Big thanks to our favorite social media physician, My Friend the Pediatrician, for this reminder.
This winter, please remember that children should not be wearing puffy coats while strapped into their car seats!
Puffy coats allow for too much extra space. In the event of a car crash, the fluffy padding will immediately flatten out from the force, freeing up all that extra room. A child can then slip through the straps and be thrown from their seat.
It’s best to wear thin, snug layers rather than thick, bulky outerwear while riding in the car. This ensures that the seat belt stays snug up against the body. Start with fitted layers on the bottom such as tights, leggings, and long-sleeved bodysuits. Next, add pants and a warmer top like a sweater or thermal-knit shirt. If needed, place a thin fleece jacket over the top. Long underwear is also a cozy, safe layering option for the extreme cold. Don't forget a hat and mittens.
Tighten the seat harness as snug as you can. If you can pinch slack on the straps of the harness, then it needs to be tighter. You can then place a blanket or winter coat over the TOP of the harness straps. This top layer should be removable so that you can easily pull it off once the car gets nice and toasty. Leave baby’s face uncovered so that they can easily breathe.
Give yourself plenty of time to head out the door for cold winter outings. Warm the vehicle up ahead of time and consider storing the carrier portion of the infant seat inside the house where it can stay nice and warm. It's great to have an emergency vehicle bag with extra blankets, dry clothing, hats, gloves, and non-perishable snacks in case of emergency.
Lastly, all babies and toddlers should ride in a REAR-facing car seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer. The longer, the better.
Please drive carefully and distraction-free with your precious little cargo on board.
As always- like, comment, and share!
- The Baby Whisperers
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