How long would you let your baby sleep in a car seat?

[Mamabear04]

DS is 11 weeks and just had his immunisations. He's fallen asleep in his car seat and suspect he'll be asleep a while so just put him upstairs keeping an eye on him with the baby monitor. How long can I let him sleep in the car seat? Should I move him and risk waking him? I'm due to go out again in a couple of hours but surely that's too long to leave him? He's in a reclining position so not completely upright.

Think only 30mins or so is recommended when they’re that young?

Let him sleep. Never understand why keeping them in a carseat over 30 min is bad for them while they complitely twisted around when sleep on you after breastfeeding.
I obviously won't keep him there for a whole day but a few hours should be fine.

This is very bad and dangerous advice.

It's because of the risk of overheating - increases SIDS risk: most cases lately have been of babies in carseats rather than cots.

At 11 weeks I believe the advise is hour and a half max. However if you pick him up you may find he stays asleep/drifts off again easily. Vaxxes do tend to knock them out

Being close to mum actually regulates baby's functions.
As for the OPs question, I don't keep my LO in a car seat outside of a car, even if it makes him wake up (and unfortunately it does every time:). Not worth risking it in my opinion.

Ideally take him out and hold him. I’d probably let him sleep with full supervision, but why is he in another room? Babies should have all sleep day and night, including naps, in the same room as an adult until 6 months.

But I also wouldn’t leave him in the seat till you go out next. Just long enough to adjust to being moved from the car so they hopefully don’t wake - mine always woke

You shouldn't be leaving him to sleep alone in a room before 6 months as it increases SIDS risk.

Sleeping in a car seat also increases SIDS risk as it restricts breathing.

I definitely wouldn't combine two risks like this with such a small baby.

Watching on a monitor doesn't reduce the risk at all.

The problem with the car seat isn't so much the risk of overheating, but that the chin-to-chest position the baby sits in makes it harder to breathe, and restricting oxygen intake gets more dangerous over a longer period. This is a a particular issue in young babies who don't have full neck/head control yet so can't easily lift their heads to breathe easier.

We did up to 2 hours in the car seat but would always keep baby in the same room at that age

I'd leave a baby of that age 60mins or so without even thinking about it. if they're sleeping and in a slightly reclined position, definitely wouldn't risk waking them up until they were due a feed

Positional asphyxiation is the reason for the car seat limits. Unless you have a car seat that lies flat, 30 minutes or so. In a lie-flat car seat, up to two hours.

Do not leave an 11 week old in the car seat - however painful it is to move and potentially wake them. The danger is suffocation as their chin is too far forwards

30 mins.
It can look like they are fine neck wise but the chin fat/position of neck can disguise positional asphyxia is what I was taught.

I wouldn't risk it for an easy life, if you're super slow and gentle he may fall back asleep anyway

It's not safe to leave him upstairs away from you - they need another human in the room with them before 6 months to help regulate their breathing.

I also would take him out of the car seat as soon as you get home - it's not good for his oxygen levels, as PPs have pointed out.

Two risks for SIDS combined is a very bad idea.

Mine napped in the car seat which wasn't ideal due to the chin to chest position. I did always have them in full view of me. I didn't put them in their rooms for nightime sleep or naps as I had them near me per the SIDS advice.