Moms who have had a winter baby. . .can we talk bunting?

[lellian]

When is bunting too much bunting? Do I really need the car seat bunting bag & the baby bunting outfit to take baby home from the hospital, and/or out in the wintertime? Won't baby over heat? This is my first baby, due Christmas Eve, and I feel like I'm being overwhelmed with our baby registry, and what baby really NEEDS. What happened to throwing a heavy blanket over the car seat to keep baby warm and out of the elements when moving from house to car? Am I misinformed?!?! Please help!

[bethanyclaire]

DS was a Fall baby so he was still very little during the winter. We never even had a bunting. I don't feel safe strapping a baby into a car seat when they are wearing a bunting because it makes the straps fit improperly which could be a serious hazard in a crash (the force could send them flying out of the harness when the fluffy bunting compresses). I also never saw a need for a car seat bunting. Like you said, I just used a few blankets and never had a problem. I never really felt the need for a bunting, but that is just me. HTH!!!

[34me]

I had my winter baby 16 years ago this January so there was no such thing as the cool car seat cover thingys. We put dd in a one piece outfit, then put a blanket sleeper over it and then put a blanket over her. Straps were nice and tight and she was warm but not too warm

For her fall born brother we had a thin one piece suit we used that we had gotten at REI.

The middle guy was born in the summer .

[MamaZoZo]

Home from the hospital... I stuck to blankets. She was a Nov. baby, so it was starting to get chilly. During the winter I just had her in a fleece sleeper and put blankets over her and the carseat. She overheated easily as a baby (still does sometimes...) and I found that the few times I really bundled her up that she was a puddle of sweat when we got home.

[evinmom]

It depends on the climate you live in and whether your car is parked outside often. I like the JJ Cole Bundle Me that you can use either in a carseat or stroller. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2266846 It has cutouts for carseat/stroller straps so baby can be safely buckled up under the bulk instead of over the bulk. It is not safe to buckle a child in wearing anything bulky. During an accident when the bulk compresses, the child can fly out of the restraint. When I had DS1, I was so glad to have this cover because we had a huge blizzard that winter. It was so . I don't like putting babies into jackets so this was a good compromise when we were out.

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by lellian

When is bunting too much bunting? Do I really need the car seat bunting bag & the baby bunting outfit to take baby home from the hospital, and/or out in the wintertime? Won't baby over heat? This is my first baby, due Christmas Eve, and I feel like I'm being overwhelmed with our baby registry, and what baby really NEEDS. What happened to throwing a heavy blanket over the car seat to keep baby warm and out of the elements when moving from house to car? Am I misinformed?!?! Please help!

my December baby wasn't in a bucket seat, and I got sick of putting the blanket on her over and over. Plus bunting keeps the hands and feet warm.

I just scored a columbia baby bunting from ebay for 13 bucks ppd, just like this one from lands end:
http://www.landsend.com/pp/SolidFlee...133172_-1.html

This worked best for in the car seat, sling, etc. It covered her hands and feet and head. no losing socks or shoes or hat or gloves. it Easily zipped open for diaper changes, and if she was asleep and we entered a warm room I could unzip it to keep her cool.

Plus, since it is fleece, it is breathable, so baby won't over heat. And since it is fleece it *is* safe in the car seat.

[flapjack]

I like this: http://www.nctshop.co.uk/All-Season-...ductinfo/4432/ for the car seat, and for the buggy I use a fleecy snowsuit in a 3-6 month size. Soft and snuggly, then pile blankets on top as needed.

[lellian]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I always learn so much by you all.

The Morrck looks brilliant for our winter baby. We live in Boston, and although I don't imagine we will be out and about with baby the first few months anyone who lives here knows we can expect snow through April. Brrrrrrrr. I'm going to do some research and see if there are any stores that sell Morrck stateside as they are a UK company, and shipping is probably expensive.

And most likely use a bunting bag for the car seat as we don't have a garage. . .or blankets depending on what shows up from our registry.

Thanks again, mommies. One thing off my mind.

