Baby coats can be expensive, and to make the high cost even more hard to swallow they just aren’t practical if your baby is using a car seat. Here is a great alternative to save you time and money, plus keep your baby warmer and more comfortable this winter!
Our son had a snowsuit sort of thing as a newborn, and then we graduated to coats because the snowsuit things were too expensive. Plus a coat would bunch up in various places and the carseat straps would need adjusting. While many infant carriers are easily adjustable, the Graco one we had was not. You had to actually rethread the straps through the claw clips to adjust them! You’d think you could just adjust them for the winter season, except in the south we often need coats in the morning but have 70 degree weather in the afternoon. Speaking of carseat straps, it’s difficult get the belt buckled with extra clothing bunching at a child’s mid section. We ended up buying a carrier cover and skipping the coats, but I felt like he wasn’t as cozy as he should be.
When our daughter came along I decided to not buy a coat for her. We had moved to Texas where “winter” only lasts for a couple of months, but I also wanted to skip the hassle of trying to use a coat with the carrier. Instead, I bought a fleecy footed sleeper for $7 that was the next size up. We put this on over her clothes and she was snug and warm as well as easily buckled into her carseat without adjusting the straps. The next winter she wore the sleeper that was last year’s “coat” to bed. She had a light jacket as well as another footed sleeper that was one size too big. This worked much better to keep her warm and was more economical.
When the kids get to be a bit bigger and the carseat straps aren’t as much of an issue, consider buying a coat that is one size too big. The extra length will help keep their legs warm and the sleeves can be rolled up a tad if too long. Chances are good that they’ll be able to wear it for 2 winter seasons, saving you from buying 2 coats. Since our son is so small we’re actually on our 3rd winter season in the same coat! Another advantage to a coat that is a bit too big is that you can put them in bulkier clothes for outside play and their coat will still be comfortable to wear.
There are products out there like the Swaddle Me to avoid these carseat carrier belt problems. But I found them to be as much of a hassle to put on. Many people suggest that you stick a thick blanket around the baby, but there is the risk that it could move and cover the baby’s face, so this isn’t recommended.
Anyone else give up on coats for the little ones?
We use a coat, but we don’t wear it in the car. She uses the coat on her lap to keep her warm until the car warms up. She is two and a half, so we don’t worry about her covering her face. When she was younger, we did use a blanket that was tucked under her legs so she couldn’t get it up over her face.
I left the little one in her footsies to walk sister to the bus stop the other morning. Then I saw this..LOL. In Texas coats are very overrated. They are hard to move in for the kids and if you’re just running to and from the car it doesnt make much sense to bundle up. That freak snow storm was so irritating to me because they would want to go play so we’d spend 15 minutes putting on boots, gloves, layers….and then they’d be cold and back inside 10 minutes later. repeat that 5 times a day LOL.