Is The Car Seat Safe For My Baby?

The issue of the baby car seat is a dilemma. Many parents trust that as it is a fairly safe chair to walk the baby while on top of the car, it does not suffer any type of risk. But this is not so. Few people know about this data and there are people who are completely unaware of it. Here I will tell you why babies should not be more than an hour and a half in the car seat.

POSTURE RISKS

Babies should not spend a lot of time in the car seat when they have fallen asleep in them. In fact, the less time they are there, the better. The position that children adapt when wearing these devices increases the risk of bradycardia, which is when the heart slows down than it should. Another is apnea, which is when the baby stops breathing for a few seconds and oxygen desaturation, which is when less oxygen reaches the blood.

Children should be in an aligned position and rest on a stable plane. When placed in the car seat, children adopt the “C” position and flex their necks when they sleep. In such a way that they come to have certain difficulties breathing in the same way that they would in a more stretched position.

These data have been confirmed by studies conducted by Pediatrics in 2001 in which they observed 50 term infants and 50 premature infants of 36 weeks sitting for 60 minutes in a car seat. The oxygen saturation of all babies dropped from 97% to 94%. But 7 of the babies had an oxygen saturation of less than 90% for 20 minutes. 12% of premature babies suffer from apnea and bradycardia. The most advisable thing is to use a rear-facing car seat but limiting the time we use it.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Use the car seat only for the car. Not as a bed for the baby to sleep in.
• Watch the baby’s posture. It should not be too upright or too lying down.
• Check that the harnesses are well fastened and are not loose.
• Watch the baby throughout the trip.
• If you must travel, make stops every hour so the baby can stretch.

Although these recommendations sound strict, remember that it is for the health of your baby. Prevention is always much better than regret.