[dantesmama]

We're getting the JJ Cole Bundle Me for this baby. My first was a fall baby and we just used blankets for the carseat in the winter, and I remember dealing with wind and blowing snow blowing the blankets around, and having the blankets fall off and get dirty and slushy. So not doing that again! I guess it depends on what your winters are like. We have long, crummy winters in Buffalo.

[MamaZoZo]

What I call a fleece sleeper seems to be the same as "bunting", so yeah - find a nice fleece one and you're set for keeping baby warm If you do use blankets tuck them in, as a PP mentioned they can fall off if not secured and then they just get yucky.

[Lexi_029]

I never put anything on the baby because it's not safe to have a thick bunting or sleeper under the carseat straps seeing that most cause you to need to loosen the straps. I just tucked in blankets around them and made sure they had on hats and layers.

[evinmom]

Originally Posted by Lexi_029

I never put anything on the baby because it's not safe to have a thick bunting or sleeper under the carseat straps seeing that most cause you to need to loosen the straps. I just tucked in blankets around them and made sure they had on hats and layers.

Many of the buntings or seat covers they sell these days have slits for putting the straps under the material and against baby instead of over the bulk.

[Vespertina]

Definitely depends on the climate in your area. Grace is a December baby, but when she was born we were in San Diego. It was 70 degrees on Christmas. I dressed her in warm clothes, but it wasn't really winter. Evey is a November baby and we were in NC when she was born. I don't recall it being too cold. We stayed in a lot, though. Bundled her up when we needed to go out.

I doubt I'll be going very many places once he gets here. He'll definitely have to be bundled up really well because it gets very, very cold here.

[evinmom]

Originally Posted by Semper Gumby

I doubt I'll be going very many places once he gets here. He'll definitely have to be bundled up really well because it gets very, very cold here.

When I first read this, I had a double-take moment. I was thinking you lived in the Atlanta area. To me, the "cold" here is not really that cold. LOL I guess it's all a matter of perspective. If I had lived in San Diego a long time I might find the winters here cold too. The first winter after we moved here (04-05), it was still in the 70s-80s through January.

[shakenbake]

hehe i got the baby a bunting she will wear its not Super heavy and has legs not the bag type

[DklovesMkandJK]

I am late to the game here - but I wanted to post that according to a LOT of car seat companies, the BundleMe or products similiar to the bundle me that go between baby and car seat are not saftey tested with the seat, void all warranties and are considered a saftey hazzard.

As far as bunting is concerned the only way to be sure your bunting is considered safe for a car seat is to put baby in bunting, strap baby in car seat, tighten straps as usual. Then, remove baby from car seat (DO NOT loosen the straps to do so!) take bunting off baby, put baby back in car seat and check to see if the straps are within the acceptable tightness of less than two fingers between baby and strap.

This sort of cover, the 'shower-cap style' is the only reccommended car seat add-on as it does not compromise the straps of the infant seat or the way the infant is secured in the seat:

http://www.amazon.com/Faux-Shearling.../dp/B000284WX6

On the up side, I think they are as cheap as $9.99/$19.99.

This is what we're using (but the land's end one) along with a blanket if it is really chilly and a weather appropriate outfit.

I know it may seem sort of silly, but after researching car seats and having it installed properly by the car seat tech I would hate to compromise saftey on something a silly as a cover!

[Tattooed Hand]

Originally Posted by lellian

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I always learn so much by you all.

The Morrck looks brilliant for our winter baby. We live in Boston, and although I don't imagine we will be out and about with baby the first few months anyone who lives here knows we can expect snow through April. Brrrrrrrr. I'm going to do some research and see if there are any stores that sell Morrck stateside as they are a UK company, and shipping is probably expensive.

And most likely use a bunting bag for the car seat as we don't have a garage. . .or blankets depending on what shows up from our registry.

Thanks again, mommies. One thing off my mind.

I'm in Boston too and we got this (someone else got us this, actually):

http://www.lillebabyusa.com/eurotote.cfm

And we also have a Halo sleep sack for in our apartment because, well, even with our heat on, it's still chilly.

But keep in mind that we don't have a car (just use Zip car when we need one) so the Euro tote is because we'll be out and about on foot and public transpo. If you're going to be moving around mostly in cars, then the need to bundle the kid up is less urgent, I'd think.