3 Reasons Why Baby Bouncers and Car Seats are NOT the Best Places for Your Baby to Sleep

27 October 2021 0-3 months 4-7 months Asymmetry Equipment Moving Around Muscle tension The Head Tummy time

“Awww, he looks so cozy there. He’s all tucked in, and definitely sleeps longer in the car seat than in his crib. He looks so peaceful…”

Why on earth would you move a sleeping baby to his crib and risk waking him up?

There are several reasons to do so — and you might be surprised to discover that these reasons are much more serious than my usual “physio-talk”…

Why wake a sleeping baby???

If you watch your newborn drift off to sleep in his or her bouncer or car seat, it might seem as though you’ve found the answer! He sleeps longer in the bouncer and when he starts wiggling and waking up, there is a chance he’ll rock himself back to sleep 😉 — so he’ll have a good nap. This will buy you some time to clean the house, cook dinner, spend time with an older child, or just have a well-deserved break…

Very tempting, isn’t it? However, it’s also very risky. Why? Because your baby might not wake up at all.

I know, you think I’m overreacting: There are many babies that sleep in bouncers or car seats and they are FINE. Sure, I agree. But I would not want to gamble on this. I’m too convinced by the scientific proof.

U.S. research assessed newborn deaths that took place while the baby slept. Of these, 348 newborns died in a bouncer or a car seat, and 90% of the time these devices were NOT being used for their designed purpose. As the name indicates, car seats are for transporting a baby in a car. Some of these deaths were caused by a seat belt, by falling off a sofa or a bed, or by the position of the baby. The average age of death was two months.

What is more, the majority of deaths took place at home — WITH parental supervision.

There is a recent, well-known case which caused a major manufacturer to stop production and to recall over 4.7 million baby bouncers after recognizing that they were responsible for over 30 newborn deaths (the Rock’n’ Play sleeper)…

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends putting babies to sleep on their back and on a firm, flat mattress — removing all toys, blankets, bumpers, or anything else that could block the baby’s airways. Babies’ cribs should be empty, and parents should monitor their baby’s temperature to make sure that the child doesn’t become overheated. Safe sleeping should be a priority for every parent.

Let’s dig a little deeper: Why, exactly, should I move my baby from this comfy and cozy place onto an empty, hard mattress?

Here’s why:

When babies are reclining, the child’s chest is under pressure, the neck is bent, and the chin is pressed against the sternum — causing the upper airways to be less open. Breathing starts to become shallower, and it becomes hard for the baby to move.
Newborns placed in car seats show a decrease in blood saturation (the percentage of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin, relative to total hemoglobin in the blood). One study showed that after only one hour, blood saturation dropped from 97% to 94% — and in 7 out of 100 newborns, blood saturation dropped below 90%. This state is considered to be hypoxia — too little oxygen in the body. I think we are all aware of the consequences of not having enough oxygen for a sustained period of time. Furthermore, anytime a newborn’s saturation level dips below 95%, doctors recommend testing for heart abnormalities…
Research also shows that using bouncers or car seats for prolonged periods of time may result in a flat head and asymmetry in babies.

What about babies with reflux? Maybe you’ve heard the recommendation to place a baby in a car seat to sleep or to place books under the child’s mattress? Don’t these approaches decrease spitting up and reflux?

Technically, they do. However, this does not mean the underlying problem is gone. Studies indicate these approaches might stop the stomach contents from getting OUT of a baby’s mouth — but they still flow back into the esophagus. Sometimes, this makes things worse. The resulting buildup of digestive acidity causes heartburn, pain, irritability, sleep and feeding issues, abnormal arching, tensing of the shoulders, clenched fists, and so on…

That’s why the AAP recommends laying all babies — even those suffering from reflux — on their backs and on a firm, flat surface. The only exceptions are babies with respiratory problems — and only when recommended by a physician.

Some parents worry that their baby could choke when spitting up while sleeping on the back. Luckily, thanks to our anatomy and gag reflex, babies are safe.

As you can see, there are definitely much safer places for newborns to sleep than in bouncers or car seats. These two items are not a replacement for a crib, and should only be used for their designed purposes.