Coroner Jacques Robinson issued the warning after examining the sudden death of a two-month-old boy. The infant died last February in a car seat inside his crib after he was left there to sleep by his mother after feeding.
"The car seat is for the car," he said. "It's not for a bed or sleeping."
Robinson says parents who lay their newborns to rest in a car seat inside the cribs for hours are actually putting little babies at an increased risk of death by "positional asphyxiation."
According to Robinson, putting a baby in an upright position to nap in a car seat is harmful, since the toddler's head tends to slump forward, which can lessen a baby's ability to take in oxygen.
"Car seats are named that for a reason. They're not for the house, they're not meant to replace a crib, and they're not meant to be left in a bassinette," said Robinson.
"A baby sitting, or semi-sitting, even at an angle of 30 degrees, does not have the strength to keep his head straight, and it's easy for his airway to be blocked."
Although Robinson agrees that a car seat is vital for transporting infants in a vehicle as they help prevent deaths in accidents, but advises parents not to allow baby to sleep for more than an hour during the ride. In addition, parents should take frequent stops during travel, and should check their baby’s head and neck position time to time.
"We recommend to go with this but not for sleeping or using the car seat as a bed," Robinson said. "A couple hours is fine. Overnight is not fine."
The Canadian Pediatric Society advises parents not to use car seats for nap time for their children.
“The safest place for a sleeping child is in its crib, stretched on its back” said Canadian Pediatric Society’s director of medical affairs, Danielle Grenier.
“A car seat is for just that - a car. It's an excellent tool, but a child, especially a young child, whose head is very heavy relative to its body, must be checked frequently.”
The safest way to keep their babies from dangers of by "positional asphyxiation" is to lay little babies on their backs on a firm surface and to avoid letting kids crowded with soft objects like toys, dolls or blankets, concludes Robinson.
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