 
With my full term singleton, they insisted that I hold him in my arms as I was pushed out in a wheelchair.  (VBAC)  My husband was going to carry him, but they didn't allow that for some reason.  I really valued our infant seats.

 

With my twins and my singleton, they made me carry them in my arms in the wheelchair. We didn't have another option. So funny to hear everyone else's stories.

 

When I had my twins (almost 10 years ago! Yikes!) they had us buckle them in the infant seat in the hospital room - literally to make sure we knew how.  Then I carried one, buckled in the seat, in my lap in a wheelchair and my ex-husband carried the other in the seat.  I'm a babywearer and I still would have gotten the infant seats if I had had another set of twins.   With singleton #1, we brought the car seat into the room, buckled him in and my husband carried him while I was in a wheelchair.  Singleton #2 was born in a birth center, she was buckled into the car seat in the birthing room and then my husband carried her out just because he didn't want me to have to do it.  (I did carry her from the car into the house though.)  All mine were born at term and then some, natural births. 
 
Honestly, I have no idea how it would work with convertible seats.  I'd probably talk to my OB and ask or call the hospital maternity ward. 
 
Edited to add: I also remember when my first singleton was born, I had a nurse tell me she had to see me change a diaper to make sure I knew how... 

 

I honestly don't remember how I was discharged. 

 

Mine came home weighing less than 5 lbs.  We had infant carriers that went down to 4 lbs.  They were still HUGE compared to the boys.  I'd attach their car seat test pictures but I'm not on my laptop.  It took a ton of adjusting on the straps to get them to fit correctly.  Plus they had to pass the car seat test. 
 
While convertibles are rated down to 5 lbs it can still be too big for a newborn.  The slots may not go down low enough to provide a safe and proper fit.  Twins are typically not huge newborns and even two or three weeks early can make a difference in size and weight.  Just something to keep in mind when shopping for convertibles.  And there is no rush to decide.  You have some time and if they make their appearance early you will still have time to get car seats.
 
I am sure the hospital has had parents with convertibles many times and will have a policy on how that would work. 

 

They make a convertibles down to 4 lbs now those are the ones we are looking at

 

keep in mind also that if they are born before 37 weeks NICU or not they WILL have to carseat test them.  My son came home in a car bed because he had ONE brady spell (or apnea can't remember now)...so you may not have a choice in the matter. 
 
You've got some strong ideas but the best laid plans tend to go to the wayside when twins are involved.  I couldn't babywear my 3.5 lb (no NICU time and came home with me) daughter because she was too small - something else to keep in mind.  She was nearly 2 mos old before it was safe to wear her.
 
Just keep an open mind.

 

The hospital has car seats they do car seat tests in. The NICU apparently doesn't allow parents to bring their own in cause of germs.
 
also everyone told me to keep an open mind with my first child. There is only one thing that I ended up changing that I had my mind set on and it wasn't car seats.

 

If you already know exactly what to do, then why are you asking? You don't have to take people's advice, and I hope you get to go forward as planned. But, we've been down this road already, and we have experience that you don't. You don't have to listen, but you should be open to listening to people you are asking for advice. You are coming off very closed off.

In other words, I've had a singleton, and I've had twins. The two experiences are comparable in the same way a pineapple and a grape are both fruit. Don't ask me how a pineapple tastes and then insist you already know because you had a grape.

 

I wasn't asking people to try and change my mind on buying only convertible seats. So much in car seats has changed in even 3 years.

I was asking how to get the twins to the car without infant carriers. Baby wearing never even crossed my mind.

I'm open to suggestions on things I haven't made up my mind on. Car seats are not one of those things. I have found the seats I want and I will be buying them. When its something I'm willing to change my mind on it I will take suggestions

 

Like I said, I hope it works out for you. I even somewhat get your point. My twins were not teeny tiny. My son was even on the large side, and my singleton was almost 9 pound. I feel like we barely used our infant seats. But, you are shooting down more than just carseats. And there's a way to do it that doesn't alienate people. And, there are realities to have twins that you don't get yet. You are going to find that people stop offering advice if you aren't open to hearing it.

