winter coats and carseats

[dejagerw]

My husband thinks I'm crazy because I tell him it's not safe to loosen the straps of my son's car seat to fit him in with his winter coat. Does anyone have any videos or proof that I could show him it's unsafe. He says that just because the straps are looser, DS won't be ejected, and the straps will still stop him in an accident, but I am unsure. He says its just the car seat company manufactures trying to cover their own butts by saying you should take the coat off first.

I don't really know what I should do. It really is inconvenient to take the coat on and off. I want my son to be safe but is it unnecessary to take his coat off? How loose is too loose when it comes to his straps? My husband is constantly telling me it's too tight for him and he's not comfortable. My husband already thinks I'm crazy for wanted to continue to rear face DS (he just turned 2).

[Twinklefae]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM1LJaOIu34

This video is pretty good at showing what would happen in an accident, and an alternative to stripping the coat off all the way. (I can't do that here with the daycare kids - I was but they were going blue lipped and shivering in the height of winter, so we switched the the 'coat trick')

My husband thinks I'm crazy too. But he also knows I'm crazy enough to fight to the death about it, so...

[woodchick]

One thing that I do is have my girls put their coats on backwards. When we get to the car I zip their coats off, pop them into their seats and buckle them and then put their coats back on again, backwards. They're only out of their coats for a minute or so and I don't have to worry about the straps.

[dejagerw]

I tried the "coat trick" but I can't do it unless I loosen the straps. How loose is still safe?

[leighi123]

Originally Posted by dejagerw

I tried the "coat trick" but I can't do it unless I loosen the straps. How loose is still safe?

To find out, put the child in the seat with the coat you are testing and make the straps fit, then leave the straps as-is and remove the child. Put the child back in the seat with the coat off (still not messing with the straps), and see if they are still tight enough. If they pass the pinch test after removing the coat, then that coat/clothing combo is fine. If they are too loose then its not safe.

I've found that even fleece loosens the straps too much for my liking (I have a tiny kid). I LOVE our carseat poncho and Im ordering another one soon b/c ds's head is getting too big for his current one!

[an_aurora]

We use fleece in the car for everyone (15 mo DS has one-piece fleece suits, the girls wear fleece jackets). With a good, high-quality fleece I don't have to loosen straps. Some fleece jackets I have seen are looser fitting and allow for more slack. After they are in and buckled, the girls like to slip their arms in their puffy coats, and wear them backwards. The baby just gets his flannel quilt tucked over the straps, which he kicks down later once he's toasty.

If you need a visual to prove it, just do like suggested above and buckle as normal over the big puffy coat, then remove child without tightening the straps, take the coat off, and rebuckle. Move the chest clip down (which is what happens in a crash--the chest clip moved down or breaks) and show how far you can pull the straps away from the child and how much slack there really is.

If you have a vacuum sealing bag (one of those Space Saver bags) put a big puffy coat in it, suck the air out and show how much it really does compress.

[WindyCityMom]

To add to what everyone else said, our girls are always layered, with wool unders as a base layer. On top of that there is a cotton dress and pants/loose leggings, and a wool sweater. On top of that, there is a jacket (unless they're playing in the snow- that calls for a full body snowsuit!). With so many layers, it helps to keep them warm once the jacket is off in the car.

It's getting tricky now that my almost 3yo is so big and she's rear-facing- not much room for us to work with quickly taking off the coat. I think we'll start putting it on backwards, no matter how ridiculous it looks. Safety first!

[DahliaRW]

Also, keep in mind that car seat straps are meant to stretch some in a crash (I've heard 1-3") to help absorb impact. So that itself introduces a certain amount of "slack" so to speak, now imagine having them loose to being with!

[dejagerw]

[QUOTE=leighi123;16024490]To find out, put the child in the seat with the coat you are testing and make the straps fit, then leave the straps as-is and remove the child. Put the child back in the seat with the coat off (still not messing with the straps), and see if they are still tight enough. If they pass the pinch test after removing the coat, then that coat/clothing combo is fine. [/QUOTE

Based on this, my son is not safe in his cloth diapers in his car seat. If I put him in with a t-shirt and shorts wearing a cloth diaper and do the pinch test to be sure its safe, and then do the same thing with a disposable, he wouldn't pass the pinch test. I always have to tighten the straps if he's in a disposable.

