Winter babies

Here is the copy for Winter Clothing:

Winter Clothing: Bulky snowsuits can affect the harness with respect to
additional compressibility. In addition, many snowsuits are made of very
slippery material. This can affect the harness system should the chest clip
of the restraint not be used properly. When using bulky winter clothing
ensure that the harness system is tight, compressing the material to ensure
a snug fit. Check with the car seat manufacturer for alternative methods of
clothing during the winter

"should the chest clip of the restraint not be used properly."

I'm fine with that, as we always made certain it was at the proper height
and tightness.

I.

"KR" wrote in message
oups.com...
Here's a link to the Transport Canada website detailing why those are
also unsafe... Something about how the car seat has been tested with
only its original cushioning and things that come with it. You may
think you have it super tight but in the event of an accident it may
not be as tight. If you are travelling at 100 km an hour and another
car comes at you and hits you at the same speed, that's a lot of force
and you could never imitate what happens in those circumstances just by
putting your finger between the straps and saying it's tight.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/child...00401/menu.htm

This is just what was told to me by our local car seat
installers/inspectors. In the end it is an individual parents choice
what they use in their car seat and for their baby!

KR


Zaz wrote:
We used our winter suit in the car seat - they have an opening at the
bottom
to pass the strap through. With the straps in an X form I don't really
see
how they would get out, as everything is so tight...

But I'll investigate the matter.


--
Isabelle
Mlle C 2004-11-27
Guillaume 2006-06-13


"KR" wrote in message
ps.com...
My first was born October 24'th and I took her out regularly. I
typically only took her out if the temperature was above freezing, any
lower I stayed home. Just dress them appropriately, I used a warm
sleeper, a snow suit and a blanket, nothing over the face of course,
just a thin layer of vaseline...

Just know that you shouldn't use a snow suit in the car seat, all the
extra padding is unsafe and if compressed with the force of an
accident, the sraps are suddenly too lose and baby comes out... Put
them in their car seat inside with a warm sleeper or something on, then
bundel blankets around them.

KR

Anna.Nicole.m wrote:
I wanted to know if anyone has had a baby around October. I'm due
October 23 and i wanted to know about taking the baby out in winter.
My husband and I typically go out for walks with our dogs frequently
in

the winter. Our average temp is between 30-40. Has anyone had
experience with taking their babies out in this weather to know when
it

is ok to have them out, and for how long?

We have a pram stoller with a boot and we will get one of those winter
sack things, but is that enough?


I was thinking about waiting atleast 2 weeks. But If it isn't safe
for

them to be out in the weather I will walk the dogs alone. Just
curious.

thanks for the help.

Zaz wrote:
Here is the copy for Winter Clothing:

Winter Clothing: Bulky snowsuits can affect the harness with respect to
additional compressibility. In addition, many snowsuits are made of very
slippery material. This can affect the harness system should the chest clip
of the restraint not be used properly. When using bulky winter clothing
ensure that the harness system is tight, compressing the material to ensure
a snug fit. Check with the car seat manufacturer for alternative methods of
clothing during the winter

"should the chest clip of the restraint not be used properly."

I'm fine with that, as we always made certain it was at the proper height
and tightness.

It is tricky to get things snug enough with a
very compressible material. The people I know who work in
transportation safety research won't even wear a heavy coat
under a seatbelt themselves, much less put a heavy snowsuit
on a baby in a carseat. If you choose to wear a seatbelt
or harness over puffy outerwear, remember that it needs
to be snug enough that it actually squishes the material,
which is probably more snug that you would normally make
it.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Having lived in winter clother more than half of my life, and having worn a
seatbelt all that time, I know the drill. But thanks for your concern.

I
"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
. ..
Zaz wrote:
Here is the copy for Winter Clothing:

Winter Clothing: Bulky snowsuits can affect the harness with respect to
additional compressibility. In addition, many snowsuits are made of very
slippery material. This can affect the harness system should the chest
clip of the restraint not be used properly. When using bulky winter
clothing ensure that the harness system is tight, compressing the
material to ensure a snug fit. Check with the car seat manufacturer for
alternative methods of clothing during the winter

"should the chest clip of the restraint not be used properly."

