Product Spotlight Series: Winter Essentials (Babies 6-9m)

doxiemoxie212 · March 2018

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... winter essentials (for older babies -- 6-9 months)! Anything anyone should consider putting on a registry for next winter with an older baby?

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.

For S+TMs:

Climate (humid, dry, urban, etc):
Favorite [winter essential]:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you like about it:
What you don't like about it, if anything:
Is there a [winter essential] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
Is there a [winter essential] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
Additional thoughts on [winter essential]?:

For FTMs

[winter essential] you're interested in:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:

To view past Product Spotlights or view the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gjNtxy2Kd2JceTYYR5wkwVcpTbU-khgazhjcZnfI1y4/edit?usp=sharing

(Also just a reminder that if anyone wants to revive old threads to ask questions as we get further along and it becomes more likely everyone is doing further research, please feel free!)

MissKittyDanger · March 2018

Snowsuits.

We just got one that unzips to the feet {like a sleeper style}
Better to leave unzipped and buckle into carseat/car and use a blanket, OR fully zipped and just try and tighten as much as possible?

For reference, we often get really cold days. Windchill warnings, etc.
House to car isn't far but it can really hurt if you aren't careful.

aharv77 · March 2018

@MissKittyDanger Baby shouldn't wear bulky jacket or a snowsuit when buckled into the car seat. AAP recommends thin, snug layers on baby so they don't slide out of the jacket and get ejected from the seat. Link to article here and another here about winter car seat safety tips!

I bought a cute winter jacket and matching snowpants for DD but never really used it because she was so little (end of October baby). I'd imagine we'll probably have to get a snowsuit of some sort for DS because he'll almost be crawling by Christmas time and might spend more time outside than DD did.

ETA: added links.

lisa2589 · March 2018

@MissKittyDanger I live in a very cold climate with dangerous wind chills as well. I kept DD in her infant carrier through as much of the first winter as I could even though it was so heavy to carry, so I could just use a thick car seat cover
( https://www.target.com/p/jj-cole-car-seat-cover-pink/-/A-13065415 ) outside and take it off once in the car. You wouldn’t really want a snow suit or thick coat on LO in the car anyways because think of how warm it gets in there with the heater on.

MissKittyDanger · March 2018

@aharv77 Which 100% makes sense, but my issue is that we get dangerously cold in our area. I'm kinda concerned about the layers idea. Like as an adult wearing a scarf, hat, thick mitts and winter coat it's a cold 2 foot walk $:\$ Like it gets to be -40* with windchill.
I know when I'm home, we won't be going out but once she's in daycare or if we have to be somewhere {like dr appt} is where I'm concerned

aharv77 · March 2018

@MissKittyDanger Totally understand! I live in WI so we get deep into the negatives too. Just wanted to share the recommendation. For the car seat, I used the exact JJ Cole one that @2589 linked and didn't have any issues. I also didn't have a garage where I lived with DD for her first year so I just made sure to start the car ahead of time so it was warmed up before we got in and then it was literally a quick shuffle to the car, click her in and go.

I'd rather have the baby be chilly for a minute than have something worse happen if we were to get into an accident.

lisa2589 · March 2018

@aharv77 spot on. No garage here either. Anywhere we had to go, be it grocery store or doctor appointment, I'd say the time from car to front door was less than 60 seconds. With the thick car seat cover catching the wind and snow, she might have felt a bit chilled for less than a minute, but better safe than sorry IMHO.

MissKittyDanger · March 2018

@2589 because Canada sucks, we don't have Target anymore {*sob*} but now that I know what that's called I'm gonna see if BRU has it and maybe throw on registry

MissKittyDanger · March 2018

@aharv77 @2589 I don't think we have enough space in the garage, so we'll just say no garage either

Would the cover still be good for a 6-7 month old? Typically those frigid temps don't start until January, and I've seen some kiddos be pretty active at that point lol

lisa2589 · March 2018

@MissKittyDanger yep DD was a July baby so 6-9 months when I used it.. didn’t seem to bother her for the short times it was on!

MissKittyDanger · March 2018

@2589 oh good! You ladies are super helpful with this

catlady1215 · March 2018

That jj Cole seat cover is amazing. We used that and didn't even need to put a blanket in with him. He actually looked to warm sometimes.

marcus7676 · March 2018

As long as the baby remains in the infant seat, a JJ Cole or other shower cap type cover keeps them warm enough.

Bulky jackets should NEVER be used in the car seat because of the risks. https://thecarseatlady.com/warmandsafe/

Fleece jackets, thin puffer type jackets, are fine as long as the straps are the same length with and without the jacket.

We live in a cold climate and pre-heat our car if it is that cold.

jsl82 · March 2018

Adding to the no bulky coats for babies- with DD being a winter baby we kept her in the car seat covered up with the covers all of last winter- but this year with an 11month old - now 15 month old (with winter not getting the hint that it's spring), we have had to look at other options. The first thing we do is keep her old baby blankets in the car and diaper bag- that way we can always throw a blanket on top of her once she has been buckled in. The other options we have seen are the poncho type of coats for kids, they can be draped over the car seat like a cape, so don't get between the car seat, child and straps or to simply take the kids coat off, buckle them into the car seat and then turn the coat around and put back on their arms.

For our LOs I would suggest keeping them in the infant seats as long as possible- they can become extremely heavy once LOs reach 7ish months old, but the car seat covers for bucket seats work so well. With daycare, we each have a base and leave the bucket seat at daycare.

There really isn't much else in terms of winter gear that will work for our LOs next winter- the baby sled DD has, would only work once he's fully sitting on his own, and even though she loves it, it's just me pulling her across the yard- we've gone out for maybe 15 minutes during only 2 storms this winter. They won't be doing much- so playing in the snow isn't really a 6-9 month old activity. Just keep them inside. I'm hoping that next year, DD will go out and play with the neighborhood kids while DH shovels and I can stay inside with LO.

starla487 · March 2018

Fleece sleep sacks were the best when DD was younger. But we keep our house COLD at night, so we didn’t really have an issue with overheating. But it was either a cotton sleeper under a fleece sack or heavier PJs and a cotton sack.

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Product Spotlight Series: Winter Essentials (Babies 6-9m)

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