Baby clothes and aftermarket products - WWYD?

[JaRylan]

I'm going through my boxes of baby clothes so that I can lend them out to my cousin who just had a baby on May 19th. As soon as her baby boy is done with them they will go to her brother/my cousin who is going to be a father in November.

As I'm going through the boxes I am noticing some of my sister's stuff is mixed in...including aftermarket head huggers, some of those bunting bag overall thingys (2 piece with a sleeper inside the bag) and a snowsuit. I am going to toss the headhugger. But I am not sure what to do with the other items. Do I put them in the boxes with a note attached to each thing that says do not use in the carseat no matter what and then give a verbal warning as well? The May baby won't be using the snowsuit, lol, but the November one might. Is it worth the risk that the parents may not listen and use them anyway in a carseat?

The baby clothes won't likely be coming back to my house and that makes me kind of sad. But there is no sense hanging onto them when I don't even have a guy in my life, lol.

[Jewels]

aw {{HUGS}}! It's hard getting ready to get rid of baby stuff!

I had one of those bunting bag things with the sleeper inside and the bag goes over it and I liked it for going for walks in the cooler weather. Although for a May baby I don't think I would even bother to give it because they aren't likely to use it and then you could just "forget" to give it to the November baby :rolleyes:

[nisi]

I had a similar discussion with another tech recently. She was getting rid of baby things, and had a snowsuit from before she knew better. She ended up throwing it away. Her reasoning was that it should never be used in a car seat, and a newborn baby wouldn't/shouldn't be spending enough time out in the cold to make any other use of it. As much as I hate to throw anything away that might have some life in it, I had to agree with her logic. :twocents:

[sixboys]

I've got a quick question. I understand why some of those items are not acceptable to use with a carseat, but specifically, what is wrong with using a Bundle Me by JJ Cole? I found that the inner lining of the Bundle Me (the only part to go under the straps) was actually thinner than a lightweight sweatshirt (which is generally OK'd for use).

I'll be honest, I don't really get the problem with them.:scratcheshead:

[KissTheCook]

I'm suprised those buntings with the sleeper thing under aren't allowed. From what I've seen, those are usally thinner fleece (kind of like a blanket sleeper), vs the ones that are JUST thick bunting snowsuit.

[CDNTech]

I've got a quick question. I understand why some of those items are not acceptable to use with a carseat, but specifically, what is wrong with using a Bundle Me by JJ Cole? I found that the inner lining of the Bundle Me (the only part to go under the straps) was actually thinner than a lightweight sweatshirt (which is generally OK'd for use).

I'll be honest, I don't really get the problem with them.:scratcheshead:

The problem with the bunting bags (even the thin Bundle me's) is that the harness straps can get caught up between the bundle me and the carseat. When you go to tighten the straps you may think you have them tight, but because they are bunched between the bundle me and the carseat you could easily have an inch or more of slack.

With a light sweater you can visually see there is no slack.

[SusanMae]

I received a bundle me from my mom...and she KNOWS that I will NOT use it in the carseat. I did put it in there just to see. I couldn't even get the head insert back in at the same tightness. The Bundle Me was bunched up HORRIBLY in my KeyFit---without a baby.

I actually called the people at JJ Cole and they told me that they only tested the Bundle Me's on the Peg and the Britax infant seat because all infant seats are "basically the same." (On what planet?)

Susan

[snowbird25ca]

Well, I have used snow suits for going for a walk with the stroller when it's cool but not -40. :p Sometimes I just preferred for ds to be in the stroller rather than use his carrier for walks. And with dd we used a baby sled sometimes for walks. Her snowsuits didn't get ALOT of use, but we did buy them for the bit of use we got from them and I'd buy them again. (Never did use it in the car seat though.)

As for giving it to them, well, I'd include it with the stuff and a warning. My thinking is this - if they want one, they'll buy one, so might as well give them one for free and then educate them on car seat safety.

