Stop letting your baby sleep in a car seat outside the car

According to a new study published in the American Academy of Pediatrics, it may seem convenient to let your sleeping baby continue to sleep in his car seat once you have reached your destination. But it could also put them in danger.

The researchers found that nearly two-thirds of infants died from sleep while sitting in car seats. Yet only a small percentage of these deaths occurred while the babies were in the car. The analysis focused on 11,779 sleep-related infant deaths over a decade, using data from the National Center for Mortality Prevention and Mortality.

Dr. Jeffrey Colvin, lead author of the study, said today that it appeared that the deaths occurred when the car seats were used "as a substitute for a cradle or cradle" and not for the purpose of carrying children. He also said, "Often, we simply saw this context in which the baby was in the car seat for hours and hours and where the supervisor was asleep or intoxicated during the time.

Although the AAP does not clearly indicate why letting babies sleep in car seats outside of vehicles on the road can pose a risk, Dr. Harvey Karp explains that the danger comes from the slope. "When your baby is sitting, his heavy head may fall forward and cause difficulty breathing … and even suffocating," he says. Mia, a 17-month-old girl, died from asphyxiation after napping in her car seat at the daycare.

(It's crucial to remember that car seats are the safest place for babies. during transportand have saved many lives.)

The AAP maintains that, for naps and at night, babies should sleep on their backs on a firm sleeping surface complies with the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Last month, Fisher-Price recalled the hugely popular Rock 'n Play baby sleeper under AAP pressure. A survey conducted by Consumer Reports revealed that 32 infants had died using the bed since 2011.

Let's be honest. When my daughter was a baby, my husband and I were delighted every time she fell asleep in the car and we could carry her in her restful sleep to restaurants, friends or Costco. We leaned on the car seat for baby strongly because of its portability. Now that we have another baby and we know the dangers, it will be difficult to eliminate this convenience. But we do not use a baby car seat this time, but rather a convertible, partly because we do not want to be tempted to remove it from the car. The risk is low, but it is there.

Colvin said today that parents should "absolutely not" worry if their baby falls asleep at the wheel. Do not forget that the car seats are designed for cars. Once you are out, make a small prayer and move your sleeping baby – oh so cautiously – into a cradle or cradle.