It is challenging to keep the babies safe from getting cold even in the home then how much difficulty would it be outsides? What should baby wear in car seat in winter so they wouldn’t catch a cold?
It is obvious that getting them wrapped in tens of cozy winter coats is wrong as AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) also stated that:
“Layering your baby in winter coats below the harness straps could be highly dangerous and uncomfortable for them”
It could be difficult for them to breathe fully and thus will remain more uncomfortable than normal while babies are in the car seats. You can try some smart tricks to keep your baby warm in the car seats as written below.
Table of Contents
What Should Baby Wear in Car Seat in Winter?
We can understand that being parents, you would never want to take the risk on your baby’s health. And so there are a few tips that will not only keep them warm but will also be comforting.
1. Warm the car and car seat first:
Baby car seats are detachable and can be moved inside the house, hotels, or wherever you are going. Warming the car seat or car itself will not take out heat from the baby’s body when they will be made to sit in it.
Click here to learn -> “how to make car seats more comfortable”
2. How to dress baby for winter in car seat?
Layering is the smarter way to how to dress baby for winter in car seat as you will have options when it gets too hot or cold. For that, start with thin clothes like tights and inners, then warm clothes, and then a winter coat.
According to the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) instructions:
“Infants and toddlers should have only one more layer of clothes than adults”
3. What should baby wear in car seat in winter?
What should baby wear in car seat in winter is something that confuses the parents every time they have to head out. Buckling them up with their winter coats on will be suffocating for your child. Then what should baby wear in car seat in winter?
They should be in their casual warm clothes, after harnessing, you should put their jacket above and don’t zip it. When outside the car lay a warm blanket on their lap to stop cold air from crossing.
4. Baby car seat snuggler:
It has been witnessed that the parents try to wrap their children in as many layers of clothes as possible and then it becomes difficult to snuggle them in their car seats safely. It is not safe at all.
Note: do a pinch test. For that, pinch the harness straps at the shoulder to see if it is tight enough or not.
Related: Newborn car seat straps correct position
5. Warm car seat covers for infants:
Warm car seat covers for infants are made to keep them insulated inside as well as outside the car. Moreover, car seat covers:
- Take away the need to layering your child in bulkier clothes
- It is safe for the children
- It keeps them safe from hot and cold weather
- Shield babies from germs and keep strangers to come over and breathe on your child!
Related: Can you feed a baby in a car seat?
6. What should baby wear in car seat in winter other than clothes?
What should baby wear in car seat in winter other than clothes? Accessories like booties, mittens, and hats keep your baby warm without interfering with the car seat straps.
Note: For thumb sucker kids, you can use half-hand gloves and or keep a pair of gloves with you so that you can replace them when getting wet.
7. Plan your journey | Earlier start is better!
Getting an early start will be helpful. Winter traveling needs to be extra cautious, and your baby will not be very cooperative. So planning will be helpful here; you can take breaks to feed the baby as well.
Related: How to Travel With a Car Seat
8. Be ready for emergencies:
Everything is uncertain with a child so be ready with an extra bag pack that will include extra clothes, at least one winter coat, hats, gloves, snacks, padding, diapers, bibs, and everything that they could need outside.
How to Keep Baby Warm in Car Seat?
What should baby wear in car seat in winter that doesn’t interfere with their comfort and safety? Read below to get the answer.
What to do:
- Use car seat cover inside the car only if it is of the same brand that the car seat is
- Bring a blanket for older kids (they do not like to get wrapped in multiple clothes)
- Take off snowsuits before buckling up your baby
Note: snow suits are not recommended in any case in the car seats, if it is too cold, you can go for alternate options as discussed below except snowsuits.
What not to do:
- No need for a coat, blanket, etc. in a car with a heater
- Don’t forget to put on shoes/boots
- Don’t use the car seat cover inside the car seat
- Do not use car seat accessories until recommended in the relevant car seat manual
- Do not harness the car seat straps too tight, these should be comfortable
Related: Most Comfortable Car Seat for Long Trips
Conclusion
We hope that you have gotten enough tips regarding what should baby wear in car seat in winter. Balance is the key here. If you will wrap them so much that becomes unbreathable for them is also not good, and not following the doable things that have been mentioned above will cause them to catch a cold.
You can follow the same tricks in strollers too (either with a car seat or without a car seat). Click here “When to put baby in stroller without car seat” to know more and keep visiting our website www.topbabyseats.com to stay updated on parent hacks!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to put baby in a car seat in winters?
To keep the baby warm in a car seat in winters, you can add one more layer of clothes than adults. Do not wrap them in too many clothes. Because it will keep them uncomfortable and harness straps cannot be snugged tight enough over multi- layers of clothes.
What is the infant winter car seat safety?
You can use car seat winter cover to keep them cozy, do not forget to put on booties, mittens, and caps but never put your baby in bulkier clothes, and keep their face uncovered.
When to use infant car seat cover for winter?
An infant car seat is a shield from cold, and germs, and is safe for the child. The parents usually prefer to wrap their baby car seat in a car seat cover while going out (from the car and home).
What is the proper infant car seat use?
Proper infant car seat use covers the following requirements: it should be installed rear-facing, harness straps should be snugged tight (how to adjust Graco car seat straps?), it should be installed by following the manual guidelines and should be kept clean.
How to make an infant car seat cover at home?
Take a piece of cloth (cozier will be better), measure the length, width, and height of the baby car seat and cut the cloth by following the measurements, and sew it as shown in the video:
How many layers should newborns wear in winter?
As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, “newborns, infants, and toddlers should have one additional layer of clothes than adults” and do not wrap your child in bulkier clothes.
Where does a newborn baby car seat go?
According to the car seat laws, baby car seats should be installed in the middle of the back seat, however, if it is somehow not possible (you have to install more than 1 car seat or your car doesn’t have a latch in the middle seat) you can install it on the sides of the back seat.
Related: Car Seats for 5 Year Olds
What are the American pediatric association car seat instructions?
AAP states that “the infants should ride rear-facing in car seats as long as they are under the upper height, weight, and age limit for that car seat”.
Related: When to upgrade from infant car seat?
Can I use winter coats for newborns?
You can use winter coats for newborn babies but only if: they are not wearing bulkier clothes and not beneath the harness straps.
Are our car seat covers safe?
The car seat cover is safe if and only if: the baby is not wearing bulkier clothes under the cover, their face is uncovered, and you are outside the car (baby will be rear-facing inside the car eat so it is not safe in that case).
Related: Rear Facing Vs Forward Facing Statistics
Why can’t babies wear coats in car seats?
They cannot be harnessed securely while wearing bulkier clothes and it is not proven to be safe in car crashes as the fluffy padding in coats will get flattened immediately creating a gap between the harness and the baby’s body from where they can slip over from their car seats.
