Car seat 2 hour ‘rule’.

[IGIVEUPGRRR]

Hi,

My DD is 15 months old and obviously out of her carry car seat and into the Maxi Cosi Titan Plus (birth to 12 years old) car seat and I was just wondering if the ‘2 hour rule’ ends?

I have a journey to Cornwall coming up and DD is a little snooze head when it comes to car journeys so I was wondering if she’d be fine to leave for the 3 hours or if we still need to stop at the 2 hour mark?

Thanks!

I might be wrong but isn't the 2 hour rule for new babies to stop idiots just leaving their tiny babies in the car seat all day because its bad for their developing spine?

It really doesn't apply to occasional trips over 2 hours for babies or toddlers.

I thought this. When mine were small there was a fad of using car seats and then plonking the car seat on strollers so the baby could be in the car seat half the day.

@PileOfBooks

I thought this. When mine were small there was a fad of using car seats and then plonking the car seat on strollers so the baby could be in the car seat half the day.

Which incidentally a hospital physiotherapist told us wasn't a problem as the baby seats are designed to hold baby's spine in a natural curve ... When a professional tells you that something is fine, you tend to believe them. (Until the research of other professionals tells you otherwise!)

Pretty sure it's only related to newborns who have no head control and therefore the positioning can cause asphyxiation if left for a long time due to the semi reclined seat. However, I'm sure if your child is awake after 2 hours they will want a stretch of legs so a break would be good. If my DD (2 1/2) was asleep I would keep going until she woke and then have a break and snack/drink etc.

Maybe the advice has changed then. Professional advice was def anti being in a car seat all day when mine were small!

Yup a quick google says Maxi cosi says 2 hours, NHS links to the Lullaby Trust research which says 2 hours and recommends lie-flat when not in car. Does seem the general body of research is still in that direction.

I personally wouldn't worry for a one off long trip (although with my bladder/ boredom threshold we stop at least every 2 hours anyway!)

@JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue
Which incidentally a hospital physiotherapist told us wasn't a problem as the baby seats are designed to hold baby's spine in a natural curve ... When a professional tells you that something is fine, you tend to believe them. (Until the research of other professionals tells you otherwise!)

My understanding is that this is the case if the seat is fitted properly, eg people use the newborn spacers/padding, then change them correctly as the child grows, the same with sliding the head support up. I think the two hour rule comes from when the seats were not as good as they are and to perhaps attempt to discourage people from leaving the newborn in them for a full day (2-3 hour drive, one of those car seats that just transfers to the buggy for several hours, 2-3 hours back), with the only time out of them for a feed or nappy change.

Yup - the bits I was looking at were discouraging the use of carseat -to buggy-to car seat. People were in effect spending most of the day with babies in them.

Pretty sure that advice is for newborns. I’ve did an overnight drive with a child of roughly that age where they slept in their seat for like 6 hours plus a transatlantic night flight where we took the car seat and she slept in it the entire time. She’s now 4 so pretty confident that I didn’t damaged her! However, if you’re driving in the day I reckon you’ll be lucky to manage much more than 2 hours before she gets bored anyway.

I completely missed the child was over a year 🤦🏼‍♀️. Not at baby carrier - to buggy stage!.

Yep we never manage more than an hour or so without stopping but definitely crack on if she's asleep!!