Why Can’t Babies Wear Coats In Car Seats? – Expert Answers
Welcome to the Ultimate Answer Why Can’t Babies Wear Coats in Car Seats!
The simple answer is that it’s dangerous because the puffy clothing will interfere with the car seat so it won’t offer the best protection possible.
Look:
As parents it’s our duty to keep our kids safe so for winter there’s a perfect way to keep your child protected and warm at the same time.
You see puffy and bulky clothing will put your child in danger because the straps might slip off and they might even get ejected from the car seat. However by scrolling down you will find out exactly how to keep your child safe and warm at the same time. I’ve followed these ideas for all three of my kids.
Let’s see them already!
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Why Shouldn’t Babies Wear Coats in Car Seats?
A bulky or puffy coat tends to press against the straps snug. However, if the child’s coat presses against the straps, the fluffiness falls flat. This gives some additional wiggle room as the coat shrinks considerably. And the coat is known to suppress up to four inches.
This leaves the child vulnerable to accidents that may even lead to head injury. This is why babies shouldn’t be left in car seats with their coats on.
How Can You Keep Your Child Warm While Ensuring Safety?
We now know why you shouldn’t leave your child wearing bulky coats in car seats. However, it’s important to keep your child warm as well. In this section, we’ll discuss a few methods by which you can ensure both safety and warmth!
#1 Go for Thin Coats or Layers of Clothing
Instead of going for thick coats, go for layers of thin t-shirts instead. In fact, you can use thin layers of clothing instead of one bulky coat. Unlike puffy coats, thin ones don’t shrink when they’re pressed against.
So, while this will ensure warmth, it will not leave any chances of slippage.
#2 Use Additional Accessories
A lot of us focus too much on the main apparel but lose sight of the bigger picture and forget about the accessories. Socks and hats can play a huge role in keeping a child’s body warm. Plus, these are super safe for car seat harness straps. So, we recommend doubling down on these.
#3 Store the Infant Seats at Room Temperature
Leaving the fact carrier in the car will make it colder. This is why we recommend you carry it to your home whenever you’re taking the baby out of your vehicle. Keeping it at room temperature will keep it warm for the next use, which will significantly help keep your children warm.
#4 Ensure the Harness Straps Are Tight
Even if you use a thin winter coat or multiple layers of clothing, the straps may still be loose. The worst thing is it’s very hard to determine if there’s an extra slack or not. So, we recommend double-checking the tightness.
Then again, don’t overtighten the harness, as too much pressure on your child’s chest may suffocate him. Make sure the child restraint is properly tightened, so it pushes slightly against the clothing.
#5 Use Blankets
One of the best ways of keeping your child warm is to use a blanket to cover him. First, secure your child with the car seat straps. Now, put a blanket on him, and this should be enough to keep him warm. Make sure the blanket can be removed easily once the car warms up.
#6 Don’t Use a Car Seat Cover
Many parents use car seat covers, and this is another thing that you must avoid if you want to keep your child safe from any accident. Car seat covers are also very puffy; they tend to shrink under pressure and may put your child in danger.
#7 Don’t Use Items You Aren’t Meant to Use
We often use accessories like strollers and sleeping bags in cars. However, anything that the car seat manufacturers didn’t intend to be used with the car seat isn’t crash tested. So, you should avoid using these for the safety of your infant.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you got the answer to “why can’t babies wear coats in car seats?” by now. You shouldn’t leave your child in bulky winter coats in their car seats. If you must keep your kids warm, you can follow the tips shared in this article.
So, set your child’s winter coat aside once he’s in the vehicle, tighten the seat belt of the infant carrier, and you’ll be able to provide a secure and warm car ride to him.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes a baby can wear a thin jacket in a car seat if it’s thin and not bulky.
During winter a baby should wear in the car seat something like a few layered clothing or a thicker coat over the straps.
Yes a baby can wear a hoodie in the car seat unless it’s bulky or way too long.
Sadly it’s not a myth many kids got hurt because they were wearing winter coats and the car seat didn’t manage to do its proper job.
There’s no age set when a child can war a coat in a car seat. As a matter of fact it should be avoided as much as possible. The best solution is either to preheat the car or have the coat over them as a blanket.
Yes a baby can wear a fleece in a car seat. Since it’s a thin material it doesn’t compromise the job of the car seat.
A baby during summer should wear comfy, loose, breathable clothing in a car seat. Also shaded windows will help reduce the discomfort caused by direct sunlight.
The car seat safe coat is an outfit that allows your child to travel in safety. This means that it’s not to puffy so the strap will do its job properly.
What about baby’s feet?
Well there’s good news you don’t have to worry about the baby’s feet because you can put anything on them because the straps won’t interfere.
Does the winter clothing apply to the infant car seat and the booster seat as well?
Yes the winter clothing such as the bulky jacket or other winter clothes (such as thick coat) shouldn’t be used in the vehicle seat because it’s not safe. Both the child passenger safety technician and the car seat manufacturer (most car seat manufacturers) agree on this. If you have nothing else you can use a sleeping bag over your child to keep them warm.
Last Updated on October 12, 2023 by Brian Beasley