I'm of the mind set that it's better to educate and have them decide not to use it, than to just not include it and have them just go out & buy one for themselves. :twocents:

[Patriot201]

I received a bundle me from my mom...and she KNOWS that I will NOT use it in the carseat. I did put it in there just to see. I couldn't even get the head insert back in at the same tightness. The Bundle Me was bunched up HORRIBLY in my KeyFit---without a baby.

I actually called the people at JJ Cole and they told me that they only tested the Bundle Me's on the Peg and the Britax infant seat because all infant seats are "basically the same." (On what planet?)

Susan

The same!?!??! Is that like how all vehicles are "basically the same?" Or how all people are "basically the same?" How wrong!!!

[SusanMae]

I know....aren't they GREAT?

oh....and they did have an independent testing facility do the testing(a la Consumer Reports?)...and they tested the seats according to FMVS 213(i think that's the right number). They "appear" to have passed.

She did tell me that if I wasn't comfortable using it in the carseat, that I shouldn't and their company is VERY committed to child safety.

Susan

[chaoticoctopus]

I had a similar discussion with another tech recently. She was getting rid of baby things, and had a snowsuit from before she knew better. She ended up throwing it away. Her reasoning was that it should never be used in a car seat, and a newborn baby wouldn't/shouldn't be spending enough time out in the cold to make any other use of it. As much as I hate to throw anything away that might have some life in it, I had to agree with her logic. :twocents:

LOL, spoken like one who hasn't lived in a really cold environment much! At least not with older children and a new baby as well!! :p In Germany, I had to walk 3 of my kidlets to the bus stop up the hill (only a 5-8 min. walk, depending on how the toddler behaved) every morning around 6:45. Rain, shine, snow, icy sidewalks, and all. Baby was often in a sling, or the stroller, but I can tell you we NEEDED a snowsuit. I did put her in the suit in her carseat as well, because I didn't know better at the time. :( But let's not assume that a perfectly good snowsuit won't be a very necessary item for someone, just because it's bad news in a carseat. ;)

Personally, I would donate anything like this to a charity sending out relief items to colder climes... ;)

[JaRylan]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I'll double check with my sister that she wants to loan everything out to our cousins (I'm sure she will, unless she up and tells me I'm going to be an aunt again, but not likely right now).

We live in a cold climate. Snowsuit will be sent out with note attached and loving threats from me not to use it in a carseat. Same with the sleeper in a bag. Maybe I will even sew a warning label into each item.

Aftermarket head hugger is in the garbage, best place for it!

[lynsgirl]

LOL, spoken like one who hasn't lived in a really cold environment much! At least not with older children and a new baby as well!! :p In Germany, I had to walk 3 of my kidlets to the bus stop up the hill (only a 5-8 min. walk, depending on how the toddler behaved) every morning around 6:45. Rain, shine, snow, icy sidewalks, and all. Baby was often in a sling, or the stroller, but I can tell you we NEEDED a snowsuit. I did put her in the suit in her carseat as well, because I didn't know better at the time. :( But let's not assume that a perfectly good snowsuit won't be a very necessary item for someone, just because it's bad news in a carseat. ;)

Personally, I would donate anything like this to a charity sending out relief items to colder climes... ;)

;) Not sure where the other tech Nisi is speaking of lives, but I can assure you that she herself lives in a cold climate :D :whistle: lol.

[mommycat]

I agree on sending on the snowsuit and bundle me with stern, loving warnings. I had a bundle me and used just the top part zippered off as a blanket for the infant carrier - it was WARM and the right size and as long as I didn't use the bottom part all was good. I had one of those fleecy bags/sleeper combos and used them in the crib, I liked how it wrapped the baby up without a blanket to kick about. The snowsuit got very little use but was a MUST when going for a walk with the stroller or in the sled. Those items are useful so long as you don't stick them in a carseat.

Oh, and I had an aftermarket head hugger as well, I used it in his swing!

[chaoticoctopus]

;) Not sure where the other tech Nisi is speaking of lives, but I can assure you that she herself lives in a cold climate :D :whistle: lol.

I was commenting in general to the originator of the opinion, nisi's friend I guess, rather than nisi herself. ;)