Even though it's in the 70s here in Central Florida, the cold weather is just around the corner. Every year I see children wearing heavy coats while buckled in their carseats. I can't help but cringe everytime I see it. Wearing a big fluffy coat while in a carseat is a big safety hazard. In an accident the coat compresses leaving your baby/child in a seat that is no longer functioning properly, resulting in injury or even death.
So how do you know if a coat is too big to wear while in a carseat? There is a test that can be done.
1) Put the winter coat or snowsuit on the child.
2) Put the child in the car seat and buckle the harnesses as you normally would before car travel. 3)Adjust the straps to the appropriate fit for your child.
4)Take the child out of the car seat without loosening the straps at all.
5)Take the coat off your child.
6)Put the child back in the car seat and buckle the harnesses again, but do not tighten the straps.
If you can fit more than two fingers under the harness at the child's shoulder bone, the coat is too thick and is not safe for use with the car seat.
Here are some good examples of what your carseat straps should and should not look like: http://www.drmomma.org/2010/02/do-you-use-your-carseat-correctly.html
Now you may be asking yourself "so what can I do to keep my child warm?" Here are some examples:
1) Fleece jackets: Fleece jackets are warm and safe for carseat usage
2) Long/thermal underwear: These can be safely layered under regular clothing and still be safe for the carseat
3) Ponchos: Put a poncho on your child after they have been buckled into the carseat.
4) Blankets: Layer them on after the child is buckled.
Now, you can still make good use of that big bulky coat. How? Put it on backwards! After the child is buckled into the carseat put the coat on the child backwards. This allows the child to stay warm without compromising his safety. Another bonus is the child can take it off themselves if they start to overheat.
Hope this is helpful!
You are awesome. :-)
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