I'm fine with that, as we always made certain it was at the proper height
and tightness.

It is tricky to get things snug enough with a
very compressible material. The people I know who work in
transportation safety research won't even wear a heavy coat
under a seatbelt themselves, much less put a heavy snowsuit
on a baby in a carseat. If you choose to wear a seatbelt
or harness over puffy outerwear, remember that it needs
to be snug enough that it actually squishes the material,
which is probably more snug that you would normally make
it.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Zaz wrote:
We used our winter suit in the car seat - they have an opening at the bottom
to pass the strap through. With the straps in an X form I don't really see
how they would get out, as everything is so tight...

I'm not about to argue whether winter suits are safe or not in a car
seat (I personally have no idea -- read on both sides of it) but I can
tell you that my daughter, born September 29, was never put in a
snowsuit before going in her carseat. I live in North Dakota, where
our winters are filled with -lots- of snow and -very- cold temperatures
(it is almost always colder than 0 F (-18 C) and usually has a couple
cold snaps colder than -30 F (-34 C)) and we simply dressed her in a
normal head-to-toe romper or sleeper, put a hat and mittens on her, and
covered her with one blanket plus a carseat cover (the kind that is
elastic and goes over the top the carseat but not under the baby). She
never even felt cold to the touch when we'd get to our destination.
Then again, we were probably never outside for more than 10 or 15
minutes at a time, and much less on the colder days.

-Carlye
DS 6-02-06
DD 9-29-04

carlye wrote:
Zaz wrote:
We used our winter suit in the car seat - they have an opening at the bottom
to pass the strap through. With the straps in an X form I don't really see
how they would get out, as everything is so tight...

I'm not about to argue whether winter suits are safe or not in a car
seat (I personally have no idea -- read on both sides of it) but I can
tell you that my daughter, born September 29, was never put in a
snowsuit before going in her carseat. I live in North Dakota, where
our winters are filled with -lots- of snow and -very- cold temperatures
(it is almost always colder than 0 F (-18 C) and usually has a couple
cold snaps colder than -30 F (-34 C)) and we simply dressed her in a
normal head-to-toe romper or sleeper, put a hat and mittens on her, and
covered her with one blanket plus a carseat cover (the kind that is
elastic and goes over the top the carseat but not under the baby). She
never even felt cold to the touch when we'd get to our destination.
Then again, we were probably never outside for more than 10 or 15
minutes at a time, and much less on the colder days.

That's what we did too. Regardless of the safety
issues, I think it's easier. What's trickier is when
they're toddlers. You still have the issue with it being
less safe to have the bulky coat or snowsuit under the
harness, but it usually means stripping them out of the
coat before buckling them in. Fortunately, around here
we don't usually have such bitter cold weather that it's
a problem to get them out of anything too bulky before
putting them in the carseat. Plus, it's more comfortable
anyway. Once the car has warmed up, they get overheated
if they're still in their coat or snowsuit. It is an
additional step getting in and out of the car, though.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:
That's what we did too. Regardless of the safety
issues, I think it's easier. What's trickier is when
they're toddlers. You still have the issue with it being
less safe to have the bulky coat or snowsuit under the
harness, but it usually means stripping them out of the
coat before buckling them in.

Last winter when DD was in a regular carseat, we just left her in her
bulky coat, hat, and mittens when we buckled her in. Among other
things, stripping her down first would possibly cause her to get too
cold -- the car wasn't always warm enough for normal clothes, and if we
had to have the door open to undress her, it'd -definitely- be too
cold. We did strip her down for longer trips (30 minutes plus),
though. But I agree it's tricky -- there is an awkward balance between
carseat safety and winter cold safety, made all the more complicated by
the desire for a simple solution!!

