Many parents ask me when it is ok to remove the head support from the infant car seat. Equally as many leave the head support in long after the child has outgrown it with the comment, “I never knew when to take it out.” Not to worry, you are not alone!
The head support in a car seat is designed to support the infant’s head during the first few months of life before he or she has adequate muscle control to hold his or her head up in midline. This is also the most important time to protect the baby’s head while he or she is being held so it doesn’t whip suddenly in any one direction. Once the baby has good control of the neck muscles and can hold his or her head up while being held on your shoulder or while the baby is held sitting, it is time to remove the head support from the car seat. Depending on how much opportunity the baby is given to develop those muscles, this can be anywhere from 3 to 5 months of age.
It is important to remove the head support in the car seat to allow the baby to continue to develop strength in the neck and upper back muscles unrestricted. It is also necessary to allow the baby to freely turn his or her head from side to side reducing the risk of flattened spots on the head.
(Speaking of car seats, it also important to make sure the straps are in the right spot so not to squish the baby into a favored head position- leaning to one side all the time. The strap slot should be at the middle of the back of the shoulder for proper fit. You will be amazed how the baby appears longer when the straps are put in the right place!)
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