12 week old taking all daytime naps in car seat...is this ok?

[Morehastelessspeed]

My 12 week old is a total dream baby, as soon as I see tired signs if I pop him in car seat with white noise he sleeps for up to three hours. Seat does not need to be in car or moving. Problem is I then feel horrendously guilty that I am doing him untold harm due to his spine or lack of oxygen. Thoughts? Should I relax and enjoy that I have a technique that works with minimal effort or be working really hard on an alternative?

[Buttercup27]

It's really not recommended to leave babies in car seats for long periods for the reasons you have mentioned. Could you not try and swaddle him I a moses basket so he feels the same sense of security.

[bobajob]

3 hours and I guess several times a day does sound too much to me. I'd maybe move him to something a bit less scrunched up, like a chair or swing?

[NerrSnerr]

I think the guidelines state that babies should be taken out of car seats every 2 hours. I would really try and get him to sleep elsewhere.

[Morehastelessspeed]

Thanks all, that's kind of what I expected to hear but am wondering if it is on the same scale as letting babies sleep on their front (which based on my own risk assessment I would happily do if it worked despite the potential SIDS risk) or is it more like co-sleeping after 20 fags and 10 vodkas (which I would clearly never do!)

[gallicgirl]

I think I read recently that it can compress their windpipe causing asphyxiation. I used to let DS drop off in his swinging cradle seat but I lay him flat now after I read this particular report.

I would stress though that it was a newspaper report rather than a medical report.

[PamDooveOrangeJoof]

Maybe try getting something like this instead?
m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/sleepyhead-deluxe-bed-guard-white/p231482924?sku=231482924&kpid=231482924&s_kenid=c06e353b-69e3-44b0-9f69-3ec8e7dc9aca&s_kwcid=403x167757&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=231482924#page_loaded

As that's too long to be a car seat.

[LittleBearPad]

I'd take him out. He should be lying flatter at his age for that length of time.

[FATEdestiny]

Have you tried a bouncy chair instead?

Baby is in a more cradled position rather than hunched position in a reclined bouncy chair.

[Morehastelessspeed]

Thanks Pam, I've looked at those sleepy heads, hey seem so very expensive but get great reviews. Think I'll bite the bullet and get one. I'm feeling even more guilty after all these responses.

[Babymamamama]

My dd would only nap in the push chair in the day so we went along with it.

[Needsweetstosurvive]

Mine used to nap in car seat quite often for first 8ish weeks or so and had a few 3hr stints in there, only while we were out though. If at home he would nap in cot or pram. We actually went to Poland for a week when he was 8 weeks and the car seat was the only place he napped! I did worry a lot about his spine and also flattening of his skull where it rested on seat as he liked to put his head in the same position each time. From about 10 weeks he was napping in it for 45mins in the morning (dropped off on the school run), then had a 3hr nap in cot around late morning/early afternoon then another 45 mins late afternoon in car seat. He is 14mo now and spine and skull are fine! Basically, what I'm saying is that his short naps are OK in car seat but you really need to encourage sleeping elsewhere for naps, especially as when he gets older he might not drop off in it so easily and won't sleep anywhere else as that would be all he is used to.

[Morehastelessspeed]

Thanks needsweets, going to start trying for some naps in cot tomorrow. Just last time I tried he didn't sleep well or for as long and was super grumpy. Fingers crossed.

[starfish12]

Better to try a new approach sooner rather than later as he will grow out of the car seat at some point.
Tempting to stick to what works but with a bit of perseverance you'll achieve the same results as now in terms of long naps.