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July 2018 Moms
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Product Spotlight 3/26: Winter Survival Gear!

SmashJamSmashJam member
in July 2018 Moms

his 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 Survival Gear! What clothes and accessories did you find essential, for either yourself or the baby, to make it through to the winter months-think car seat covers, jackets, snow suits, blankets, swaddles, booties, and for yourself easy nursing if the cold weather changes what you wear drastically.

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: 

  • Any specifics that may differentiate your preferences:
  • Favorite [Winter Survival Gear]:
  • Link/picture:
  • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
  • Age appropriate for:
  • What you like about it:
  • What you don't like about it, if anything:
  • Is there a [Winter Survival Gear] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
  • Is there a [Winter Survival Gear] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: 
  • Additional thoughts on [Winter Survival Gear]?:
  • Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there (check the spreadsheet link below!):


For FTMs

  • [Winter Survival Gear] you're interested in:
  • Link/picture:
  • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
  • Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?
  • Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there? (Check the spreadsheet link below!):

Spreadsheet link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhSR3UAwJx8UitC9b2hRx57c4hHkK6BU679FjqXMeHQ/edit?usp=sharing
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Re: Product Spotlight 3/26: Winter Survival Gear!

  • SmashJamSmashJam member
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  • acunamatadaacunamatada member
    @SmashJam I loved those booties!! 

    For S+TMs: 
    • Any specifics that may differentiate your preferences:
    • Favorite [Winter Survival Gear]:
    Car seat cover! 
    • Link/picture:
    There’s plenty of different variations out there. It’s most important that the cover doesn’t interfere with the straps and is attached to the outside of the car seat rather than around baby. 
    I have one that’s like this, I don’t remember the brand. It was elastic that holds onto the outside of the car seat and zippers down to get baby out. 

    • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): around $30
    • Age appropriate for: until LO grows out of the bucket seat. 
    • What you like about it: easy to use, no need for blankets that fall all over 
    • What you don't like about it, if anything: every now and then the elastic would move around and the cover would come off, easily fixed though. 
    • Is there a [Winter Survival Gear] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
    • Is there a [Winter Survival Gear] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: I was gifted this at my shower.. While it was cute it was totally useless and not safe for car seats like it’s marketed for. 
    • Eric Carl car seat bunting: 
    • Additional thoughts on [Winter Survival Gear]?:
    • No heavy jackets in the car seat or anything that comes between baby and car seat straps. 
    • For DS’s first winter I got by with a car seat cover and extra blankets if I really needed it. Second winter I got a jacket with two shells, a spring light jacket that zippered into a thicker outerwear which I’d highly recommend. Saved me from buying two jackets and still got use out of both. 

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  • zande2016zande2016 member
    @smashjam we LOVED the Zutano booties when our son was a baby. The fleece hat they make is also awesome.

    @acunamatada I second the shower cap style car seat cover, we had a different one, I want to say it was JJ Cole brand, but I'm sure they're all pretty similar. I cringe when I see babies in infant seats with covers that go behind them, that's a big no no for car seat safety.

    Also, this is a good thread to mention the danger of putting babies in car seats with big puffy winter jackets/snow suits/etc. Basically this forces you to loosen the straps to fit the jacket, and if you're in a crash, that extra space will compress and baby could fly out of the car seat. We use a thin fleece jacket on my son now that he's in a convertible, but last winter when he was in an infant seat, we just put him in his regular clothes, wrapping a blanket around him AFTER he was strapped in, then used the car seat cover to make sure he was nice and warm. 

    If you want to baby wear in the winter, they make covers that can go over baby and the carrier, I have a fleece one. Sorry, I can't remember what brand it was. If you want to go for stroller walks in the winter, get one of those muffs - it's like a big sleeping bag that can attach to the stroller and you zip the baby into it. I had one from Skip Hop. 
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  • paytonpedropaytonpedro member
    • Any specifics that may differentiate your preferences: Our winters are super cold and super snowy. 
    • Favorite [Winter Survival Gear]: As mentioned above, the car seat cover that zips OVER babyand the car seat. Mine actually has a flap to go over the face too (for when walking outside, UNFLAP IT OPEN IN THE CAR)
    • Link/picture: https://www.target.com/p/jj-cole-car-seat-cover/-/A-15279847?preselect=13065415#lnk=sametab SIMILAR TO THIS (SAME BRAND) BUT MINE IS GRAY
    • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $35
    • Age appropriate for: New born to ? However long they are in the infant carrier. We switched my son out of his at 6 months, but some people go a year. Depends on the size of the baby. 
    • What you like about it: it kept DS warm (feb baby) and is safe. 
    • What you don't like about it, if anything: nothing
    • Is there a [Winter Survival Gear] you don't have but are considering? Why?: I may crochet a blanket with holes for the car seat/stroller harness for if we spend any amount of time outside when it’s cold. NOT SAFE FOR IN A CAR so I would jut use it for chilly walks or outings. 
    • Is there a [Winter Survival Gear] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: no
    • Additional thoughts on [Winter Survival Gear]?: DO NOT USE PUFFY JACKETS ON A CAR PLEASE!!! There is a pretty compelling video that shows the danger (I think the today show featured it). Not worth it. My son wears a fleece sweater, like a north face, and I cover him with a blanket- he’s two. Babies can be covered but shouldn’t be in thick jackets. 
    • Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there (check the spreadsheet link below!):
    Report Reply
  • wildtotwildtot member
    I’m really looking into the car seat covers this time around. Question on the ones with the face flap, isn’t that iffy thought? In Cali i was often told not to cover the car seat with blankets because they overheat easily. Even with a thin muslin blanket. Wouldn’t it be the same idea/concern? 

    I don’t have a real recommendation with clothes. But definitely don’t use puffy jackets with car seats! 
    Report Reply
  • acunamatadaacunamatada member
    @wildtot there’s Velcro on the back of most car seat covers to hold the face cover back.. I never really used the face cover, I didn’t like not seeing his face.
    Does it get really cold in your area of Cali? That could be why they don’t recommend it. For longer trips using a car seat cover wouldn’t make sense- they could definitely overheat in a warm car, but they were super helpful for short trips in and out of the cold. 
    Report Reply
  • wildtotwildtot member
    @acunamatada no it’s mostly to keep direct sun light off them (shade them). Stroller covers only go so far you know. Or some would block out the sun for naps. But no ventilation is the danger. Now that we are in CO we will really need one for the short rides or if we need to be outside.
    Report Reply
  • zande2016zande2016 member
    @wildtot we only used the face cover going the 20 seconds from car to inside, to keep blowing wind/snow/rain out. Always left it open (it velcros) inside and in the car we'd usually unzip it some too. 
    Report Reply
  • wildtotwildtot member
    @zande2016 got to know thank you!
    Report Reply
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