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Sleep in car seat?

snoopy0510snoopy0510
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

I've heard that it's bad to have babies sleep in their car seats at night, but I'm not sure why.  Does anyone know why?  When DS's reflux is bad, he hates to lie down flat, so I'd like to have him more comfortable in the car seat, but I'm hesitant to do so.

I tried putting stuff under his mattress to have it at an angle.  The next morning he was curled at the way bottom of his crib, and his swaddle blanket had ridden up over his face.  It happened the next day too.  Definitely not doing that again! 

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Re: Sleep in car seat?

  • pattersgpattersg member
    mostly it is because it is bad for their digestion and their breathing to be all bent over like that... but what I do is prop the bottom of the carseat up so she's not leaning forward and honesty.. that is the only way either of us have gotten sleep some nights... I also put a blanket in the bottom of the carseat so she's not as bent and so she's not sittin gon her buckles... HTH!
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  • AimeeL85AimeeL85 member

    We use a wedge and unfortunately DS ends up at the bottom of it, too.

    I'm not sure about the carseat, but what about the Rock 'N' Play sleeper thing?

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  • citychickscitychicks member

    They can stop breathing if they sleep in a car seat for too long.

    https://babyproducts.about.com/b/2009/02/06/babys-death-leads-to-warning-about-sleeping-in-car-seats.htm

    Reflux usually clears up between 3-6 mths. I know it's difficult now, but it does get better. Right Hug

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  • MrsYamMrsYam member
    The Rock n Play is great. DD had bad congestion due to a cold my older DD gave her at 2 weeks old. She was able to breath and sleep without waking up congested.
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  • liannemarie82liannemarie82
    Not sure, because my LO seems to do pretty good, but have you looked into the Nap Nanny? It looks funny, but it may work well.
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  • Oilers_MamaOilers_Mama member
    DS has slept in his car seat a few times after the only way to get him to sleep was going for a car ride. But I barely slept anyways because I was constantly checking his breathing.
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  • juliane2004juliane2004 member
    I think it's totally fine
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  • mlkrstthrnrmlkrstthrnr

    If you're desperate one night - go for it. However, I wouldn't make it a regular thing because babies who sleep in car seats (and never get floor time, tummy time, etc.) get a flat back of the head. This wouldn't be optimal for obvious reasons (brain development being one of them). Another reason doing it regularly is not a great idea is because your baby's large joints are not at an optimal position for nerve innervation and getting blood and nerve supply to the distal joints and limbs. AGAIN - a desperate night is a desperate night - but the best place for baby to sleep is on a mattress.

    (Source: my occupational therapy pediatric neurorehabilitation course)

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  • juliane2004juliane2004 member
    imagemlkrsthrnr:

    If you're desperate one night - go for it. However, I wouldn't make it a regular thing because babies who sleep in car seats (and never get floor time, tummy time, etc.) get a flat back of the head.

    Babies who SLEEP AT ALL get flat heads. My DD didn't sleep well before 3 months old and she didnt get a flat head. DS who sleeps amazingly well (in his crib, NOT carseat) has a TOTALLY flat head.

    It's not about the carseat specifically. They get flat heads from laying on their head anywhere (crib, swing, floor, carseat, etc).

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  • Lucky_DragonflyLucky_Dragonfly member
    DS slept in his car seat for 10wks. if that is what works then go for it.
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  • misswilddogmisswilddog
    What about a boppy pillow, would that have the same affect?
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  • danayandcorydanayandcory
    Our pedi recommended putting blamkets rolled up in a U shape under the sheet to keep DD from sliding down the mattress if we propped it up to help with her reflux. We haven't tried it yet because she sleeps in her RnP but worth a try!
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  • NewFamily09NewFamily09 member
    Car seats are kind of hard, so it can make the back of his head a little flat if you do it enough.  I read in Parents mag that it can cause trouble breathing in preemies and babies with low muscle tone- like babies with down's syndrome and some kinds of dwarfism. 
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