Car seat and coats

lourdes · Oct 2, 2011

In 2 months we will be traveling to the north of the US and I have read here that you can't put the child in the car seat with the coat on but do I need to remove her sweater too? What are the recommendations for winter clothing and car seat?

SusanMae · Oct 2, 2011

Sweater is fine...unless you think your child will get overheated in it.

I'm in Maryland. In the winter my son typically wears: undershirt and a long sleeved shirt in the car. Sometimes a sweater or thin fleece is layered in there as well. Just depends on the day. I keep a blanket in the car for him too.

We drive almost an hour to work/day care 5 days/week. The heat is on in the car...so he really only needs a coat for about 20 feet between house and car and then car to day care. He's a Dec baby and has been fine in the car since we came home without a bundle me/snowsuit/coat in the carseat. He'll be 3 this year.

Susan

lourdes · Oct 2, 2011

We will be going from Baltimore, to Washington, to Pensilvania, to the Niagara's, to New York, to Connecticut and back to Baltimore, we are from Puerto Rico and the temperature here is 90 all year long so I don't know if I will have her over dress, I know I will be ok but I am afraid for her! It is a 10 day trip, from dec 25 to jan 5 so I know it will be cold, I was planing this, the warmer, a long sleeve shirt, the sweater and the coat, for the legs, the warmer, legging, jeans and the boots, is this too much????

lourdes · Oct 3, 2011

...................

T4K · Oct 3, 2011

It's always smart to dress in layers as it may be very cold in the mornings but sunny and warmer in the afternoons. I think taking layers of clothes is the way to go. That way you can always dress her in jeans without te leggings if it's going to be a warm day.

SusanMae · Oct 3, 2011

Maryland at Christmas can be in the 20's and thirtys with snow (but not usually!) or up near the 60's! It'll be once you go through PA and up to Niagra Falls where you'll really get the cold.

Layers are best though...then you can add or peel away as needed.

Susan

Brianna · Oct 3, 2011

I'm in the Niagara Falls, NY area, some Christmases up here are blizzard like conditions with temps below zero, other years it's in the 40s or 50s, you really never know what you're going to get or how warm it will get during the day.

Usually once I'm in the car for a minute or two, I'm sweating if I have on anything more than jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie- I have to take off my coat in the car and it's too warm to wear any sort of long johns. If you'll only be going from the car to inside, you really won't need her dressed in more than pants, a sweater and a coat (not in her car seat of course) but if you plan on playing outside in the snow is when you'll need her dressed warm.

jnamommy · Oct 3, 2011

Keep a blanket in the car. She can use that after she is buckled if necessary, and it's easy for her to get rid of once she is too warm.

lourdes · Oct 3, 2011

We will be outside some days and inside some days, so it will be a day to day situation, I guess the warms and jeans will be ok if we are not going to stay outside for too long, I can also take most of her clothing off one we are in the car if we are making a long trip

NannyMom · Oct 3, 2011

Sofi wears an under shirt, a long sleeve shirt, and a fleece jacket in the car. If we're going to be indoors and outdoors, she will wear the inner part of a 3 in 1 coat when in the car (just like a fleece) and the outer part goes on top when we go out (just like a winter coat). For leg warmth, she can wear thick tights and jeans or sweat pants over top. If she will be playing in the snow, we do more layers (under shirt, long sleeve, sweater, coat. tights, socks, pants, snow pants. boots, hat, gloves, coat hood) but that's only outside not in the car

My husband is from Honduras, where it's warm. He hates winter. he is ALWAYS cold! He wears long johns under his everyday clothes.

Lenae · Oct 3, 2011

NannyMom said:
My husband is from Honduras, where it's warm. He hates winter. he is ALWAYS cold! He wears long johns under his everyday clothes.

Haha, that's me. I'm definitely not from Honduras though. I wear underarmour lightweight leggings under jeans for everyday, heavyweight if we're spending a significant amount of time outside.

As for the OP, if you know what your daily activies will be, adjust then. Even in very cold climates, if you're going to be inside/mostly inside all day, skip the tights or leggings under jeans, or your DD will be too warm.

SusanMae · Oct 3, 2011

I know I keep my house around 68-70 in the winter. My work/his childcare keeps the building around there too. My son goes outside for roughly an hour to an hour and a 1/2 daily---but only in 30 minute increments. So he's comfortable in jeans or sweats, his layers on top, a heavy coat, hat and mittens. When he goes out in the snow, he wears snow pants and boots as well.

Susan

lourdes · Oct 3, 2011

Thanks to all for your tips! I am scare of this trip!

Brianna · Oct 4, 2011

Out of curiosity- who is driving? If it will be you or somebody else you're traveling with that hasn't driven in snow before I'd be happy to give you a few tips. If you're meeting somebody up here that will be driving you then I guess you don't need the tips

jourdysmom · Oct 4, 2011

Northern NY here too.

To go out, we wear jeans or pants, long sleeve shirt, and a sweatshirt or sweater. And a coat, hat, mittens. The coats come off the second we get to the car (mine included) as the heat is on. Everyone gets buckled in and off we go. They take off their hats/mittens when they get warm enough... When we get to where we are going, on go the hats and mittens, coats go on and get zipped as I take them out of the car.

We rarely wear anything under our clothes as far as warming clothes (long underwear, tights etc) unless we plan to be outside for an extended period of time like hiking, sledding, being at an outdoor event etc. You just get WAY too hot inside if you wear that stuff.

Enjoy your trip! It is beautiful here in the winter!

lourdes · Oct 4, 2011

The plans don't have too much indoor activities besides driving, we are stoping at museums and other places but mainly we want to be in the snow! You know, we are from PR so.....
And no, I am not driving, I am afraid of driving in snow, my DH is going to drive but he hasn't drive in snow before so, YES give me all the tips you want in that subject!!!!!!

jourdysmom · Oct 4, 2011

Driving in the snow can be tricky if you have no experience.

Drive slowly, at a steady speed, no fast acceleration or hard braking. If you start to skid, take your foot off the accelerator and gently brake. The ABS should slow you. Other than that, take extra time, use caution and enjoy!

Brianna · Oct 4, 2011

Everything takes longer in the snow- speeding up and slowing down. Try coasting more than usual and be very easy on the brake, slow down for curves in the road. If the car starts spinning, steer in the direction you want the car to go.

Be very careful at intersections- just because you have the green light doesn't mean that the person approaching the red light is able to stop- right of way isn't as important as avoiding a crash. Pay a lot of attention to your rear view mirror- you never know what the person behind you is doing and if you'll need to swerve to avoid getting rear ended.

I'm really not trying to scare you, and most of the time the road are kept clean and they're easy to drive on, but it's important to know what to pay attention to when you're driving during a storm or before the roads are cleared.

lourdes · Oct 4, 2011

If there is a storm we will stay and wait for the storm to be over, but yeah, I am scared! I didn't think of the driving issue until after we purchased the airplane tickets. My DH thinks is like driving in mod, thanks for the tips, is good to know what to do if we are in those situations!

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