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What age can a baby use a pushchair seat instead of a carrycot?

Short answer: It depends on the pushchair: check the seat's minimum age and recline. Newborns need to lie flat.

Here is the detail behind that answer, taken from current UK guidance from the NHS and the Lullaby Trust.

Things to check

  • Check the minimum age for the seat and how far it reclines.
  • Try the fold, the weight and the basket size.
  • Look at the wheels and suspension for your usual routes.

What the guidance says

  • Always place your baby on their back to sleep, in the feet-to-foot position (feet at the bottom of the cot, Moses basket or pram).

Related questions

What is a pushchair?

A wheeled seat for babies and toddlers, often with a reclining seat and sometimes a carrycot option.

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Check each product page for its exact dimensions, mattress size, age and weight limits and safety standards.

More advice

Sources

General information only, not medical advice. Always follow your product's instructions. If you are worried about your baby, contact your GP, health visitor or 111. In an emergency, call 999.