Babies in car seat carriers

[Tangerine]

A good number of plagio cases also coincide w/ torticollis. The rotation of the baby's head puts uneven pressure on one side of the back of the head, causing asymmetrical flattening.

 

I've known two babies with plagiocephaly (limited sample size, obviously), but they both had torticollis.

[Momof3littles]

Interestingly, I was talking to my brother's occupational therapist, who told me that all of these seats (car seats, bouncy seats, etc.) are not good at all for babies' development.

My background is pediatric physical therapy, primarily in early intervention, and I agree with your brother's OT.

 

The PT who was my mentor was married to a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. They were both vocally anti overuse of devices, including walkers, exersaucers, etc. Most of my colleagues are/were. The best thing for development is really floor time, supervised tummy time, etc. A small amount of time in devices tends to not be a problem for most children (unless already at risk due to prematurity, etc.), but the problem is we keep ending up with more and more devices. Even if they are only spending 10 mins in one contraption, in many homes it ends up being an hour or two in the swing, plus an hour or two in the bouncy seat, an hour or two in the carseat, etc. As they get older they may still be using several of the above, and now add in the jumper, the saucer, etc. Even in the saucer, babies don't activate their muscles using the same patterns that they do when standing holding onto something like a coffee table or couch. Electromyography allows the us to study how the muscles fire, and there have been studies showing significant differences in how muscles activate in a saucer or walker vs. "active" standing while holding onto a couch, table, etc.

Edited October 22, 2011 by Momof3littles

[learningmama]

My children did not like their car seats. They have both been very intense since birth. Totally agree that it's a personality thing.

[learningmama]

Some babies are screamers, some are sleepers. I think those who believe they've "trained" their babies really just have relatively easy kiddos. Most of my kisd were "high needs" babies and nothing could stop them from howling and screaming. I had one placid baby and my newborn is quite placid. But it's not due to anything I've done, it's just how they are.

 

:iagree::hurray: It took me a looonngg time to accept this fact with my two kiddos, but it so true. They are 6 and 7 now, but all the babies we were around when they where younger were easy and I always felt like the outcast with the "high need, climb the walls at age two, never sleep through the night, untrained" little ones! :lol:

[MrsJewelsRae]

If they fell asleep in the carrier while on the way to the store then I'd bring them in it, I always kept my sling in my purse for when they woke up. If they were awake I would pop them into the sling. But, I live in Canada and it is often blustery and frigid in winter, so I kept them in their carrier whifle bringing them into stores and church, then I'd take them out once they were inside, or if they started fussing. I don't train my babies, we breastfeed on cue, co sleep and sling our babies. All of mine would be happy in the carrier at least for a time, as soon as they start fussing I put them in the sling. My oldest ds had colic and loved the car so we'd drive him around every night until he was right out, then sneak him in the house and keep him in the seat in our room until he woke several hours later- it was the only thing that got him to sleep at night for a few months! I also used to sit in the backseat with them when they were infants so I could tend to them, I can't stand the sound of a crying baby!

[katilac]

My oldest two got those patches from sleeping on their backs. With my 3rd I switched to tummy sleeping and continued with each subsequent child. ...no more bald patch. :001_smile: All of mine LOVED their bouncy seat but had lots of tummy time and mommy snuggles and walked anywhere between 9 mos. and 14 mos.

 

I can't imagine cringing at the sight of a "baby bucket" when you have no idea what goes on at home. It is a safe place for baby when out and about and gives moms enough hands to keep the toddlers from running through the parking lots.

 

No, no, I don't cringe just at the sight of them. I cringe when I see people carrying them like a sack of potatoes, with the seat thunk-thunk-thunking against their leg with every step, and their little heads swinging back and forth.

 

And again, no cringing at a little bald spot, but bald spot and noticeably flat head? Yes, I cringe.