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November 2015 Moms
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Car Seat In Winter Weather

angelinthepit23angelinthepit23 member
edited January 2016 in November 2015 Moms
So I just got done reading about how children shouldn't be in a car seat with bulky clothing which includes winter jackets.

Doesn't seem right to have your child take their jacket off in the cold and sit in a cold (sometimes freezing) car until it warms up and then go back into the cold to put their jacket on.

Am I missing something?
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Re: Car Seat In Winter Weather

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  • wimamaof2wimamaof2 member
    We dress LO in layers + hat and gloves and put a blanket over him (below the armpits). Also, we have a cover for the car seat that looks like a winter jacket.
    We keep our car seat inside the house that way it is always warm.
    LO's car seat attaches to the stroller with an adapter (we have the bob stroller by britax). That way we don't have to take him out of the car seat. Does your travel system have that option?
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    With the infant carrier, we just put a blanket and hat over her fleece sleeper and use the car seat cover. For when she's older, we'll put a thinner fleece under her coat to keep her warm while her coat goes on. or we'll buy her Something like this:
    https://www.cozywoggle.com/about-the-cozywoggle
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  • Pontot31Pontot31 member
    We have a shower cap type cover for my son's car seat. For my daughter she wears a north face fleece and a hat.
    It's much safer to be a little chilly in the car than to wear a bulky coat. It's 5 degrees here today. We just warm up the car a little bit before putting them in.
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    Some more options:
    https://csftl.org/hello-winter-good-bye-coats/
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  • kmd91kmd91 member
    I don't have to worry about this since 60 degrees is about as cold as it gets here. But there are so many better options than putting your child into a car seat in a bulky jacket which will then compress in the event of an accident, putting your child at terrible risk. I know it's not as cold as elsewhere, but if I have to take our little guy out in the middle of the night when it's cold, I'll use a blanket to keep him warm.

    You can also do a fleece jacket, because they're thin but dense, therefore they're warm, but don't have the bulky jacket issue. Then as PP said, gloves and hat. Add a blanket and they should be okay for the little bit of time it takes for the car to warm up and you can throw on bulky winter items as you're getting them out of the car.
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  • gipfishgipfish member
    Car seat covers! Jane doesn't even have a winter coat. That cover turns the car seat into a little sauna
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  • jdal1206jdal1206 member
    I love the JJ Cole bundle me for the car seat...it's like a winter sleeping bag so LO can stay warm but not have a bulky jacket on...like other PP's have said we warm the car up first to help with the quick transition from warm house to chilly outside!
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  • ShianeNicoleShianeNicole member
    We use a very thin jacket. It actually came as part of an outfit but it's white so it goes with everything. We heat the car first, and have the JJ Cole bundle me. Personally, I think it's super rare for a child to fly out of a coat, and a five point harness. But I'd rather be safe than sorry. We also live in below zero temps. We try to leave her with my mom if we have several places to go. I don't like taking her in and out a bunch without letting the car have time to heat up. We bought one of those winter coat type things for her that is all one piece but have not used it yet. It's a newborn and still huge on her. I haven't seen the research on them, if they are safe or not.
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  • angelinthepit23angelinthepit23 member
    I'm not so much worried about when he's in the infant car seat because we have a cover but once he's in the convertible seat I just see this being horrible to leave the house.
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  • Elyse1384Elyse1384 member
    angelinthepit23 said:

    I'm not so much worried about when he's in the infant car seat because we have a cover but once he's in the convertible seat I just see this being horrible to leave the house.

    The alternative is more horrible though. The info I gave in my initial reply is how we keep DS warm who is in his car seat (not an infant bucket seat which is easier to keep warm). It gets very cold mid winter in MA and this has never been a problem with my previously described practices. Truly, LO will be better off with a hat, gloves and blanket then barely strapped in. I sometimes even put DS's jacket on backwards once in the seat so his arms are in the coat and his chest is covered. He is fine.
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  • GoogleMDGoogleMD member
    angelinthepit23 said:

    I'm not so much worried about when he's in the infant car seat because we have a cover but once he's in the convertible seat I just see this being horrible to leave the house.

    I would say it is much better than finding them on the side of the road after an accident because they went through the windshield. Avoid taking little one out when it is cold if possible, warm the car prior to leaving. Dress them in warm layers and put a blanket over them after they are buckled.
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  • Pontot31Pontot31 member
    angelinthepit23 said:

    I'm not so much worried about when he's in the infant car seat because we have a cover but once he's in the convertible seat I just see this being horrible to leave the house.

    For my 4 year old we have always just bought a nice fleece- like a north face and she wears that until we get to where we are going and then she has a heavier coat for over it. If we are just running into a store she stays in her fleece.
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  • MargaretC5MargaretC5 member
    angelinthepit23 said:

    I'm not so much worried about when he's in the infant car seat because we have a cover but once he's in the convertible seat I just see this being horrible to leave the house.

    We use a thin jacket. We adjusted the straps with no jacket, if you can fit the child and jacket in without adjusting the straps again the coat is thin enough to wear in the car seat. As PP mentioned we also keep a blanket in the car and preheat the car. DS never says he is cold, it is really not an issue (we are in Massachusetts).
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  • ShianeNicoleShianeNicole member
    I guess ours isn't the bundle me. It's just the cover that goes over the top of the seat. I wasn't aware of the different ones. It's JJ Cole but just goes on top the seat.
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    ShianeNicole said:

    I guess ours isn't the bundle me. It's just the cover that goes over the top of the seat. I wasn't aware of the different ones. It's JJ Cole but just goes on top the seat.

