CRs for preemies

Car Seats and Car Beds with Best Fit for Preemies and Small Newborns
    As of 2/10

Car Seats With Low Shoulder Harness Positions (8 inches or lower)
     In general, harnesses for rear-facing use should attach to the car seat through slots that are at or below the infant’s shoulders. For small babies, this fit is not attainable on all car seats because some have lowest slots that are higher than a small infant’s shoulders. Caregivers who are looking for a car seat that has the best likelihood for proper harness fit for a small newborn should consider car seats that have a lowest harness slot position that is 8 inches or less above the seat. Don’t assume all car seats are the same! Though many infant car seats (the type with a handle) have low lowest harness slots, not all do. On the other hand, the larger, convertible-style car seats typically have higher lowest slots, but certain models do have measurements that would fit a small newborn.

Shopping tips:

o Use a tape measure or other measuring tool when shopping.

o When measuring harness height, push down on the seat padding as a child’s weight would.

o Also consider crotch buckle distance from seat back and whether it is adjustable.

Car Seats For Low Weight Babies (under 5 pounds)
     Car seats are required to indicate a lower and upper child weight limit. For most car seats that can be used rear facing, the lower weight limit is 5 pounds, which pose a challenge for newborns who are discharged from the hospital under 5 pounds. A few infant car seat models are made that will fit infants from birth, and others have a 4-pound lower weight limit.
     Some of these seats have specially-designed newborn inserts that can be added to improve the harness fit for very small babies. IMPORTANT: Infant inserts that are not sold with the car seat are non-regulated and should not be used.
     The following is a list of car seats rated by the manufacturers for use by infants less than 5 pounds. Lowest slot height is listed in parentheses, when available, and is measured from bottom of back—with some pressure applied to the pad—up to middle of the lowest slot.

[I] = Infant-only seat; [C] = Convertible seat

Car seats with weight limit below 5 pounds:

Britax: [I] Chaperone, 4 pounds (6” when using insert) Optional newborn foam insert for use under CR padding included.
Chicco: [I] KeyFit, 4-22 lbs. and KeyFit 30, 4-30 lbs. (Both models 6.5” with newborn insert, 7.25” without) Infant insert helps position newborn; see manual for advice concerning length of use.
Combi: [I] Shuttle 33, Birth – 33 lbs.
Learning Curve (Compass): Via, 4 – 22 lbs., must be used with base
Safety 1st: onBoard* 22 (Model # 22077), 4 – 22 lbs. See onBoard 35 below
(* onBoard 22 is also sold as Eddie Bauer Sure Fit when sold as part of the Endeavor Travel System.)
Safety 1st: onBoard 35 (Model # 22395 "Air Infant", 22078 and IC099), 4 – 35 lbs. See onBoard 22 above
Note: Model #22375 has a minimum weight limit of 5lbs.
Graco: [I] Assura, birth – 22 lbs., (7.5”) (discontinued fall of 2009)
Nania/Team Tex, Baby Ride, birth – 22 lbs.; no base, institutional sales only

Car beds: For Infants Who Must Ride Lying Down
Infants who are premature, very small, or have other medical conditions may not be safe riding in the semi-reclined position of a rear-facing car seat. The hospital should monitor at-risk infants in a car seat before discharge, checking for dangerous breathing or heart rate problems that may occur when seated in a semi-reclined position. In some cases, a doctor will determine that the child may go home only if riding in a lying down position.
In these situations, a car bed must be used – but options are limited. Only two car beds are currently made, and one older car bed that is no longer manufactured may still be found for loan at hospitals.

Angel Guard Products: Angel Ride Infant Car Bed, birth to 9 pounds; order from Mercury Distributing, 800-815-6330; www.mercurydistributing.com -- designed specifically for premature infants. Fits on one vehicle seat.
Dorel: Cosco Dream Ride SE, 5 to 20 pounds, 800-544-1108, www.djgusa.com; Reguires two positions of a vehicle bench seat for installation.
Snug Seat: Car Bed, birth to 21 pounds, (discontinued—some hospitals may have loaners available), 800-336-7684, www.snugseat.com

Institutional Distributors: (may not be a complete list)
Evenflo – Car seats for infants: contacts for institutional sales ($500 or over); use NSR below for smaller purchases Linda Galer, (877) 288-0288, lindagaler@aol.com (Indiana and states to the west of Indiana, except Texas) Patsy Pilcher (800) 768-6077, ppilcher@bellsouth.net (eastern states)
  
National Safety Resources (NSR) – Infant car seats: Cosco, Evenflo, Graco Car beds: Angel Guard and Cosco Dream Ride SE  http://www.nsrinc.org 800-620-2268

LBI Distributors, Inc. – http://www.lbidistributors.com/ 609-860-6332 Car seats for infants: Graco Assura and Snug Ride

Mercury Distributing – http://www.mercurydistributing.com/ 330-723-4739 Car seats for infants: Chicco, Combi, Dorel (Cosco, Safety 1st) Nania,  Car beds: Angel Guard and Cosco Dream Ride SE
  
Prevention Alternatives, Inc. ¬– Many CR models discounted including Graco Assura and Snug Ride, Cosco Arriva, and Chicco KeyFit, Cosco DreamRide and Angel Guard Angel Ride car beds 517-927-7731, shinn@comcast.net

Angel Ride car bed:
Angel Guard  http://www.angel-guard.com (to purchase directly; next-day delivery available)
 
Burrows, 847-537-7300 www.burrowsco.com 

Cardinal Health, 800-234-8701 www.cardinal.com 

Mercury Distributing, 800-815-6330 (above)

Prevention Alternatives (above)