[an_aurora]

The difference us that cloth diapers are already very compressed and won't compress in a crash. Just like fleece

[Mom2M]

ok. So, I bought a fleece outfit for DD because I thought it was the safe option for her. Anyway, it was so bulky that I definitely had to loosen the straps and I was worried that it was a big waste of money because now I can't use it. Add the cloth diaper in too, lol
But you are saying it is ok because it is already compressed? (I hope so!)

[chel]

[QUOTE=dejagerw;16025076]

Originally Posted by leighi123

To find out, put the child in the seat with the coat you are testing and make the straps fit, then leave the straps as-is and remove the child. Put the child back in the seat with the coat off (still not messing with the straps), and see if they are still tight enough. If they pass the pinch test after removing the coat, then that coat/clothing combo is fine. [/QUOTE

Based on this, my son is not safe in his cloth diapers in his car seat. If I put him in with a t-shirt and shorts wearing a cloth diaper and do the pinch test to be sure its safe, and then do the same thing with a disposable, he wouldn't pass the pinch test. I always have to tighten the straps if he's in a disposable.

i also noticed this with clothes. i use to live in the south and had dd in a onesies most of the time. i had to let out the straps once she started wearing pants and tops. i think that most clothes add some bulk and don't think this "can't adjust the straps at all" is reasonable. i've never been able to put on a fleece jacket or even a light sweatshirt without adjusting the straps.

i think we should encourage limited bulk not the "no adjust" rule.

[an_aurora]

Well, I mean ideally there would be NO bulk, but we can't have naked kids riding around So obviously you'd have to adjust straps between summer thin cotton clothes and normal cooler weather wear.

Some fleece is very thick and puffy, so it's hard to make a blanket statement saying it's all ok. I'd put her in it, tighten, then dress her in a different cooler-weather outfit (say, fleece pants and a fleece hoodie, or a hoodie) and see if there's a big difference. I know our friends have a HUGE fleece bunting that is bulkier than the big puffy coat they also have (which I absolutley cannot talk her out of, sadly).

[crunchy_mommy]

I just made DS a car cape & he *loves* it! It cost me $7 and was super easy to make (or would have been if my sewing machine worked, it took me forever to hand-sew)... I think it will make it much easier to get him in & out of the car & I won't be so worried that he's going to freeze while I'm getting him into his seat

[kanga1622]

Thanks for the link. I posted it to my facebook page as I have a great-nephew arriving any day and I don't think they know about car seats and coats.

[rlandnl]

I have to adjust DD's straps daily. Depending on what she's wearing. I am not really sure how realistic it is to say that you shouldn't have to adjust them. like today she's wearing a onesie, a turtleneck onesie a dress and tights and I had to adjust them to get her in, and to get her out and then to get her back in.

[redvlagrl]

We have various ponchos etc, but I find that it is not practical for me to use them on a daily basis in the winter.

Both kids have down filled Gap coats. What I do it buckle them in just like "normal" - with the coats zipped and then I de-puff the coat and tighten really tight. I tried the unbuckling test and I can get it tighter than with a fleece this way. i think the major difference is with a down coat rather than with poly fil. It de puffs all the way. I also make sure the straps are right up on the shoulders.

Perhaps not perfect/ideal but the ponchos do not cut it in the winters here and I refuse to warm my car up prior to getting in.

[an_aurora]

I have yet to see a down coat that I could squish down that far (and yes we have "real" down, not polyfill).  I will have to look at the Gap coats.

[llwr]

What about wool?  Something like a wool peacoat doesn't seem very bulky.   Since I haven't bought it yet, I can't do the on and off pinch test. 

I've used ponchos in the car before.  The issue is usually getting to the car.  The poncho isn't warm enough outside. 

So I'm wondering how you know which clothes compress too much...    Like for example, the cloth diaper requires more room in the straps, but isn't considered dangerous.  Puffy coats are obvious, but what about sweaters?  My older DD's coat is kind of like a fake suede with a sherpa-type lining.   I thought it was ok, but I'll definately check again.

I like the idea on the video of keeping the coat on but putting the seatbelts on with it unzipped.  How did I never think of that?

I was really glad to see this video.  I'm the only person I know who takes coats off for the car.