BABY CONTAINERS: Are they helpful or not?

BABY CONTAINERS: Are they helpful or not?

Car seat carriers, tight swaddling with arms contained, boppy pillows, swings, bouncy seats, jumpers. These are some of the pieces of equipment available to parents to assist babies and families. At first glance they certainly seem helpful and definitely convenient for parents who have their hands full. However if a baby spends too much time in any of these devices they are at risk for a multitude of issues that potentially could result in physical problems, functional and developmental delays such as:

· Head flattening (plagiocephaly). Babies’ skull bones are soft and malleable at birth. While the current recommendation to place babies on their backs to sleep has helped to reduce the number of SIDS cases each year, all that time spent “tummy up” while they are sleeping, in addition to time spent in containers throughout the day often leads to flat spots on the back or either side of their head.

· Movement and strength issues. Babies need opportunity to move their head, arms, and legs to develop strength and mobility. Containers are restrictive and can contribute to delays in babies developing motor skills such as rolling, sitting up, crawling, and walking. Babies can develop tightness in the neck from keeping the head turned or tilted to one side (commonly known as torticollis). Lack of opportunity to move freely against gravity can lead to greater strength in the flexor muscles of the front of the body than those in the extensor muscles of the back. Because of delayed rolling, babies can end up having problems with processing how their bodies move in space (vestibular input) impacting overall balance, motor coordination, and ability to concentrate as they grow.

· Speech, vision, visual motor, and social milestones. The delay of motor development frequently impacts a baby’s development of vision, visual motor, speech, and social skills. Being in one position for extended periods with limited ability to move can lead to stronger vision on one eye, limited practice at alternately using near and far vision as a baby has to when on his/her tummy trying to lift its head, lack of ability to bring hands to mouth or within their own field of vision because of restricted movements. Babies in containers often spend less time being held, rocked, and talked to.

Does this mean you are a bad parent if you use these devices? ABSOLUTELY NOT! All parents need a safe place to put their baby down for a few minutes! So what can you do?

· Limit container time. If you have a click in, baby carrier type car seat, consider using it only for the car. When you reach your destination, pick your baby up and carry him rather than using the carrier. Alternatively, for a car seat choice, skip the carrier/click in style and purchase one that is for newborns and transitions all the way to toddlers. You’ll not only automatically decrease time baby spends in a container, but also help to prevent back issues for yourself!!

· Provide plenty of time every day for baby to be on the floor

· Increase tummy time. Make this time fun and socially engaging. Don’t worry so much about the amount of minutes baby stays on her tummy each time you put him there, but more about the quality and frequency throughout the day. Bring baby’s bottom gently to the floor, then lay him down the rest of the way. Gently roll him to his side and over to his tummy. Keep him interested and engaged. If he shows any signs of being uncomfortable, roll him out and comfort him. It’s much better that he feels safe moving into and out of this position than forcing him to stay there for long periods of time. The more frequently she has a positive experience, the longer she will want to stay there!

· Carry your baby in your arms or use a sling if your baby is fussy or unsettled, you need your hands free or you’re going on a walk. Slings allow your baby to feel your heartbeat, socialize, and experience movement, both theirs and yours.

The therapists at ProActive are passionate about helping your baby meet their developmental milestones in all areas so they can THRIVE! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns about your child’s development.