Cold Weather Moms - CarSeats & Coats?

married102708

Hi Gang,

We live in MN where as you all know it's pretty cold this winter already. My LO screams and whines whenever we put his coat on him and strap him into the car seat. I'd tried to make the straps as comfortable as possible, but with the coat on, I think he's still feeling VERY tight in the seat. Any advice, recommendations? Help?

 

Thanks!

biochemgirl

What kind of coat is he in?  Baby should not be in a bulky/puffy coat-it lowers the effectiveness of the carseat.  My DD is in a fleece and we put a blanket on top of that if need be.

Blue1299

In the car I take DD's coat off then put her into her carseat with a blanket or drape her coat over her backwards.

Bianca42

It was 5 degrees this morning.  LO was wearing a sweater and I knew that with the sweater and the light coat I would have to loosen the straps or they would be super tight.  I opted instead to wrap him in a huge fleece blanket over his sweater (he still wore his mittens and hat.)  The blanket was big enough that I was able to strap him in mostly under it and tuck him in with the blanket.  I think he was warmer than normal, because the blanket covered his legs and it's thicker than his jacket.

I did bring his jacket into daycare in case they have an emergency and had to evacuate.

Mrs.Keith2B

I use a lightweight fleece coat on DS when he's in his carseat. I always warm my car up before we go anywhere, and I carry him out to the car in his winter coat/hat/mittens. I take off the mittens and coat, and buckle him into the carseat with on his fleece and hat on. I have a blanket in the car to put over his legs if it's still chilly. I put his big winter coat back on before we get out of the car.

 

I do it more for safety reasons, but like your DS, mine also hates his big puffy winter coat.

curlychic

biochemgirl:

What kind of coat is he in?  Baby should not be in a bulky/puffy coat-it lowers the effectiveness of the carseat.  My DD is in a fleece and we put a blanket on top of that if need be.

THIS. We put a hooded sweatshirt and hat on him and wrap him in a big fuzzy blanket to get him out to the car. Once we get him to the car, we strrap him in and put the blanket over him.

JJ Cole makes a Bundle Me Toddler that fits over the convertible car seat and the stroller. On their website it is about $50. It might be worth getting if you are in a really cold area. https://jjcolecollections.com/original-bundleme

kelbel527

In WI here, so we're used to the cold as well.  It's much safer to put him in his carseat with a coat on.  It's a PITA to take his coat on & off but this is what we do:

Warm up car, put him in sweatshirt in car seat, blanket over legs for the really cold mornings.  coat laying on top of him for extra warmth as needed as well.  I also put his hat on him to keep his head warm & sometimes mittens if the drive is short.

Then I put his coat on him in the backseat before we get out of the car to whereever we're going.  During errands it gets to be a pain, but it's safer.

 

superaunt

i'm in chicago and don't have the luxury of warming the car up first and she still only wears a lined sweater jacket and two hats. i keep the straps as tight as normal because i'd rather hear her scream than the straps be too loose just in case (she commutes with me every morning and afternoon). there's always a thick blanket in the car that i put over her once she's strapped in- and she still gets a binky in the car.

NiniJ55

Blue1299:

In the car I take DD's coat off then put her into her carseat with a blanket or drape her coat over her backwards.

It's such a PITA but this is what we do too.  I live in NYC so our car is parked on the street and not often right in front of the house.  I usually walk with him to the car (in his coat) and then remove the coat once we are in the car.  I don't usually need to use a blanket over him in the car but I alwasy carry one just in case it is needed.

Aerochyck

I feel your pain and this trick has worked for me for a long time.  I put DD in the car seat and fully unzip the jacket.  The straps go over the shoulder and the neckline of the coat.  The coat is pulled out from between the triangle that is made with the straps and everything can be done up effectively "under" the jacket.  I will then either do up the zipper over the straps but otherwise I just use a good blanket.

FemmeNat01

Usually, I remove the coat when I put them in the carseat. They're layered with cardigans and sweaters and I put a blanket over them as well.

NMAWALLACE

You're not suppossed to leave coats on in the seat.  We have a bundleMe on her seat. It's a pin in the ass but we bring her seat inside and put her in it with another blanket. when we take her out we put her jacket on.

pandagirl15

We have a 2 piece coat.  I put the lighter fleece part on her & leave it on.  I put the heavier part on to go out & take if off when she's in the car seat.  I put it back on her when we get out.  I do cover her with a blanket or her coat when she's in the carseat.