Car seats for preemies

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Specializes in NICU.

We are having some issues in our NICU about what to do with the little ones (ie former IUGR) that are all set to go home (eating, gaining weight) and pass a car seat test but haven't reached the 4lb requirement for the manufactures recommendation of the seat.

What do you guys do at your facility? Wait until they're 4lbs? Send them in a carbed? Discharge them in a 4lb seat knowing they will most likely reach it in the next few days?

TIA for any insight

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There are several car seats that go down to 4lbs. We only use beds if they fail a seat trial several times. This blog has a list of some of them... Recommended Infant Corificeats for Preemies & Multiples - CorificeatBlog's List of Best Bets

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Specializes in NICU.

Thanks for your reply. So is it the policy if your facility to not discharge until the infant is 4lbs? We had a baby the other day that was former IUGR that was 3lb 14 oz and ready for dc, passed the car seat test but we delayed dc bc the infant didn't meet the seat weight requirement

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A company called Combi makes one car seat with a minimum weight of 3 pounds and one with no minimum weight. Our policy is that they must pass the test in their own seat and that they must meet the weight AND HEIGHT requirements of the seat they have. Sometimes the belts will not fit correctly if they are on the short side.

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Specializes in Aged care, disability, community.

In Australia, car seats don't have a weight limit and britax have just released a new capsule that is specifically designed for preemies. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet as my kid is 4 1/2 years so I don't exactly need it.

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