S/O preemie fit in seat

gecikuh

Senior Community Member
I'm an OB nurse but haven't worked much since dd was born. Well I actually worked one night last week and left completely livid at the stupidity of other nurses. Every baby born before 36 weeks gets a car seat test, as do those who have a physician order for it. We had a near term babe who was IUGR and weighed 4-8. He was teeny. I got report stating that he passed his carseat test the previous night. I'm less than thrilled listening to the rest of report because I'm dying to go see what the parents brought in for him (they were quite young and from presumably lower class families)

It's a horribly nasty looking snugride, which was shockingly manufactered in '07. But of course, starts at 5 pounds. I'm looking at it thinking there is NO WAY his shoulders are at or above the bottom slots. Therefore the carseat test shouldn't have even been done, as proper fit is a part of it. Well, the long time nursery nurse was working that night too and she proceeds to tell me that she did it and he did fine.
I brought baby in, he wasn't even close to fitting properly. Other nurse refused to admit that he wasn't even close to the bottom slots.

There is one other tech who works there and she works days. I was so hoping she worked the next day (baby was supposed to go home). Sadly she did not. So I gave report staying they needed to figure it out, but he could not go home in that seat. ....And I was happy not to be working again in the near future because I don't even want to know how that turned out.
:mad:
 
ADS

cookie123

New member
Jess, I work in a level II nursery and most kids go home in Snugrides. Rarely do they fit. It's disheartening. Apparently proper fit isn't part of the criteria for passing the car seat eval. Well, I have seen a couple times a new seat was recommended for a pretty small baby in a 3 point Discovery, but that's about it.

Recently car beds and car seats have become available in the gift shop for sale, but I haven't been by to see what seats. I have appealed to Graco a few times to redesign their seats to include a lower harness slot and a closer crotch slot.

You just can't require people to get another car seat.
 

gecikuh

Senior Community Member
Our car seat test policy specifies that proper fit must be determined before even doing the test and that this will be determined by a tech if there is any question. But apparently...like most other things...the policy was written for no reason at all.
Our facility has TONS of resources...if they didn't many of our babies wouldn't leave in a seat at all. Guess we just only use them when we feel like it.
 

cookie123

New member
I also find the whole situation aggravating. The respiratory care people doing the tests are techs supposedly. They need to do their job. I have decided to educate parents when asked and I keep up a folder in the lounge with info in it. When I'm in charge I usually put a few different things on my desk where people walk by and can take it.

We don't have the fit before the test rule. Half the time the parents don't even have their seat there and have to use "our" seat for the test. It's an old Embrace.
 

MoreLatte

New member
I also work in a level II special care nursery and luckily, we have two techs on staff, so I actually have back-up when we have a carseat related issue....I'm not just the crazy carseat-obsessed nurse:p

Our gift shop sells the Graco Assura, which has low bottom harness slots but is a three point, also has no base. If we have a baby who doesn't fit in the seat, we encourage the parents to buy one of those. The sad thing is, they cost about $55!

We made a list of seats that fit preemies well and that has been very helpful. Most parents will buy a new seat if needed. It really helps if all of the staff is on the same page, the parents take you seriously when they're getting the same info from everyone. I know thats hard to come by, though. We've only just in the last few years have had uniformity in the info. I have felt your frustration!
 

autumnlily

New member
The nurses at my hospital wouldn't even test the girls in the carseats I brought because the girls did not fit well (snugrides). My girls were born 36w6d (all babies under 37w0d are considered premature here) and weighed 6lb11oz and 5lb15oz (just super short at 17.5" and 18.25"). Hence, I sent a friend to get two new seats w/three slot options and would fit my Snap n' Go stroller. Ended up with Britax Companions and hated the damn things! But hey, the girls fit and were safe :love: Decent resale value too...
 

cookie123

New member
You're my dream parents!!:) Sadly, most can't afford to do that, at least not our population. Car seats often aren't a priority.

Whoever said they made a list, will you share it? I can't recall and am too lazy to go back and look!! My wireless mouse isn't working all of a sudden.
 

autumnlily

New member
I know we made our nurses day too... I think they felt a bit guilty for being a little harsh about condoning the used (used by me! for our first DD) seats we brought in. But, I didn't know better back then and am grateful they did express a true concern - as it definitely got my attention!

Thankfully my former parents bought the seats as it was not an expense we were prepared for. BUT, in retrospect... I wish we would have spent the $50 for the preemie seats in the gift shop and saved the snugrides until they would have fit (all of four or five weeks after they were born). I felt so silly with the fancy bucket seats... I did get a lot of comments (probably because there were two in our Snap N Go and twins are quite an eye catcher!).
 

sholoulou

New member
My ds was premature. He weighed a bit under 5 lbs when we brought him home. Actually, my mom and husband picked him up because I was in no shape to make the ride to/from the hospital (hard delivery). They did a carseat test on him.. .in a snugride. From reading the above posts I am sure he did not fit well. Even his preemie clothes were big. If they would have told me the seat was too big I would have gotten another seat. No questions asked. Of course after the trip home we really didn't go anywhere - drs orders to keep him home because he was born smack in the middle of a bad flu season. I remember looking at all the infants seats and making the choice between the snugride or the perego. I chose the snugride. They should make the infant seats for 4lbs and up knowing how many preemies are born per year.
 

chloebeansmom

New member
The hospitals here don't care about fit either, all they care about is whether the baby passes the test without any breathing problems. There was no tech at the hospital. My DD was born at 31weeks 5 days and 2lbs 8oz, 15 inches long. She went home 6.5 weeks later at 4lbs 9oz, 18 inches long in a SS1 that was way too big for her. We did everything wrong with that seat, bundle me + after market body support + straps above sholders. At least her harness was tight. I learned quickly and fixed all of the issues but when she went home it was a disaster. The nurses thought it was great though.
This was her car seat test. So when we went home the straps were tighter, but there was also a bundle me lite installed.

3_29_12.jpg
 

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