The use of carrycot for travel by car is quite widespread. The carrypads are portable cribs that are installed sideways, in which the baby travels completely lying down. At first glance they seem comfortable, but they doubt a lot about their safety, and even about their comfort.
The classic carrycot seats have been adapted and approved to be used as retention systems of group 0 for children weighing up to 10 kilos. But, we ask ourselves: Are the carrycot for the car safe?
In principle, the carrycot in which the child is lying should be used only under prescription and medical supervision, or in the case of children with special needs such as premature babies or with respiratory problems, to whom the maxi-cosi type safety seat (in egg shape), due to the semi-sitting position it could cause a respiratory arrest with fatal consequences for the child.
The odds of the child suffers serious injuries when using a carrycot are much higher that when using a maxi-cosi type retention system.
When traveling lying down, in the event of a frontal accident, the baby's head crashes against the walls of the carrycot, and although the sash that incorporates prevents him from being fired, he exerts pressure on the chest, and his neck cannot withstand the abrupt and uncontrolled movement of head.
On the other hand, in a seat in which the baby is semi-seated, and placed with his back to the march (the safest position), in the event of a crash, the back of the carrycot protects the head and neck and absorbs the impact preventing The harness puts pressure on the chest.
For you to see it more graphically, I leave you two videos in which the reactions of the two types of chair are shown against the impact.
Carrycot impact test
Impact test chair type Maxi-cosi (semi-sitting and back to the march)
As you see, the impact is much more violent in the carrycot and therefore the consequences of serious or fatal injuries are higher.
Also, if we talk about comfort, the advantages do not seem to be many from the child's point of view. Staying on your back for a long time increases the risk of plagiocephaly (head crushing) and is totally inadvisable for babies with reflux. By remaining completely lying down and added to the rattle of the car (curves, braking, starting) it is more likely that the baby returns also increasing the risk of suffocation.
In conclusion, the carrycot well to give rides in the stroller the first months, but without abusing. But the baby goes from the cradle to the carrycot, always lying down. The child needs to be seated, in arms in an upright position and lying on his stomach to strengthen the neck and back muscles.
For the car, unless contraindicated choose a retention system in semi-sitting position where you can travel comfortably without risks. There are some baskets with different degrees of inclination, for a softer inclination for the newborn that is pronounced as the child grows.
