The old adage, never wake a sleeping baby may seem like excellent advice, but in the case of babies and inclined surfaces, nothing could be further from the truth. Babies should always be put to sleep on a firm flat, safe sleep surface. They should never be left to sleep in a car seat.
Research released in the American medical journal, Pediatrics (2019), revealed that allowing babies to sleep in car seats and capsules in contexts other than standard travel increases the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in an Infant. (SUDI).
Analysing 2004–2014 US National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention data, researchers found that of 11,779 infant sleep-related deaths during this period, 348 occurred in sitting devices. Furthermore, 62.9% of those inclined cases occurred in a car seat, with less than 10% of those car seats being used as directed.
Leaving babies to sleep in a parked car presents an additional overheating risk due to how quickly temperatures can rise. However, the study revealed risks also extend to improper use outside of the vehicle, with more than half (51.6%) of deaths occurring in car seats taking place at the infant’s home.
These concerning statistics confirm Red Nose’s advice that letting your baby sleep in a car seat, capsule, or other sitting device any longer than is necessary for travel is a potential risk to your baby’s safety.
Why you should not leave a baby to sleep in car seat
An inclined sleep surface creates the potential for a dangerous ‘Chin to chest’ position when sleeping
A firm, flat surface is a much safer sleeping environment than an inclined position, such as a car seat. This is because leaving babies in a curved position for a long period of time, as is the case in a car seat, means their neck is flexed forward. This posture places them in a ‘chin to chest’ position, which can block their airway and increase the risk of SUDI.
Even when supervised, it may not be easy to detect if a baby is experiencing respiratory distress. Therefore, it is not recommended to leave infants in this position for sleep even when they are being actively watched. Additionally, falling out of the car seat may present another safety concern.
How to keep your sleeping infant safe when travelling
Infants may need to spend prolonged periods of time in a car when travelling long distances. In this instance, it is recommended to take frequent breaks where infants are taken out of their car seat at regular intervals.
Upon arriving at a destination, infants should be removed promptly from their car seat – even if it means waking them up – and returned to a firm, flat surface free of loose or soft items to safely continue their sleep.
It is also important to remember never to leave your baby to sleep in a car seat whilst the car is parked
Even in cooler weather, a parked car can heat up very quickly. And in the Australian summer, research shows the interior of a car can be up to 30-40 degrees Celsius higher than the ambient temperature.
What about portable capsules?
We do not recommend the use of portable capsules or car seats as sleeping devices when you arrive at your destination. Even if you are actively watching your child, the risk associated with sleeping in an inclined position makes these devices unsuitable for sleep. When you use a car seat outside of the car, there’s also a risk your child could fall out.
When your baby does need to spend a prolonged period of time in their car seat – for example, when travelling for long distances – we recommend taking frequent breaks where you take baby out of the car seat at regular intervals.
For Safe Sleeping and Safer Pregnancy information call 1300 998 698 (business hours) or visit our online advice hub.
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