    Good! Those are the safe kind :)
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  • rachswirachswi member
    You can also put them in their seats and buckle them in. Then put their coat on backwards over them so they won't get their arms out and be cold.
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  • bellie1223bellie1223 member
    Yeah we just dress her in whatever then when we leave the house make sure she's wearing socks and a hat, then cover her up with a thick blanket (it's cold here). If it's snowing we'll add another blanket draped over the top. I used to be nervous she was cold but when I reach back to check on her, she always feels warm. Also if it makes you feel any better our ped told us they make car seats out of fabric that reflects heat to help keep 'em warm.
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  • eamarateamarat member
    Wait, it's still winter? Swimsuits are out and we're preparing for summer here :p

    But on topic, on cooler days we do something long-sleeved and then a fuzzy blanket afterwards.
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  • jdal1206jdal1206 member
    dramaphile said:

    FYI, the JJ Cole bundleme causes the same issue as bulky jackets. (It's mentioned in the link above) If you put one in and then tighten the straps and then remove it and put baby back in, the straps will be loose. We have one, but only use it in the stroller. The safest thing for an infant seat is to use a "shower cap" style car seat cover that doesn't go between baby and the seat.

    The issue with coats is not that the child will fly out of them, it's that you can't get the straps tight enough to prevent injury with a bulky coat on. Here is a video of what happens in a crash if a coat keeps you from tightening the harness properly:
    https://www.today.com/video/car-seat-alert-a-winter-coat-could-endanger-your-child-585502787887

    Thanks for the info, I wasn't aware of this as I got the bundle me from my SIL who used it with her kids! I think we will go back to warm layers, a blanket over LO and then one draped over the car seat for the walk to/from the car!
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  • sadyy131sadyy131 member
    Does anyone know if those thickish-fleece-snowsuit-things are dangerous? We got one as a present but I've been hesitant to use it
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    sadyy131 said:

    Does anyone know if those thickish-fleece-snowsuit-things are dangerous? We got one as a present but I've been hesitant to use it

    Depends on how thick, but it's easy to test. Put LO in the car seat without the fleece suit, tighten the straps like normal, and then take baby out without loosening. Put the suit on and then see if the straps still fit. If they do, it's safe. If not, it's too thick to be worn in a car seat.
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  • sadyy131sadyy131 member
    dramaphile said:

    sadyy131 said:

    Does anyone know if those thickish-fleece-snowsuit-things are dangerous? We got one as a present but I've been hesitant to use it

    Depends on how thick, but it's easy to test. Put LO in the car seat without the fleece suit, tighten the straps like normal, and then take baby out without loosening. Put the suit on and then see if the straps still fit. If they do, it's safe. If not, it's too thick to be worn in a car seat.
    That's an awesome trick, thanks! Definitely too thick. Guess we will be buying a jj cole car seat cover!
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  • helsbels222helsbels222 member
    sadyy131 said:

    Does anyone know if those thickish-fleece-snowsuit-things are dangerous? We got one as a present but I've been hesitant to use it

    I have one of those for LO too! I just use it for walks, no car rides.
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  • ColoradoHikerColoradoHiker member
    We put DS in a normal outfit, then add a fleece top and a hat, and have a blanket on top. If it's really cold, we have a blanket to put over the top of the carrier while getting DS to the car.

    We live in Baltimore and have onstreet parking, so pre-warming the car isn't an option for us.
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    DS2: EDD- 09.08.17

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  • Ceb2015Ceb2015 member
    Just want to add what everyone else has said- no coats in the car seat! We use the JJ Cole cover and then put mittens, a hat and an extra blanket on LO.

    I was in a minor car accident with the LO in the car and he was 3 weeks old. If his restraint system wasn't as tight as it was, he could have been really hurt, but he didn't even know it had happened, and we were hit from behind.

    If it wasn't for the tight restraints, my worst nightmare could have come true. PLEASE follow all restrictions for car seats!
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  • smnewbysmnewby member
    Jolly Jumper Waterproof Cuddle Bag with Removable Head Hugger- Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038K1EOA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_3QtPwb5CTZ50P

    This is what we use. LO had to go to peds appt in -25f and windy weather! The cuddle bag + canopy (and light blanket draped over canopy) kept lo from feeling anything
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    smnewby said:

    Jolly Jumper Waterproof Cuddle Bag with Removable Head Hugger- Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038K1EOA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_3QtPwb5CTZ50P

    This is what we use. LO had to go to peds appt in -25f and windy weather! The cuddle bag + canopy (and light blanket draped over canopy) kept lo from feeling anything

    Does it go between baby and the carseat? From the photo, it looks like it does. If so, it causes the same safety issue as the bundleme and heavy coats. Do the test I posted above to make sure it doesn't compromise the safety of your car seat.
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  • smnewbysmnewby member
    It velcros into place and is open where the straps come out of the seat. . Ive done the "with and without" baby test and at least for us it passed the test.
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    smnewby said:

    It velcros into place and is open where the straps come out of the seat. . Ive done the "with and without" baby test and at least for us it passed the test.

    Glad it passes the test :) I might look into getting one!
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