The big day has arrived. You can finally go on vacation, but how do you organize your car trip with your baby? In the vicinity of the summer holidays, the SIN Società el paesena di Neonatologia provides us with some simple and useful advice to choose the best destination, the means of transport and the best care to give to the baby, even on vacation. Let's see together.
In this article
- Newborn in the car: the journey
- Newborn in the car: after the hospital
- Newborn in the car: the egg
Read also: Long journeys by car with a newborn: how to best prepare
Newborn in the car: the journey
It is essential never to hold the baby in your arms during car journeys, whether they are short or long journeys. In fact, it is essential that the newborn is put in safety in the car from the very first days. There are two safe devices allowed by the highway code: carrycot and baby car seat.
Infants can travel by car if favorable weather conditions are guaranteed inside the passenger compartment. It is therefore better to travel in the most temperate hours of the day and place the car in the shade. It is important to respect all the rules of the Highway Code - Art. 172, for a trip in absolute safety! The infant must be housed in its "egg", compliant with European legislation, suitably fixed to the seat and always respecting the installation rules (up to 9 kilos of weight of the child, the seat must be installed in the opposite direction to that of travel ). This is because, in the event of an impact, the child's still underdeveloped skeletal and muscular structure risks being more damaged by the seat belt, rather than against the backrest of the carrycot. It is forbidden to place them on the front seat due to the potentially damaging effects of the airbag; the safest place for the child is the central rear seat, which is more sheltered in the event of a frontal and side impact.
By car do not abuse with the air conditioning, but place it at temperatures not much lower than the external ones and in any case not lower than 22-23 degrees.
It is also necessary to provide a stop every two hours and every time it needs to be fed; never leave him alone, as, for example, the temperature inside the car could reach high levels and the little one could become dehydrated easily.
Newborn in the car: after the hospital
Just 3 days have passed since the birth and it is time to go home. Unless you live near your home, you will need to use your own car or taxi.
The spacecraft
La spacecraft or shuttle is the typical cradle of prams for newborns, offers a very high comfort for the child thanks to the completely horizontal structure. It is suitable for newborns from 0 up to 3-6 months of life, depending on the needs and speed of growth of the little one. The spacecraft is part of the group O in the homologation categories, therefore for a child's weight ranging from 0 to 10 kg.
The label demonstrating the approval of the product has a first line in which the approval code is indicated ECE R44/04, this means that the homologation took place according to the most recent legislation or amendment 04.
However, in order to use the carrycot in the car it is necessary to use a coupling kit which is not usually sold with the wheelchair, but must be purchased separately. This kit generally consists of a belt that is used to secure the carrycot to the car's seat belts, a seat belt for the baby and a bumper strip in (soft) plastic material that must be mounted inside the upholstery of the car. spacecraft.
As for the baby's seat belt, there are two types: one that surrounds the baby's waist and a second, only recently introduced, which consists of a three-point seat belt able to guarantee greater safety in case of impact.
Where to place it
The carrycot must be positioned on the rear seat of the car, perpendicular to the road, and tied to the car seat belts.
Newborn in the car: the egg
L'ovetto it is a real seat and is indicated for newborns from birth up to about 3 years of life, or up to 15 kilos of body weight. The car seat can be fixed on strollers, or it can be mounted and unhooked at will on the car depending on the need.
For transportation by car the egg is the best solution, compared to the spacecraft, as its structure and shape guarantee its maximum security. Especially in the event of an impact, the egg allows the baby to be tossed as little as possible and guarantees maximum stability. The infant can remain in the car seat for transport by car for no more than 2-3 hours, therefore for short distances. In the case of longer journeys - in any case not recommended in the first two years of life, due to the position that the baby would hold inside the egg - it is necessary to insert breaks of 30-60 minutes, every two hours.
The baby, if we are in the car, can sleep inside the egg.
Article sources: SantAgostino Bimbi - Babies in the car and on a walk, is it better to use a baby carrier or carrycot?