-Carlye
DS 6-2-06
DD 9-29-04

The problem when we didn't put her in her winter suit was when we'd get out
of the car. We had to wrap her very tightly in a blanket because when it
gets around -20°C, and windy, she could get frostbites only by having her
leg sticking out. That's why we'd all go most of the time with our winter
coats and her winter suit in the car, and not heat it too much during the
trip, so she'd not get too hot.
When we got out, the temperature change would not be too sudden.

"carlye" wrote in message
oups.com...

Zaz wrote:
We used our winter suit in the car seat - they have an opening at the
bottom
to pass the strap through. With the straps in an X form I don't really
see
how they would get out, as everything is so tight...

I'm not about to argue whether winter suits are safe or not in a car
seat (I personally have no idea -- read on both sides of it) but I can
tell you that my daughter, born September 29, was never put in a
snowsuit before going in her carseat. I live in North Dakota, where
our winters are filled with -lots- of snow and -very- cold temperatures
(it is almost always colder than 0 F (-18 C) and usually has a couple
cold snaps colder than -30 F (-34 C)) and we simply dressed her in a
normal head-to-toe romper or sleeper, put a hat and mittens on her, and
covered her with one blanket plus a carseat cover (the kind that is
elastic and goes over the top the carseat but not under the baby). She
never even felt cold to the touch when we'd get to our destination.
Then again, we were probably never outside for more than 10 or 15
minutes at a time, and much less on the colder days.

-Carlye
DS 6-02-06
DD 9-29-04

Zaz wrote:
The problem when we didn't put her in her winter suit was when we'd get out
of the car. We had to wrap her very tightly in a blanket because when it
gets around -20°C, and windy, she could get frostbites only by having her
leg sticking out. That's why we'd all go most of the time with our winter
coats and her winter suit in the car, and not heat it too much during the
trip, so she'd not get too hot.
When we got out, the temperature change would not be too sudden.

I'm sure this would be obvious if I read the thread start to finish,
but you're talking about an infant, right, not a toddler? If so, I
-highly- recommend getting an actual infant carseat (the kind that is a
removable carrier, separate from the base) if you don't already have
one because then you can get one of those neat elasticized things that
goes over the top of the seat (like this -
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4532498) -- not
the controversial kind that goes under the baby. That's what we used
with DD when she was an infant, in colder temps than you're talking
about, and it was never a problem. With that type of cover, baby is
warm, but safety is not compromised.

-Carlye
DS 6-2-06
DD 9-29-04

"carlye" wrote in message
ps.com...

I'm sure this would be obvious if I read the thread start to finish,
but you're talking about an infant, right, not a toddler? If so, I
-highly- recommend getting an actual infant carseat (the kind that is a
removable carrier, separate from the base) if you don't already have
one because then you can get one of those neat elasticized things that
goes over the top of the seat (like this -
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4532498) -- not
the controversial kind that goes under the baby. That's what we used
with DD when she was an infant, in colder temps than you're talking
about, and it was never a problem. With that type of cover, baby is
warm, but safety is not compromised.

-Carlye
DS 6-2-06
DD 9-29-04

Oh that is SO cute! I love the little head poking out! But are they ok to
use whilst the car's in motion? I only ask, because my baby's carseat came
with an apron type cover, that just went over her lower half, but there were
all sorts of safety notices saying not to use it in the car as if there was
an accident, it could delay the emergency services getting her out (fumbling
for the buckle etc). TBH, I use it anyway. This is because, weighing the
risks of keeping her warm in lots of layers under the belt, and the safety
issues raised here ~v~ having something that imho can just be pulled
straight off her, the apron seems to win.

I'm not saying what you suggested is bad at all, just asking if it comes
with all the same safety waffle that ours did.

Lucy x

lucy-lu wrote:

Oh that is SO cute! I love the little head poking out! But are they ok to
use whilst the car's in motion?

Gosh, I suppose it could cause delays in case of a rescue. Don't
remember such a disclaimer, though. I guess I was only thinking about
the fact that it wouldn't interfere with restraint -- didn't think of
the implications if someone needed to immediately remove the baby.

I am no help!

-Carlye