And just FYI, my single is only 18 months, so I'm familiar with car seat technology. It hasn't changed that much in the last 7 years. I've actually owned 6 different convertible car seats rated down to 4 or 5 pounds (really, same designs), and there is no way you could put a 4 pound preemie in there. It would be really hard to even install it at a sufficient tilt. And that's leaving aside the logistics of having to wake up two babies every time you get out of the car.

 

 
I'm going to give you a pass on the attitude because you're pregnant with twins and likely cranky.  At 36 weeks, my twins were born at 3.5 and 4.5 lbs.  You can't prepare for that (considering the last u/s I had at 32 weeks showed them at 4.5 and 5.5 lbs and they should have grown, but didn't).  My mom had to bring preemie diapers to the hospital because the smallest ones they had were size 1 - the hospital wasn't used to having healthy babies of that size.  They had to be on fortified formula (24 calorie) instead of the standard 20 cal.  Then they had to go on soy because they were lactose intolerant.  Went through 3 different types of bottles/nipples for my daughter because she had terrible tongue thrust reflex and latex nipples were too soft.  There are so many variables beyond carseats and getting them from the hospital to the car.  You're asking questions of people that have had twins in the last 10 or so years.  I wouldn't give advice on a singleton because I've never had a singleton - many of our mom's have both.  You come across closed off even as we're giving you information you're asking for.  You may not change your mind (or have to make changes) and if so that's great - but twin babies are not 2 singletons and come with their very own set (often completely different than their twin!) set of rules.  

 

K since you all assume that I'm being closed minded I'll just put it all out there. I cannot physically pick up an infant seat. I've had major shoulder issues and I can't pick up that much weight. So no I'm not being closed minded I just cannot physically do it.

 

My two were under 5lbs and had to pass a carseat stress test before we could be discharged.  We tested them in the seats they were going to ride home in.  And actually the hospital made us go purchase a new carseat because the one we brought (which was my singletons) had expired. 
When leaving the hospital they were all buckled in their seats and my husband and I each carried one out. 
Hopefully your hospital will be able to accommodate your wishes and situation.

 

Perhaps if you had offered this information as part of the original question you would have gotten different answers.  I have inflammatory spinal arthritis (ankylosing spondylitis).  I may have been able to offer different information or advice on dealing with two infants and a limited ability to carry infants in car seats.  You will still need to keep in mind all the other information that has been shared and just be aware that you may have to adjust for the babies.  Not all convertible car seats will fit a small newborn regardless of what the box says.  You might visit the car-seat.org forum they often have a lot of information on all kinds of car seats. 
 
Mine came home with apnea monitors which they had for at least 3 months.  We could not baby wear during that time.  Our hospital required that they pass the test in the car seat they would ride home in since each car seat is different. And honestly getting them from the NICU to the car was the very least of my concerns.  I think my husband carried one in the car seat and the nurse carried the other.

 

That's a really good data point. Those things are heavy, particularly with a bigger baby. What convertibles are you looking at? Maxi Cosi makes one that is suitable even for preemies. Called the Tiny Fit or something. It has the low weight minimum and accounts for the need for straps to fit their shoulders, even offering something with a boost. It's expensive though, so maybe hold off until the babies are born then send someone to buy the car seats once you know if you have preemies? Or buy them but keep them in the box?

 

we've been thinking about the mysize65 or the clone of that. But I'm open to suggestions in this aspect. I'm part of the page "car seats for the littles" on FB and that was the one that was most recommended to me even for a premie. and there is features that are huge for me.

 

idk why I can't edit this. But the other one we are considering is the 4ever

 

We got the MyRide65 when our twins outgrew their infant seats.  From the pictures, it's pretty much the same as the MySize seats.  A couple things to think about.
 
My twins were 6lbs and 5lbs, 4oz at birth.  Even though the seat SAID 5-65 lbs, I really doubt it would have safely fit them when they were born.  My twins grew fast, and we went to those seats around 8 months when it was hard to carry them in the infant seats.  At that age, we had the straps on the second to lowest setting.  My kids were already in 12-18 months clothes, just to give you a size idea, and the straps were almost at the lowest even at that big.
 
