Question- Bundle Me / Snowsuit

Mich411

I have a really dumb question!  Our little one is due any day now, and will be a few months old come winter.  We have a bundle me (gift) and I was wondering if my little one will need a snowsuit too? 

Any parents currently using these bundle me things?  If so, are you using both or dressing little one warm and using a sleep sack and then putting them into the car seat with the bundle me.

Rather, I should ask.  What should I be doing?

bakemecakes

Snowsuits are thought to be unsafe in a carseat, since they add a lot of padding under the baby and between the baby and the straps.  A bundle me adds the extra fabric under the baby, but allows the straps to rest on the baby's body (safer). 

What I used instead of a bundle me, was essentially a fleece shower cap.  It was nylon (waterproof) on the outside and fleece on the inside and had elastic all the way around it.  Then it slipped on over the top of the carseat with a whole for the baby's face.  That way there was no extra fabric anywhere.

The inside of the carseat got really toasty with the cover on, so I would dress her normally, in seasonally appropriate outfits.  If it was really cold out, I'd add mittens and a hat.

 

BeccaMarie

bakemecakes:

What I used instead of a bundle me, was essentially a fleece shower cap.  It was nylon (waterproof) on the outside and fleece on the inside and had elastic all the way around it.  Then it slipped on over the top of the carseat with a whole for the baby's face.  That way there was no extra fabric anywhere.

This would be my advice too!

MrsGo4Hockeychick

both the bundle me and snowsuits are unsafe. 

You can get a thin fleece snowsuit, and use a shower cap style cover. I have 2 car seat covers (we got summery one from the baby expo, and had bought the other when K was a baby). We have the cover that looks like a car from babbaco. It was on babysteals. Kiddopotamus and Eddie Bauer both make safe car seat covers. You can put blankets under those for extra warmth.

 

If you're worried about the thickness of a snowsuit or jacket, this is the test we recommend at our car seat clinics. Put the baby in the outerwear, and buckle them in the seat. Adjust the straps to the proper fit. Take baby out WITHOUT adjusting the straps at all. Take the outerwear off, and buckle baby back in. If you have to adjust the harness, the outerwear is too bulky.

Another note about the bundleme. I know they claim they're crash tested. The biggest problem with this, is that there is no federal crash test for after market products. You don't know how they tested, which seats they tested it in, nothing. They could have literally thrown the bundle me against the wall, and since it didn't fall apart, claim it was "crash tested". It will also void the warranty on your car seat. meaning if you were in an accident, and the bundle me was in use, and your car seat failed in anyway, the company will not be liable to replace your seat or pay for any medical treatment that results because you were improperly using their product.  

Jessica011010

My LO was born in Dec. We got a snowsuit and we only used it once. We got a car seat cover, like the Bundle me, but not that brand (can't remember the name). It only went over the top of the car seat (not under the baby and you don't have to worry about putting the straps through). I got it at Walmart, very reasonably priced. And then I just dressed him in seasonally appropriate clothes and added blankets over if needed, but usually he was warm enough without blankets.

Janell's Nest

I agree with PP...not to mention if you use the bundle me and something did happen I think it voids the warranty on your car seat as well.  The bundle me's aren't great because the straps can't lay flat (I suppose you could cut the hole to be better) the slots that the straps come through are vertical and could cinch the car seat straps making them ineffective.

We just got the shower cap thing for our guy...he was WAY more then warm enough in there...the poor dude sometimes even sweat!  Those infant carriers are like little heaters! 

ElizabethD

you also have no idea when it's actually going to be chilly and how big your baby will be.    I had a friend whose baby was 4 months YOUNGER than mine but they weighed nearly the same for a while .. crazy. 

My babies were also tall so they were 4-5 months old when they outgrew their infant car seats.  Honestly I usually just wrapped them inside my winter jacket if we went places.  Otherwise we had blankets in the car to put on them after we strapped them in.

 I do think sweating and overheating is a bigger problem!  Parents get so worried they don't stop to actually see what they're doing = heated car, baby is well dressed, with blankets...in a snuggly car seat.

ariel06

Skip the snowsuit.  We have one from DS#1 that still has the tags on it.  The shower cap style covers are the best. 

mbgreenwalt

DD was born in February and we never used a snowsuit or bundle me.  We put her in long sleeves and pants and used a blanket over her seat.  We carried extra blankets in the car in case we broke down too.  She did great and would actually get too warm at times.

littlemonkeycat

My daughter was born in December and I worried about this type of thing constantly when I was pregnant.  We ended up using a thin fleece snowsuit and/or the shower cap style carseat cover.  They stay warmer than you'd think.

preg_amy

With DS, we always had him in a thin coat (and he usually had a long sleeved outfit under that.  And then we just piled blankets on top of him.  I never bought one of the shower cap covers (although I think it would have been helpful).  But yeah, we just put a good hat and some mittens to cover those areas, and we had one specific warm knitted afghan that we put over him when we had to walk outside, and we had a fluffy blanket that we put over his lower body for that time, too.  He always seemed warm enough.