Premature Babies And Babies With Low Birth Weight May Have To Pass Car Seat Test Before Leaving Hospital

By Lynne Adkins

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It may take a bit longer to leave the hospital if your newborn was born early or underweight.

The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines are designed to make sure premature and low birth weight babies are safe on the trip home. Kelly Nierstedt, Vice President of Women's and Children's Services at Virtua Health System says the babies must be able to sit safely in their car seats for at least an hour and a half before they're released.

'To make sure that these infants who are at risk for things like apnea, which means that they stop breathing at times, a condition called bradycardia in which their heart rates slows and oxygen," said Nierstedt.

If the baby shows any distress the test is repeated, and if there are still problems, a neonatologist is consulted.