6 week old in car for over an hour - is this acceptable?

[Biosblbay]

Just wanted to see if anyone has ever taken a newborn in a car for a longish journey, it will be an hour and 10 minutes there, and then the same back (but of course there is the risk of traffic) - Google says that you shouldn’t take a 6 week old baby in a car for no more than 30 minutes, is this true? If this is the case I will not go and will stay home with baby, it’s for a family BBQ. Just unsure what to do

I don't think they do those any more as they were a bit controversial.

I took DS camping at a week old, approx 3 hours away. We stopped every hour for a 10 min stretch/feed and my older dd sat in the back with him as I was driving. As soon as we got there I put him in his pram so that he could have a good stretch whilst I put the tent up

The length of journey you are doing, I would just do and sit in the back with him. I’d take his pram so that he can have an unrestricted stretch when you get there

You don’t need to stay home. Just plan a break halfway to get them out for 15 mins.

I believe (but don’t rely just on me!) that the guidance for newborns up to 6 weeks is half an hour, but for babies older than that it’s longer anyway. So you’re on the cusp of it being fine regardless of breaks.

We moved house an hour's drive away when DC1 was that age! And when he was about 10 weeks old we went on a 250 mile journey to visit family and just stopped ever hour or so and he was fine.

They’re are multiple ones available, some are also sleep safe for overnight once the little head guard is removed.

I always found this page to be quite helpful with the FAQs at the bottom and Axkid are obviously a very well respected car seat manufacturer.

https://axkid.com/uk/car-seats/baby-car-seats/

So did I.

I'd love to know what the guidance was in the late 80s when my parents drove 2 week old me from Scotland to Wales to meet my grandparents......I'm sure there were plenty of stops on the way!

Most likely they just used a carrycot on the back seat, which was legal at the time if you were under 6 months and it was strapped in. You could buy a kit from Halfords or Mothercare to do it with.

Not a good option in the event of an accident which is why it's not allowed today unless the carrycot is car certified (e.g. Maxi Cosi Jade).

Yip. That’s what my parents did with me driving from Scotland to England for Christmas just after I was born. And they did the same for my baby brother because I remember being squished by the carrycot. And complaining. Loudly. 🤣

How are you supposed to get them home if you live an hour from the hospital?

I’d stop half way and also, one of you could sit in back with baby to watch them. I always liked to do that anyway when mine were tiny in case they woke and needed comfort.

Just make a stop half way and take him out the car seat for 5 mins.

I do sometimes wonder if some of these organisations know that they're making women feel unnecessarily anxious about pregnancy and child-rearing. Don't eat this, don't drink this, don't leave the baby by itself, even in your own house, if it's sleeping, don't drive more than half an hour. Don't wean at this age. No wonder the birth rate is dropping.