Does the Snap N Go equal too much time in car seats?

[JenniferMC1971]

My baby is due around Labor Day, and I was thinking of getting a Snap N Go or some other infant car seat compatible stroller frame or stroller. However, some books and other things I've read said that too much time in car seats for infants is bad for their development. What I've read says to use it for the car only. But I see people carting the infant carrier part all over - at church, at the grocery store, in stroller frames, etc. Is this a real concern or just some hype?

- Jennifer, first time mom-to-be

[Deborah_Hogan]

I don't know re: development. But the Snap and Go was one of my 5 couldn't-live-without baby products. I can't recommend it enough.

[ctmom]

if you plan on leaving the house in the first few months after the baby is born it is a must...the baby is constantly sleeping and unless you want to wake a sleeping baby, you need it. The baby will have enough time out of it to stretch out.

[houseof3boys]

I don't think so! I love mine and think it was one of the best things I bought for both kiddos. I use it to do small grocery shopping since the basket is so huge too.

Lots of people let their babies sleep in the car seats when they are at home too. I think that as long as you are good about not keeping your baby in the seat all day long, it's not a big deal. I don't mean to sound flip about it all but some people do leave their kids in there a long time and I think that's crazy. I have several slings and carriers so we use those a lot of them time instead of the car seat.

The snap and go is also great since you don't have to wake the baby to put them in the stroller, you just get the seat out of the base in the car and put them in the snap and go and buckle them in!

I like the Kolcraft UCSC the best!

[cmaika]

Snap N Go is great - most definitely hype!

[spikeso]

I have to offer an opinion of dissent. A couple years ago, before our first born, I was doing the research and was drawn to the SNG. But friends of ours had their first 3 months before we did. They used their infant carseat carrier quite a bit, often letting the baby sleep for hours in the carseat outside the car. They also used a SNG as their only stroller for the first few months. Their baby got a mild case of Plagiocephaly (flathead syndrome). Needless to say, that spurred me to do more research on the topic. Have you ever seen the poor kids that have to wear those big, thick helmets? That is for reshaping their skulls! Frightening (to me at least).

Carseats are meant to protect, not to be comfortable beds. They are rigid plastic, with little padding, and their angle is not flat. Strollers, on the other hand can recline flat, have good padding for a soft surface, and provide some room for a baby to naturally move around a bit. Keep the babies in carseats for as short a time as possible.

My opinion is this: Why take the risk of having it be your only option, when you can get a versatile stroller that can 1) take an infant carseat for very short trips, 2) provide a fully reclined, cushy surface for medium and long walks, 3) last through toddlerhood, and 4) save you the $40 or so that you would spend on the SNG?

There are lots of nice options in strollers that take carseats for the very short trip. Why not give yourself the option of putting the baby into a comfortable stroller for that leisurely stroll?

Sorry to rant, I just think its important for the health of babies.
-neal

[carolines mommy]

I agree that too many people schlep their baby all over the place leaving them in their seats for hours. We have been fortunate enough to have a baby who easily goes back to sleep when we move her from her infant seat to the stroller. *some* babies are more difficult to get to sleep this I understand. When moving baby from the carseat to a stroller baby will usually fall right back to sleep if they wake up because of the movement of the stroller. My dd1 had a bit of the "flat head" because I admittedly didn't know that leaving her in her carseat if she was asleep would cause it. I had always heard "never wake a sleeping baby" but have you also heard "sleeping like a baby"? Amazing what those little humans can sleep through!!! I say forego the SNG and get a stroller that accepts an infant seat instead.

Erika
Mommy to Caroline Nov 03 and Chelsea April 05

[reidsmum]

I wanted to offer an opinion here as well. I would agree with most of the posters who said that this was a couldn't live without item. As for the "flat head" issue - we raised it with my pediatrician and kids get it from lying in bed, from the car seat, from *any* place that they lie on the flat of thier head without changing positions. Our pediatrician acutally *recommended* putting our son to sleep in the car seat if he was congested or when we were concerned about reflex. Most newborns don't sleep more than a few hours at a time anyway, and as long as you're moving them around when they're awake, it doesn't really matter where they are when asleep.

We are due with #2 in about a month and only looking at double strollers that will allow us to use the car seat as we found it so invaluable with #1.

Good luck!
Deb
mom to Reid 16 months and #2 ???next 5 weeks.

[daniele_ut]

I have to agree with Deb on this one. The increase in cases of plagio started around the same time as the "Back to Sleep" campaign to fight SIDS. I looked online and was unable to find any hard research that suggests it to be detrimental. I have several friends with reflux s whose children would only sleep in the carseat. DS had mild reflux and slept in his bouncer for 4 months! He really didn't enjoy the SnugRide for the first few months, so the SNG may have been a waste for us, but I am probably going to get one for the next baby. DS was a light sleeper at first and it got really old getting him in and out of the carseat all the time when we were running errands. I wouldn't let him spend all day in the carseat, but the hour or so I would spend at the mall or grocery store seems like it would be just fine to me!

[toomanystrollers]

I love my strollers :) but when the kids were itty bitty - I used a sling/pouch - nice & snug, no strangers poking and coughing on them, & no worries of plagio.

Check out the baby carrier forum for some great recommends :)