How long in car seat at 6 weeks?

[Andersonx3]

My dad & family are asking if we would like to go away for New Years with them, about 2/2.5 hours drive away. We've said no, but he really misses DD and we haven't seen them since the week she was born due to them living a distance away. She's now 6 weeks and I'm wondering how long is too long in a car seat? It would be between 2 and 2.5 hours if we were to go, she's likely to sleep the whole time and is EBF so if she were to wake we could pull over to feed & wind. Is this too long? If she slept through would you leave her be or wake for a stretch at intervals?

The advise for newborns is 30 minutes as they oxygen saturation levels drop. That's not to say you can't shop, hey baby out for a while and then continue

My baby has just been in Poorly in hospital and hooked up to monitors. I saw first hand his head position effects oxygen saturation. I had some comments when I said we wouldn't be travelling to far away relatives this Christmas but now I've seen it with my own eyes I know we made the right decision

You can buy lie flat car seats, no idea of their cost though.

We made the 4 hour journey to our in-laws at 6.5 weeks. Followed the advice of stopping every two hours.. ? DD slept for the first 1.5 hours, then looked around in interest for 30 mins until we stopped. We had a good hours break for lunch & a stretch. Then carried onto the in-laws. It was fine and we did the same going home.

If you were worried, you could stop every hour? Sit in the back with baby so you can keep an eye?

We regularly make long car journeys to see relatives & so I’ve never worried about travel.. it’s just part of our lives & that didn’t change when a baby came along! Id just say to be prepared for the unexpected, sometimes DD would cry for a feed after 30 minutes & we’d have to stop. Or a poo explosion etc! It’s not always so peaceful.. now we have a whinging toddler to put up with 😄

Thanks all. I know there's a '2 hour rule' - I have a HV coming shortly so I'll ask her opinion too. I think we'll go - just make sure we stop at least half way at some services for lunch & a stretch. Excited to go to the beach with our little girl for the first time now! Lots of warm snuggly clothes & blankets will be needed 🥶

Just like everything with kids it'll take longer (with breaks etc) but don't miss out on the time with family. It's important too.

Up to 2 hours. I'd be happy with this at 6 weeks if she wasn't premature, def make one stop :) If you feel anxious, get someone to sit in the back with her and if you feel her breathing seems laboured or she's grunty, stop ASAP, but for 1-1.5 hour stints she should be absolutely fine.

Which car seat do you have?

It's not 2 hours anymore.... it's 30 minutes

www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/warning-over-babies-sleeping-in-car-seats/

Oxygen sats will drop due to the position in the car - that can't be helped. But this is OK as it is temporary. If she were to be in there for hours and hours, it could potentially lead them to drop to dangerous levels. But up to 2 hours after 4 weeks is OK, the more important concern is protecting her from crash impacts.

Yes, up to 4 weeks. This baby is 6 weeks.

@BertieBotts I've never been told it's to do with age? More to do with when they can support their head and don't slump

My baby was hospitalised and hooked up to a machine when she was 8 weeks old and I saw her saturation levels drop when she wasn't in a good position. Even when held in my arms.

I realise that link doesn't specify the age of 4 weeks - they just say young/newborn babies. Other sources state 4 weeks as the end of the 30 minute period. If I can find one, I'll post it - the mothercare website for example used to say 4 weeks, but that's offline now.

They do note that the full term babies in that test did better than premature babies, so I would be more cautious with a premature baby, and maybe stick to 30 minutes until 4 or even 6 weeks corrected age.

I would go, a 2/2.5 hr journey isn't far if you stop once with her. Drive 90 mins, aim to stop and feed, change, let her stretch on back seat 15 mins, then do the final 60 mins (or less).

Yes their levels will drop regardless, as I said and as you noticed in hospital. This happens with all babies of any age young enough to end up in the chin-to-chest position in the car seat. There have been tragic cases where babies over 6 months or even a year old have died due to spending far too long in a car seat. (Much longer than 2 hours.)

The issue is that the angle required is for safety against crash forces. Oxygen saturation dropping is a scenario people (even tiny babies) can tolerate for a temporary period of time whereas crash injuries can kill instantly. So we compromise by advising that infants should not be left in their car seats for long periods of time. The more immediate priority is the crash protection, it's just important to be aware of the oxygen issue as well :)

We have a silver cross simplicity seat with newborn insert. I'll be sat in the back with her & DH driving. We'll make a half way stop and I'll just ensure that whilst she's in there she doesn't slump - as we all do every time they're in their car seats I would imagine

We went on a 6 hour journey to Cornwall last summer when baby was 6 weeks. Just take lots of stops.

Yes absolutely children must be secured in a car seat when travelling. The new research (which doesn't give any age boundary other than newborn that I can see in the paper, so anything else is likely to just be a readers interpretation) is highlighting that babies need to moved out the seat after only 30 minutes now rather than then old advise of 2 hours.

I had that car seat
I hated it. My eldest looked slumped in it even with the newborn wedge
Swapped to a maxicosi pebble

Yes I think you're right, Praying. I do remember at the time it came out a lot of places very clearly stating the 30 min rec was for babies under 4 weeks and the 2 hour limit applies for older children, but everywhere just says newborn or young now so it's left to interpretation.

OP if your car seat is on a base, you can often get a flatter angle by taking the base out and belt fitting as there will be a degree of flexibility. The base of the child seat must be in contact with the seat in the car. But I think what you're planning sounds fine.

It’s 30 minutes but as everybody said already if you sit in the back and stop half way it will be fine. Don’t take the advice lightly. I’ve also seen what happens when a baby’s saturation levels drop due to the chin pressing against the chest and it’s truly awful. Car seats, all of them, sit young babies in a really unnatural position. Our paediatrician and physiotherapist both recommended folding a small sheet and putting it under baby’s rear back to lift his chin slightly until he was 3 months old.
Anyway your plan sounds sensible! Have fun with your family.

The link posted by Praying concludes with a recommendation to take a 15 minute break every two hours. The study it cites found an effect after 30 minutes, but the only other recommendations are to stop 'regularly' or 'often'.