When deciding on a car seat for your infant, it is incredibly convenient knowing that the infant car seat you choose can also be used as part of your travel system. A quick clip in and out between the vehicle and your pram means you never have to move a sleeping baby! This convenience needs to be reined in though because a car seat was never designed to be anything other than a car seat. A car seat is not designed to be used as a pram, carry cot or sleep space. Leaving your newborn baby in a car seat for an extended period increases their chances of positional asphyxiation and in general is not good for their developing body either.  

Babies under 6 months of age should not be in their car seat for more than 30 minutes at a time and thereafter they shouldn’t be in their car seat for more than 2 hours at a time. By using the car seat as your pram, the baby can quickly be in the car seat for an extended period that would be considered unsafe. Rather use your bassinet or pram seat as a safer and more comfortable option for your baby.  

If you have a premature baby, you may want to consider a lie-flat  car seat, such as the Maxi Cosi Jade which enables you to transport your baby in a lying down position (in both the vehicle and when used as a pram). 

Note: Recently there are several near lie-flat / lie flat car seat options available which make for a safer alternative when using your car seat as part of the pram. Consider these if you intend on using your car seat as your main pram seat too.  

Always check your manual because not all near lie-flat car seats can be used in the near lie-flat position in the vehicle.  

Travel Systems with Near Lie-Flat Car Seat Comparison