We’ve all been there – having our baby fall asleep right before we arrive home and then we contemplate whether or not to disturb them by removing them from their car seat. But now, there is some pretty heavy evidence surrounding why that is not a good idea.
Experts Say, Babies Should NOT Sleep In Car Seats Unless Traveling and Here’s Why…
A recent study published in the most recent issue of the
Pediatrics journal discussed the dangers of allowing babies to sleep in their car seats and the alarming rates of death associated with this.
According to the study:
“A 10-year study of 11,779 infant sleep-related deaths showed that 348 (3%) babies died in sitting devices, in most cases while in car seats. More than 90% of the time, the car seats were not being used as directed. The median age at death was 2 months.” (Source)
That is awful in so many ways especially since, parents are not intentionally trying to do harm to their babies.
I remember when my first born was in the NICU and they had us bring in car seat for the “car seat test”. They placed our son in the car seat with monitors and observed his breathing and stats. They were then able to determine if our car seat was safe and safe enough for him to travel in. I remember them telling us then to never leave him for prolonged periods of time in the car seat especially without checking on him. So, I have never have with my kids.
But again, most parents don’t know the dangers of this and that is why I am glad the American Academy of Pediatrics is sharing this information with parents.
“About 3,700 infants die every year from sleep-related deaths, which include sudden infant death syndrome, accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and other ill-defined deaths.
Although sitting devices are designed for activities such as transportation, feeding and playing, parents may inappropriately rely on them as an alternative to a crib or bassinet. When the devices are not used as directed, infants can fall, fall from an elevated surface on which the device was placed, or flip onto a soft surface and suffocate. They also can be injured or killed with improper buckling of car seat straps.
The AAP recommends that babies be placed for sleep in a supine position for every sleep by every caregiver until the child reaches 1 year of age. Loose bedding and soft objects must be kept out of the sleep area. Sitting devices should not be used for routine sleep.” (Source)
Please take the time to share this with all the parents you know, you could entirely save a babies life.
P.S. Looking for some safe
baby gadgets that will make traveling with your baby easier? We’ve got you covered.
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