How safe is your baby's car seat really? (2024)

Getting your new baby home from the hospital is one of the first challenges new parents face. But complicated regulations surrounding baby car seats can make it tricky to find one that's the right fit for your car.

Now, new research from Swindon's Great Western Hospital has discovered that keeping newborn babies in an upright position for prolonged periods of time can cause breathing problems. The study, which did tests with newborn and premature babies, simulated the effects of travelling in a car seat at 30mph. Worryingly, after just 30 minutes, infants' heart rate and breathing increased significantly and the amount of oxygen in their blood fell dramatically.

Professor Peter Swindon, one of the experts behind the study, is recommending that parents of new born babies avoid unnecessary car journeys, and that infants under a month old should not be kept in a car seat for more than 30 minutes.

MORE: IS YOUR CHILD’S CAR SEAT KEEPING THEM SAFE?

Why car seats are still the safest way for babies to travel

It is still a legal requirement for children to travel in a car seat until they’re 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first. And experts from the Baby Products Association have been quick to caution that car seats are still by far the safest way for babies to travel and that 'lie flat' travel arrangements may not be safe.

A statement on its website read: 'The results are inconclusive. There were a low number of clinical trials conducted and there is no determination as to whether the incline and/or the vibration of the car seat used for the study impacted the results as no 30 degree with vibration control test was conducted.

'It is a generally accepted rule that young babies are safest in a ‘lie flat’ position. However, car seats are designed to minimise the head from pulling on the critical neck area in the event of a collision and a complete lie flat rearward facing position would not provide the safety required. This is why manufacturers design seats as they are today.'

Best advice
However, the organisation does reiterate the advice not to keep newborns in a car seat for more than half an hour. The statement continued: 'In light of this study and other studies surrounding the safest position for a baby to be positioned for prolonged periods of time we fell that it would be prudent to introduce a new guidance that the system should not be used for periods of longer than 30 minutes for babies under four weeks of age and two hours for those older than four weeks.'

MORE: HOW TO BUY A CHILD CAR SEAT

Mothercare has been advising parents to avoid travelling for more than 30 minutes for some time now. A spokesperson from the retailer said: 'Car seats are the safest way to transport babies and children in vehicles but we recommend that babies of under four weeks and babies of low birth weight should spend no longer than 30 minutes in a car seat at any one time and that parents should take breaks, removing their babies from the car seat for a minimum of 30 minutes.'

'We recommend following the guidance of the car seat manufacturers when using car seats and for any further information about travelling safely with little ones, parents should contact their health visitor or seek medical advice.'

How safe is your baby's car seat really? (3)

Top tips for using car seats safely

  1. Never buy a second-hand car seat. It may have been in an accident and won't be safe for your child. Remember - damage won't always be visible so even if a secon-hand seat looks safe, it may not be.
  2. Replace your car seat as soon as your child grows out of it. A seat that is too small for your child will not protect them in the event of a collision.
  3. Don’t use rear-facing child seats on a passenger seat with an active airbag. It's illegal and dangerous. If there's an accident and the airbag is set off, it could cause a serious injury or death.
  4. Choose a rear-facing seats. It’s best to keep your children in rear-facing seats for as long as possible as if you’re in a collision, rear-facing seats give them more protection.
  5. Not all seats fit all cars. Before you buy, check that the seat is suitable for your make and model of car - don’t leave it to chance. If you’re buying from a specialist shop, ask for help fitting the seat into your car. Make sure it sits flush with the car seat and doesn't rock around.
  6. Make sure that you know how to correctly install the car seat. And check that anyone else who might be taking your child out in their car also knows how to safely fit the seat. Follow the instruction manual provided with the seat rather than leaving it to trial and error.
  7. If you must take a long journey... with a baby under four weeks old, try and make sure there's an adult sitting in the back so they can regularly check that your baby is breathing comfortably.
  8. Take regular breaks. Even if you are able to travel with an adult in their back seat to keep an eye on your baby, you still need to take regular breaks. Take a break every 30 minutes to give your baby the chance to lie flat for a while.

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How safe is your baby's car seat really? (2024)
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