Most babies will not fit into a standard carseat while they are in a hip spica, hip brace or splint.  This is because most modern carseats have built up sides and are fairly narrow.  There is a model of car seat made by Britax which is suitable for most babies as it is very flat, wide and open at the sides.  This is called the Nordic 2 Way Elite and is designed to fit either rearward (recommended for hip spica babies) or frontward in the rear of the car.  It can continue to be used after the spica comes off up to the age of about 4 years. 

The In Car Safety Centre in Milton Keynes is the only licensed supplier of this carseat in the UK.  It has to be imported and the company are authorised to make amendments to it such as insert cushions/wedges etc. 

The seat can be delivered by courier and staff will talk you through fitting into your car over the phone if you need assistance.

The seat costs £196 inc delivery and if extra crotch straps are needed these are £40.  It is also available to hire.  If you hire it the initial outlay is £196 but £86 will be refunded to you once the seat is returned in a suitable condition, so the overall cost is £110.  More details are available from here

A note about using other carseats.

Sometimes a child in a spica will still fit into a standard carseat, which is fine.  Just be aware that you should not make any adjustments such as inserting a cushion or rolled up towel etc as this can alter the effectiveness of the restraints in the event of an impact.  Such amendments  may affect an insurance claim as well as being harmful to your baby. 

Older children and those set very straight.

Sometimes the size or shape of a spica just does not allow the child to fit into any kind of carseat and the only option for safe transportation in a car is to use a harness.  This is not ideal as the child has to lie along the back seat of the car and be strapped in along the length of their body using the car seatbelts to anchor the harness.  Details are available on the equipment list which can be downloaded from here.