Are there special car seats for preemies?

[hisno1girl]

I'm going to have a shitload of questions about preemies so please bear with me. I want to have the information to share with my nephew and sister.

How does a car seat work when the baby is really little?  

[ijack]

Most car seats start at 5lbs, so the baby should be okay in whatever seat they have.
Feel free to page me if you have questions

[callalily]

The Chicco Key Fit 30 goes down to 4lbs. That's what the hospital recommended. I had preemie twins so feel free to PM me anytime.

Added: there's also the breathing issue. They need to pass a car seat test to prove they can breathe while in that position. Preemies notoriously forget to breathe and have "spells". DD came home at 4lbs 2 oz and DS came home at 4 lbs 6 oz after failing the car seat test once. Each time they fail the car seat test, it's 5 more days in The hospital.

[ijack]

May 7, 2014 19:37:50 GMT -5 chilerellanos said:

Well, they'll probably have to stay in the hospital until it's a certain weight. They'll bring in the regular carseat they already bought and do a car seat study. They test to make sure the baby doesn't have any respiratory issues while in the carseat. If it does fine, it goes home in that carseat. If it doesn't, sometimes they'll retest. Or they can go home in a carbed.

I would just like to dispel this myth - there isn't a weight requirement to be discharged as long as the baby can eat, breathe, keep it's own temp, and gain weight

[marissa]

Our NICU did a car seat test before they came home, if they failed it we would have had to rent a car bed seat rather than a cars seat. They are for babies less than 5 pounds or have issues breathing. Two of my three that were in the NICU came home under 5 pounds. The one who was bigger had a monitor because he would have episodes where he would stop breathing.

[katfco]

In addition to the car seat test, they'll likely have to just use a towel or blanket instead of the usual infant insert to make the baby's head more secure. Here's what Abby looked like when she came home: 

Attachment Deleted

It was a regular infant car seat, but she was nestled in more than the usual newborn because she was still smaller. 

Feel free to add me to the list of people you can ask questions of. 

[ijack]

May 7, 2014 19:39:55 GMT -5 chilerellanos said:

May 7, 2014 19:39:04 GMT -5 ijack said:

I would just like to dispel this myth - there isn't a weight requirement to be discharged as long as the baby can eat, breathe, keep it's own temp, and gain weight

Ok, well, so I worded that wrong. But I was just stating simply that it will have to be ready to go home before they dismiss it.

I just know there are a lot of people that think preemies are just small babies and just need to grow before they come home. So I was trying to educate others

[mudslide]

The chicco keyfit 30 is a really good one for preemies. It was the only type I saw being brought in for the test. We actually bought ours before we knew we were having a preemie.

[fivechickens]

This might have been mentioned but my littlest one was just under 5lbs when we brought her home so we had to get a car seat that was 4lbs and up. Most are 5lbs but, if needed, a 4lb is easily found. i think mine was Graco.

How early was she? It looks like (if its the picture you posted) she is not on oxygen which is great?

[lavender444]

There are certain amendments that can be made with well placed wash clothes that help a tiny baby fit their car seat better. If the preemie in your life falls into that group of little ones who ace their car seat challenge, the hospital will help to adjust the fit. Odds are the baby will be above 5# before going home, though. They don't waste any time fattening those NICU babies up!

[sweetday]

Our car seat is from 4 lbs and up.
He was given the breathing test before being released and we added blankets on each side of his head to secure him.

[nodontdothat]

Chicco again here, mine was discharged at almost 6 pounds.

[angelaa73]

Adam came home at 4lbs 8oz in his maxi cosi mico. They had to do a carseat stress test first, though. some little ones somehow suffocate in them. I have no idea how and I;m not googling

[angelaa73]

and erin cruised home at 5 1/2 lbs in the same carseat and I have no idea if she had a stress test. probably not, because.. you know... 2nd neglected kid.

[mudslide]

I didn't realize you had preemies, angelaa.

[snickers]

My Graco snugride was okay after 5lbs!

[hisno1girl]

May 7, 2014 19:55:43 GMT -5 fivechickens said:

This might have been mentioned but my littlest one was just under 5lbs when we brought her home so we had to get a car seat that was 4lbs and up. Most are 5lbs but, if needed, a 4lb is easily found. i think mine was Graco.

How early was she? It looks like (if its the picture you posted) she is not on oxygen which is great?

she was six weeks early and hasn't been on O2 at all.

My sister said she was doing really well. Breathing, eating, and pooping. They have a tube in her nose, which I assume is for feeding.

My sister posted another picture of her today and I noticed that the whites of one of her eyes is bright red and that was a little alarming.  The entire iris is ringed with red. It almost looks like blood. Any ideas? ijack katfco 

I don't want to ask my sister what it is in case it's something serious.

The baby's mother was admitted on Friday night because her BP was really high and that's why they did the C-section so early.

The mom is only 16 and was really in denial about being pregnant so I'm not sure if she was really taking care of herself properly.

[katfco]

Yes, the nasal tube is for feeding. It makes it easier for babies to learn to breast feed while still getting nutrition (because the tube in the mouth can get in the way of nursing).

I believe the red is common and will go away after a while.

[fivechickens]

The NG tube is common with preemie's. Being born so early the babies don't (always) know his to suck/swallow/breathe.

Sounds like she is doing great.

[rubiakt]

P

[soozy87]

My son came home at 4 pounds, 4 oz. His Britax B-Safe car seat is rated starting at 4 pounds.

[peachdragon]

May 7, 2014 19:41:15 GMT -5 katfco said:

In addition to the car seat test, they'll likely have to just use a towel or blanket instead of the usual infant insert to make the baby's head more secure. Here's what Abby looked like when she came home: 



It was a regular infant car seat, but she was nestled in more than the usual newborn because she was still smaller. 

Feel free to add me to the list of people you can ask questions of. 

This is exactly what we did for Anna.