How to transport newborn baby 4 hours in a car twice in a few days

[LittleBlackDress]

Any advice gratefully appreciated as I am getting myself in a bit of a state about this.

Background: MIL is very ill with advanced cancer and cannot travel. We are unsure how long she has left to go. My DH is an only child, adopted, and very precious to his parents. We have one DC already but the arrival of DC2 has been what has kept MIL going these last few months. We have said we will go to visit them so she can meet the baby soon after birth.

The only problem is how do I safely transport my newborn in our car for a four hour journey on one day and then come back two days later? Some research says it is not safe for newborns to be in infant carriers for that long and some research says that lie flat infant carriers do not protect baby adequately in the event of a crash. Not going is not really an option.

I guess what I am asking is does anyone know of any safe ways of transporting baby (regular stops etc) or can anyone recommend a safe lie flat infant carrier? If in the end it is not safe to take baby then clearly we won't, but I would like to explore all possibilities first as my MIL would be so upset if we couldn't make it (not that she would show it, but I know her well and she would be devastated).

Thank you!

I've been looking at the "no more than 2 hours in a car seat" advice with interest and concluded it must be a general piece of guidance not an absolute rule.

The asistants in the pram shiop where we bought ours told us it was to do with the formation of the spine and there is no way on earth a baby's spine is going to be deformed after having two journeys in a car seat that are longer than recommended.

So sorry to hear about your MIL, I hope you make it to see her with your DCs - it sounds like she will get a lot of comfort from your visit at the end of her life.

Taking breaks will be sufficient. I'm a paediatric nurse and the information we are told to give re: carseats is more to do with spine growth that SIDS. A couple of long journeys occasionally is not enough to do any damage to the spine, the advice is more to do with babies being kept in car seats most of the time as parts of travel systems / in place of being held or put down flat to sleep around the home etc.

Just wanted to add that you can now get ergonomic thingys for baby car seats that keep the baby flatter and not all scrunched up. I've just bought pram and car seat and the car seat came with one. Pretty sure you can buy them separately in babies r us, mothercare etc xx

Also wanted to add the idea of getting one of those mirrors which goes on the front of the back seat where the rear facing seat with be. Means that either by turning round or by looking in the rear view mirror you can see the baby.

Lots of great advice - really appreciate it. Thank you everyone!

I agree, when my DDs were small they only had car seats to sit in. We had no Moses basket or similar down stairs so they spent a lot of time in them.

Babies a year or two younger than DD2(11) spent even longer because travel systems came along.

I think in your circumstances you have, sadly, more pressing concerns.

Have a safe journey and enjoy your baby.

You can buy lie flat car seats for newborns for journeys over 2 hours I think. I think Britax do one.

Could you plan to set off just after one feed so you know baby is tanked up, changed and comfortable. And sleepy then stop as the others have said after 2 hours? Have your break, feed baby, chill a little while, then carry on with the rest of the journey.
I can understand you feeling a bit anxious, it's not an ideal scenario when I am sure you'll be feeling a bit frazzled too but it sounds like a must- do. Good luck x