Is it bad to keep a newborn in a carseat instead of lieback pushchair?

[pinkdolly]

I think I have found the pushchair I want for dc4 (due april). The only problem is that the seat doesn't lie completly flat, so the baby would need to stay in the carseat till it's about 6 months old.

I dont drive so I do walk alot, could I be causing potential damage to the newborn's spine by doing this?

What would you do?

I always think of how uncomfy it is if you fall asleep in a chair for any period of time, I imagine it's not very comfy for babies.

babies are very bendy, much more so than you and I. I don't see what you are getting so exercised about. I already told you it was the principle of urban mythology being passed off as fact that annoys me - I am not actually advocating scrunching a baby up into a ball for the first six months of its life and if anyone can show me where there is evidential link between phagiocephaly and car seats then I will stop banging on about the two hour rule being made up.

Babies should not be in carseats for prolonged periods of time unnessarily. I was advised by a peadiatrician that longer than 20mins should be avoided unless on a long journey in a car doing the primary job that they are designed for. Even then regular breaks of at least 10mins for every hour travelling should be taken. There is I believe medical data to back up the fact that some babies that have been sat in a car seat for as little as 30 minutes have less oxygen in their blood. all babies affected by reduced oxygen whether low birth rate or not. Whether this is a problem (short or long term) for all babies is unclear supporting info here with medical citations. Whether this is where the 2hr rule comes from or not...it certainly supports it (supports the 20min rule IMO)

Keeping a baby in a car seat unnessarily is a risk factor for SIDS. There chest and windpipe can become crushed by the weight of the babies own head and body. It doesn't just affect premature babies either....although some babies are at higher risk than others for unknown reasons.

I have seen my baby go blue in a car seat and I was petrified . It is a real risk. It is a life threatening risk.

Car seats are not intended to convert a forward facing pushchair to a rear facing one. Sleeping babies should be reomved from their seat when you get home.

WRT to RI's comments....

"Just playing devil's advocate - common sense could also tell you that they have just spent nine very happy months all scrunched up that this is their preferred state - as evidenced by the success of calming babies by tight swaddling and the comfort and security afforded even to adults by adopting the foetal position."

2 issues with this....the baby is swathed in fluid, which counters the effect of gravity. Secondly babies don't breathe in utetero so cot death is not a risk in the same way.

Its just that this two hour rule seemed completely arbitrary..... (see link and statements above)

And I realise you are focussing on Plagiocephaly, but it doesn't matter what the theories are behind the "2hour rule" or advise against doing it it whatever....plagiocephaly is hte least of the worries. It is entirely possible that the rule was "intrduced" for 1 reason...but is mis-communicated, and has evolved to apparently relate to the plagio...where it never was IYSWIM.

In summary, my thoughts are - a car seat is to be used to safely transport a baby in a car. A pushchair/pram is used to safely transport a baby on land. The 2 are not interchangeable to my mind. If I was the OP I would be looking at getting a pushchair/stroller/whatever that its suitable from birth.

Sorry, haven't been on for a couple of days. Thanx for all your replies.

To answer yes I suppose common sense has told me that maybe I shouldn't keep a baby in this position for too long. Hence me asking the question.

The pushchair is a mia moda compagno and is one of those sit and stand type things from the states. DD3 will still be under 3 herself when little one comes along and shje is very small/petite not into walking as much as I do at the moment. So she will need something.

Back to the drawing board I suppose. Thanx for your advice.

that was my point though - that the research has been miscommunicated. I didn't originally comment on the SIDS link because it isn't anything I have researched and my devil's advocate comments were purely tongue in cheek. Obviously a blue baby is something extremely serious and worthy of concern. I was having an entirely different debate, that's all.

PS - sorry, I should have added, that my response was also as per spinal injury question of the OP.

Carseats should be avoided at all times, if possible. Minimum usage only, if you want to avoid spinal problems for your child.

Just another angle to it - if you think about it, before the invention of travel systems or car seats babies would have been either

• laid down on a flat surface, or
• held by someone (and the natural way to hold a baby is with their neck and spine supported)

... and - no evidence, just something I wonder about - I can't help feeling that ultimately that's the safest way to go.

Have you thought of or tried using a sling, pinkdolly? They're not for everyone, but a lot of people (including me) have found that their babies loved being carried around like this, even in warm weather.

I realise that the majority of your debate was relating to spine & pagio concerns. But you frequently suggest that the 2hour rule is completely "fictitious"...for example in the paragraph below (and others).

"I am not saying that its a great idea to stick them in a car seat 24/7 but the "two hour rule" certainly hasn't come from any official source. the closest official source simply warns against spending too much time in one place."

All I was doing was clarifying (not trying to dispute; please don't shout at me ) although the source of the 2hr rule may not relate to plagio/spinal it is based on clinical observations in full term as well as premmies WRT to the respiratory problems - and as you point out that is not somehitng to be ignored. So the 2hr rule stands as far as I am concerned. In fact the 20min rule prior to 3m on all but 1 occasion which was an emergency.

After collecting my premature son I was told by my consultant that it was equally bad for there growing lungs which I suppose makes sense if your scrunched over in a car seat