Sleeping in car seat - bad for baby?

Question

My baby prefers to sleep in her car seat during the day than anywhere else (apart from on me - but that's hardly practical!) - is this okay, or should I try to discourage this?

Answer 1

Both mine loved going to sleep in their car seats when they were small babies, I kept a car seat in the house for them, I think they liked the security of the straps as they both had a little leg wriggling and rocking routine before they fell asleep.
It's perfectly fine.
They soon grow out of it, as you say it's only in the daytime.
They suffered no deformaties through it and are both sports made and healthy, don't listen to the scaremongers.

Answer 2

The biggest problem of sleeping in a car seat would be possible breathing obstruction if the baby's head flops forward. This can't happen when the car seat is installed at a 45 degree angle but obviously you cannot do this outside of a car.

Answer 3

you should try to discourage it, as in long term she cannot sleep there because she will be getting to big for it. but for short naps it is not a problem.

mimmy says that your not educated lol well i want to know what parent IS educated before becoming a parent???? you learn as you go along.

your baby may feel safe and secure in the car seat, that is why she preferes it, and also the reclined position is good for her breathing, so try not putting her into the car seat to go for a nap. If she falls asleep in the car fair enough.

put a pillow underneath her mattress in her cot to raise it up, and try swaddling her in a big blanket so she is comforted. remember that she didnt have all that room in your womb, and when she goes to a big huge cot it can be daunting all that space.

good luck, hope it works,

Answer 4

well i`m now as confused as you are!!!
I always thought it was really bad for a young baby to stay too long in their car seats,but judging some of the comments and their thumbs down it seems most would disagree!!
I was always told not to leave a new born in a car seat for more than an hour as it can damage their spines,as for older babies i`m not sure maybe the advice has changed!!

Answer 5

I was advised a little while back that baby shouldn't be in the car seat for more than two hours due to their back bones developing. I wasn't 100% sure on this one but I'd rather err on the side of caution just to be safe (how can you tell we're first time parents, lol!)

When we're out for more than two hours, we make sure we make stops with him to take him out and lie him flat on his back either in his pram or we hold him for a while to give his back a bit of a rest!

One thing I was told I could try though was swaddling the baby-basically tiny babies like the car seat because its very cosy, almost like being in the womb. Swaddling the baby by wrapping them up in a blanket with their arms tucked in. It gives them the same sense of comfort. (This works on my baby when I can't get him to settle at night!)

Answer 6

I used to leave my son in the carseat if he fell asleep in the car. if I did so much as touch him he'd wake up and cry, so being the new mom that I am, I'd just put the carseat in the crib LOL. but soon I just took him out and transfered him to the crib so he could get used to it and he did just fine...it was all me and my worrying lol. But there isnt a problem doing this! Especially if your baby has reflux or colic, the angle of the carseat can be beneficial. just make sure the baby is snug and isnt too confined.

Answer 7

My son is the same, he sleeps perfectly in his car seat and as long as its for naps during the day I can't see a problem.

Answer 8

You can buy little recliner chairs from baby stores. They're specially designed for both being awake and having a sleep. My youngest one had a recliner that vibrated and played music and he'd sleep in that quite happily.

A car seat isn't designed for spending lots of time in - it's bad for their posture and development, and they're too narrow and squashy.

Answer 9

Mine was the same, if she was in her car seat she would sleep soundly for hours but in her moses basket or cot, only half an hour at most! I felt guilty letting her sleep in it at night though, even though my doctor said it was fine in the short term.

I think most babies who sleep very soundly in car-seats do so because the like the secure feeling of being surrounded and padded on their sides and back. When I realised that I tried swaddling my baby again (even though at that point she was almost four months old). Wrapped snugly and then put into her moses basket she started to sleep a lot better, so you might want to try that!

Answer 10

I would try to discourage this. It isn't good for their backs to be laying in a car seat repeatedly for hours. I would try getting a 'baby sleep positioner' from a baby store. Its like two big rolls joined together by a piece of material. you lay the baby inbetween the rolls and then they feel secure and comfortable and can't roll or smother themselves in the cot. Also try swaddling your baby (get a health nurse to show you how to wrap them really tight so the hands down come out) and this gives them the safe feeling that the car seat would be giving her. you can use a light cotton fabric for warmer weather.
At the end of the day though, she can't sleep in there forever so you really need to start to get her used to her cot while she is young enough to not know any different. The older they get the harder it gets for you!!

(if she falls alseep on the way home or something then i wouldn't take her out and disturb her but don't put her in there for naps)

best of luck