Car Seat Safe Winter Gear - Does It Pass The Pinch Test? Featuring The Road Coat By One Kid (Video + Discount!)
Fall is here, so that means it’s time to start dressing for the weather. As a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and Mom of 4, I get a lot of questions about what’s safe to wear in car seats and booster seats. Parents are often surprised to hear that bulky gear (eg. snowsuits, winter coats, bunting bags, costumes, athletic gear) can lead to improper harness fit (and seat belt fit), and is not appropriate for use in our vehicles.
That’s why I’m very excited to partner with The Road Coat by One Kid to demonstrate, how we can test our current cold weather gear to check if it’s safe (using the simple pinch test). Plus we’ll take a look at what makes The Road Coat’s innovative design a safe choice for use in cars in cold weather. Watch Now + Get 10% OFF Road Coat Products* with code: 10%WITHCARE
Featured Road Coat Products
What Makes The Road Coat A Safe Option?
All of The Road Coats feature an innovative 2 layer zipper design and split collar that allows the harness or seat belt to lay flat on the shoulders and properly against the child’s body. Always ensure you choose the right size for your little one, never “size up” for any gear intended for car seat use.
Snow pants are available to match the down and arctic Road Coats, but are not to be worn in the car seat. All of the Road Coat products are made of beautiful materials. They are comfortable, lightweight, and compact. As a mom I love the robust zippers, and the little details like the stuff sack for storing each product.
I hope this video has helped you understand what your options are for keeping your kids safe in your vehicles this winter. For all the parents looking for a warm, safe, and convenient option, The Road Coat is a great choice.
Please leave any comments or questions below. Make sure to check out my other car seat safety videos for more info. Plus subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up to date on my new videos.
- Care
Featured In this video: One Kid The Road Coat - Arctic Coat & Snow Pants (Blue Coat & Black Pants In Video), Down Coat & Snow Pants (Purple/Pink Coat & Pink Pants In Video), Snow Suit (Grey Outfit In Video)
*Get 10% OFF with code 10%WITHCARE *cannot be combined with any other offers/sale items excluded/one time use only/cannot be applied to previous purchases
**This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I only partner with products and services that I genuinely love and want to recommend.
***The information in this video is meant to help you learn about car seat safety. The information provided does not constitute individual advice or consultation and should not be used as such. Please always read your vehicle manual and car seat manual to ensure all products used are done so in accordance with their guidelines. Always test all gear with the pinch test to ensure proper safe fit. If you need assistance checking your car seat, or choosing the right products etc. please reach out to me (care@with-care.ca), or another certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPSAC find a tech map).
Parents, Please Stop Covering Your Baby's Face!
I've wanted to write a post about this for a long time, but kept holding off. Probably because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, or make parents feel guilty, but that's not what this post is about. I am certain that almost every parent makes decisions with their kid's best interest at heart. We all want what is best for our little one's development, growth, and definitely safety.
I've wanted to write a post about this for a long time, but kept holding off. Probably because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, or make parents feel guilty, but that's not what this post is about. I am certain that almost every parent makes decisions with their kid's best interest at heart. We all want what is best for our little one's development, growth, and definitely safety. That's why it's always difficult to approach parents to discuss safety concerns about their little one when I'm hosting community events and teaching workshops. As a healthcare provider and expert in family safety I made a commitment long ago not to bother any parents about personal preferences or things that involve comfort, but safety concerns I cannot overlook. I would never forgive myself if an incident that I ignored led to a baby's harm, or even worse death.
Lately I have had several incidents involving infants being brought to my events completely covered and concealed without adequate access to fresh air. In some cases it has been babies in their infant car seats with winter seat covers tightly closed around them. In other cases it was babies being worn in baby carriers with coat extensions zipped up fully covering the baby's face, or a blanket covering the baby's head. While I understand the cold weather can be daunting and hard to contend with (especially if you have well meaning people constantly chiming in on how cold baby is!), it is essential to remember that fresh oxygen flow is paramount, and that without it an infant can suffocate.
The importance of fresh air flow around our infant is one of the key messages in SIDs prevention and safe sleep, and is just as essential when our baby is in a car seat, stroller, or baby carrier. Seeing our baby's face allows us to assess their well being through their skin tone and breathing patterns. When we cover our baby completely, they lose access to fresh air, and we lose the ability to ensure they are well. The American Academy of Paediatrics reminds parents to "Be sure to leave baby's face uncovered to avoid trapped air and re-breathing.” It's important that parents are aware that covering a baby’s face completely in a carrier, car seat or stroller can lead to overheating and suffocation (eg. Image B below).
In addition, we must consider what is safe for use in our vehicles. Many retailers carry car seat bundling products that are not safe to use in a car seat. Just because it's on the shelf at the store does not mean it is safe. When I raise this in my Infant/Family CPR & Safety Workshops parents are often confused as to why products are sold in stores that might be unsafe for baby. In an age where products are constantly entering the marketplace it can be tough to assess what is safe. If a product passes testing for things like textile strength and flammability they often get put up on shelves without any assessment about how parents may use these products, and what real life risk they pose for babies. With the introduction and popularity of car seat covers in recent years, parents have been warned to avoid any covers that go between the baby’s body and the straps (Image A below). These types of covers impact the fit of the harness and do not allow for proper safe use of the car seat as directed by the manufacturer.
A - Backed Car seat covers are Not Safe for Use in car seats. Only for use in stroller seats.
B - Backless Product. Please always keep flap open so baby gets adequate airflow and baby's wellbeing can be assessed
C - Backless Product. Please always keep flaps open so baby gets adequate airflow and baby's wellbeing can be assessed
When preparing our kiddos to go in their car seats in cold weather it's recommended that we dress them in tight fitting compressible layers (not snowsuits or puffy bunting suits). A snug fitting fleece outfit like this one from MEC can be a good option. If you're planning to use something extra to help keep baby warm in their car seat, please make sure it is a product that does not interfere with placement or correct adjustment of the straps, or with fresh air flow. This typically means using a simple blanket tucked in around them once they are strapped in properly, or purchasing a "backless" car seat cover like the Skip Hop one pictured here. These are a great option for infants during our cold winters, but please always ensure you keep baby’s face visible.
The same goes for babies being worn in baby carriers. Recently Health Canada introduced a Public Service Announcement with the message "Visible & Kissable." It aims to remind parents that having our baby in an upright and supported position, without anything covering their face or blocking their access to fresh air, is essential. If baby is being worn in a baby carrier against their parent's body they should mainly be shielded from the wind. As you can see from the photo above of me babywearing Penny, she is well protected from the elements but her face and airflow are not obstructed in any way. If you're going out on an extremely cold day and are concerned about baby's exposed skin, a layer of shea butter or another natural barrier cream can help. If you want to learn more check out my post on Winter Babywearing Essentials.
If it's absolutely necessary to cover your baby for a brief moment to protect them from extreme cold (whether in a baby carrier, a car seat or a stroller) please use a breathable blanket, keep a very close eye on your baby and uncover them immediately.
Our babies are really cute. Let's make sure we can always see their adorable faces.
Care
*This is not a sponsored post.
Please comment below with any questions or topics you would like me to cover in the future.