Car Seats Put Infants at Risk for SIDS?

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

I have to say right off the bat that my title for this is misleading. (But truth be told, I couldn't think of an appropriately short title. . .) So here is my disclaimer: you should always put your infant in a car seat while driving. Car seats in and of themselves are not dangerous. But new research suggests you might want to avoid long errands out and make sure your seat is fitted properly to your vehicle when your infant is young.

A study, done in a university in Canada reconstructed the unexpected deaths of approximately 500 infants over a 10 year period. Of the infants that died, approximately 10% died while in their carseats. Researchers believe that in every case of death while in the car seat, the infant's head was lurched forward in such a way that it narrowed the breathing passages.

The study does not bring to question the safety of car seats. As I stated earlier you should always use a car seat. However, I do think that parents should consider getting their seat adjusted by a professional. You can do this for free at various events. Babies R Us has a baby fair about every 6 months (check your local store for details) and you can get your seats checked there.

It's also important to remember to use the appropriate type of seat for your infant. Infant seats for newborns to infants under 20 pounds should always be rear facing. They should 'lean back' enough that the infant's head doesn't lurch forward. Most car seats now come with an infant head rest to help position baby's head properly.

I think something else worth noting that new moms need to be reminded of is that you don't have to do everything right after the baby is born. I certainly realize errands must be run but I think that staying home and resting as much as possible in the first two months after birth is the best possible situation for both mom and baby!

Related Articles:

Cause of SIDS?

Safety and SIDS

Can Co-Sleeping Help Reduce the Risk of SIDS?

Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

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