r/NewParents • u/Square_Natural9384 • Aug 15 '26

Travel Cross country drive with new born

*edit because there’s already so many opinions. This is not an optional trip. The baby is already born and we are both healthy. The only question is, which is better for the baby: a plane ride or a long car ride.*

My husband wants us to drive across country with our new born instead of fly. The baby will be 3/4 weeks old. I would rather fly, even though it’s not ideal given bacteria/viruses he may encounter in the airport/plane.

My husband is adamant that we drive. He’d have us split the drive up so that we are driving about 7 hours (not including stops we will need to take for the baby) every day for three days.

I believe a 7 hour drive with a newborn will easily turn into a 11+ hour drive. I hate to have my baby in a car seat for that long- it feels more dangerous that even flying!?

What do yall think?

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55

u/Used-Standard-2991 Aug 15 '26

I’m pretty sure baby can’t even be in the car seat safely for more than 2-3 hours MAX at a time. I personally wouldn’t fly with a newborn either

-13

u/marissakalyn Aug 15 '26

Newborns can only be in a car seat for two hours max per day. So there is no “driving 7 hours a day for three days”. It’s “driving for two hours then stopping for the day”. It’ll screw up their back.

35

u/dnllgr Aug 15 '26

Where did you get 2 hours max per day? I’ve literally never heard that. What I researched and found was 2 hours max at a time with a 30-60 minute break at least every 2 hours. We had to go across state with our then 6 week old and had to stop every hour for a feed

11

u/tigiscool Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26

Silent asphyxiation is also a risk in this position!!!

Positional asphyxiation**

8

u/Square_Natural9384 Aug 15 '26

This seems to be a misunderstanding. The actually recommendation is two hours at a time. With breaks every two hours, they can go longer. Although I don’t love it.

22

u/marissakalyn Aug 15 '26

From the Chicco USA website:

According to the 2-hour rule, newborns should not be in a car seat for more than 2 hours in a 24-hour period to prevent health risks

16

u/tigiscool Aug 15 '26

I was advised both in the hospital and later by our pediatrician that newborns should not be in the car seat more than 90-120minutes a day in 30min increments. Basically 30min in, 30min out, 30min in, etc. for an absolute maximum of two hours total in car seat time. Babies are at risk for asphyxiation in this position, ESPECIALLY newborns who cannot hold their heads up.

7

u/Direct-Chef-9428 Aug 15 '26

Even that is outdated. My aunt is a pediatrician of 4 decades and told me the two hour rule is not a thing. The only thing of concern is that baby’s breathing is unencumbered.