It Is Not Appropriate For The Baby To Sleep In The Car Seat
Recent studies have questioned the safety of babies who sleep in the car seat, as well as the care regarding the use of warm clothes when they are seated in it.
In particular, there is nothing against using a baby car seat. On the contrary, no one contradicts its efficiency. In this case, we want to draw attention to the fact that the little ones use the car seat to sleep. We know that most mothers who read this have already let their babies sleep in their car seats and are going to be worried. But stay calm! It’s something that can be fixed.
As you can imagine, the car seat will keep the baby quiet with the seat belt, prevent injuries and possible accidents, and ensure that the child will remain in the same place during the trip, but not take care of the baby. So it’s not enough to put it there and forget about it.
The baby who is in the car seat during the trip needs the mother to be watching him to ensure that the child is comfortable, with the diaper dry, to see if he is not feeling sick or hungry. But one thing we are sure of, depending on the travel time, the baby will no doubt fall asleep.
Why prevent your baby from sleeping in the car seat?
No mother wants her child to stay awake during a long trip . The most common and sensible thing is for the baby to take a nap to shorten the path and so he doesn’t get so bored. Thus, sleep is not only unavoidable, but not letting the child sleep would be inconceivable and unfair to everyone. However, security is the most important.
Specialists warn that the position adopted by the baby in the car seat is essential to be able to determine whether there are risks or not. In this sense, a child who falls asleep without adult attention could bend over enough to block the airway.
All experts agree that the use of the car seat is not debatable. Rather, they indicate that there is no excuse for not being used even on short trips. However, there is a serious danger in letting a child sleep unattended in an inappropriate position.
This particular study, which was carried out by British scientists, revealed that there is a direct risk that children will suffocate when falling asleep in the car seat. This would be impossible if an adult is aware of the position the child is sleeping in and checking to see if he is really breathing well. The danger is, therefore, leaving it unattended.
Sometimes parents get used to letting their children sleep in the car seat, even inside the house, which is also a mistake. Sometimes, we take the car seat and take it inside the house so that the little one can continue his nap. However, studies found that nine out of every forty children with Sudden Death Syndrome were strapped to their car seats.
Of the nine cases, eight of them had as an aggravating factor the babies who fell asleep while traveling in their car seats. Cases of asphyxia presented in infants who slept in leaning or not very straight positions and were identified by lack of response, muscle weakness and bluish skin color.
It is worth noting that although the children had symptoms of Sudden Death Syndrome, they could have a positive reaction with the resuscitation techniques at the medical center where the research was conducted. Likewise, it is important to clarify that the study focused on cases of real emergency, whose consequences cannot be fully measured.
Recommendations
- It is important to check that the baby is not leaning forward, especially by making sure the jaw is not close to the chest.
- Prevent children from remaining in the car seat for a long time. Therefore, when arriving at the final destination, it is essential to get it out to allow the change of position.
- It is recommended that when journeys are too long, regular stops are made. Mainly with the aim of getting the baby out of the car seat.
- You should never leave your baby unattended in the car seat.
- If the baby has breathing problems it is advisable to pat his back gently and lift him up with small shakes to revive him. If necessary, take him to a hospital urgently.