At the time we got those seats, I had a smaller car.  I am short (5'3"), so it was no problem for me to have the driver seat set for me.  DH, on the other hand, could hardly drive or ride comfortably because he couldn't put the seat back far enough without ramming into the carseats.  If you have a small vehicle or are tall, you might see if someone you know has the seat or if you can somehow try it out in your vehicle.  It's a pretty bulky seat, both wide and deep.  If you are also needing to use a booster for your singleton, it might be impossible to fit two of these and the booster on the same row in a car.
 
I also found adjusting the straps on these seats a real pain.  Raising or lowering them required several steps of threading and unthreading, and tightening them up wasn't easy, either.  Maybe that has changed with the newer models, but you might be able to find some reviews on line.
 
Like others have said, just because a seat says it goes down to 4-5 lbs doesn't mean it's safe.  Going purely by size, my twins SHOULD have been in newborn clothes and diapers at birth, but they swam in them.  The bigger one wore preemie sizes for about 2 weeks, and the other for about a month before we went to newborns and 0-3 sizes.  After that they grew like weeds and are huge now!  Hard to believe they were once so tiny.

 

The mysize has a no rethread harness thats the biggest plus for me. and we have a third row suv so the singletons will be in the third row. We hope to go to babies r us and try these out in the car before buying them but the techs in the group said they would fit and my BF would be fine sitting all the way back like he needs to and have them not touch. but we are still gonna try them out first.
 
like I said I'm open to other convertable options. I'd prefer one with a no re thread harness only cause thats what my singleton has and I LOVE it. It really made things easy when she got bigger.

 

Some of this may be moot. If you don't have a preemie, you should be fine in most convertibles. If you have a preemie, you need to worry not just about weight ratings but also the straps. You want one where the lowest setting on the straps is very low. Here's a good article about it: http://carseatblog.com/9813/recommended-carseats-for-preemies-multiples-carseatblogs-list-of-best-bets/.

I've had several Graco seats--infant seats and now boosters--but I haven't tried any of their convertible seats. We have always had Britax convertible seats. They have super easy strap readjustment and are very safe, but the ones with side impact protection are a PITA to get a child in and out of rear facing. Getting a floppy infant in and out would have been interesting and stress inducing for me.

This article has a good roundup of convertibles for newborns, with consideration to weight limits and strap height and recline. http://csftl.org/choosing-a-convertible-car-seat-for-a-newborn/

It specifically recommends the Graco 4ever, the Maxi Cosi I identified above, and a Chicco. It agrees that I would have had problems with my Britax seats for a newborn. From what it says, the MyRide would be good for a newborn but may not be for a smaller preemie because of the strap height.

Lots of seats have no rethread straps, so it shouldn't be too hard to combine with the right features. I'd be surprised if the Maxi Cosi and Chicco weren't no rethread, and I'd guess the Graco 4ever is.

 

One more thing: we have two cars with a third row (an SUV and a crossover), and size has never been an issue in buying carseats. We have some of the biggest seats on the market, which we've had two at a time rear facing in the second row, and we are both tall, and it's not been an issue. But definitely try them out because you might need more tilt for a newborn than we needed for a six month old.

 

I don't think we're going to buy until at least the end of April so that would put me at 32 weeks+ and we probably won't install until they are for sure coming home

 

I think it all depends on the size of the babies. If your babies are full term and weigh 7-8 lbs then I guess it is ok. But if they weight the standard birth weight for twins at discharge (5-6 lbs) I wouldnt even think about putting them in a convertible seat. Not to mention, the hospital themselves require an infant car seat test before letting them get discharged. My girls were 5 lbs when discharged and they looked so tiny and uncomfortable in an infant seat so I couldnt even imagine a convertible seat.

I know sometimes your financial situation is the motive but you will soon learn theres certain baby equipment you just can't skip!! I think an infant seat is one of them. You can go to local churches, garage sales, or even online to find equipment at a price YOU can afford.