Fleece, other coats, carseats

thekatie

New member
This is a question that I just started wondering about last night, and then I saw the Moondoggy (did I remember that right?) thread (I'm sorry, don't know how to link to a thread!) and it made me all the more curious but I didn't want to derail that thread.

I was always told that any jacket you had to adjust for was too thick, and that either "test" helped - adjust the straps to fit without the jacket, put the jacket on and see if you can buckle baby up, or put the jacket on, buckle baby in, then remove jacket and re buckle to see how much slack there is or is not.

All of J2's jackets need the harness readjusted, so I've just not been using them in the car. We're in the south, and have still had days up into the 70s, so it's just been a nonissue. We are finally down into the 30s, and it IS becoming an issue now. I had planned on just putting the jackets on backwards over the harness...

J2 is almost exclusively in cloth diapers. Last night, out at a friend's house, he was put into a disposable. When we were leaving to head home, there was a CRAZY amount of slack in the harness. I like to think that for cloth, his diapers are pretty trim... but there was more slack than when I put a fleece zip up hoodie on him, and I haven't been using that because of how much of a difference there is.

So, part 1 of the question: if having to loosen a harness at all to put any jacket on DOES mean the jacket is too thick, like I've always been told, would that mean cloth diapers would compress and be an issue, or would location (bum v. chest) mean it wouldn't affect safety?

And now I'm also wondering, could it mean I have the harness *too* tight "normally" and that's why a thin, single layer fleece Garanimals hoodie is too "thick"? The harness doesn't leave marks and J2 never complains (he doesn't talk, but he definitely lets you know when he's unhappy or hurt), but I see so, so, so many people (including CPSTs I know) posting in various forums that they have no issue putting a jacket on, it fits with their kid.
 
ADS

Xandra

New member
Fleece does not compress in a crash, so you don't need to do the "test." They can wear it even though you have to loosen the straps. The "test" is for regular jackets that WILL compress in a crash.

And yes, the compressing issue only comes into play on the torso, where they're "thrown into" the harness, causing the jacket to compress. If you leave their jacket on but open, buckle, and then zip up the jacket, you avoid the issue.
 

Swmnmom

New member
First there is a chance you are tightening the harness more then it needs be. Put the jacket on, then put your child in their seat. Adjust the harness as tight as you would normally. Take coat off then put child back in seat. If the harness still passes the pinch test even if it is looser then you would normally have it, it is fine.

There is a difference in coats and construction. Most winter coats that you can just pick up from target or walmart are too puffy and should not be used. It is much more difficult to try and tell people what coats are ok. The ones that are constructed in such a way that they do not compress are usually more expensive. If you care about car seat safety and are willing to research and then buy a slightly more expensive coat then you can find one that is acceptable for even the coldest of winters.

Fleece should be more then enough for 30 degree weather though.
 

MunkyCrazy

New member
First there is a chance you are tightening the harness more then it needs be. Put the jacket on, then put your child in their seat. Adjust the harness as tight as you would normally. Take coat off then put child back in seat. If the harness still passes the pinch test even if it is looser then you would normally have it, it is fine.

There is a difference in coats and construction. Most winter coats that you can just pick up from target or walmart are too puffy and should not be used. It is much more difficult to try and tell people what coats are ok. The ones that are constructed in such a way that they do not compress are usually more expensive. If you care about car seat safety and are willing to research and then buy a slightly more expensive coat then you can find one that is acceptable for even the coldest of winters.

Fleece should be more then enough for 30 degree weather though.

Like a leather or wool coat? I never thought about other coats because it seems like solid bulky coats are never really mentioned just compression from "winter coats". I'd definitely go buy my kids a wool coat to wear if it were acceptable to use with a car seat.
 

thekatie

New member
And yes, the compressing issue only comes into play on the torso, where they're "thrown into" the harness, causing the jacket to compress. If you leave their jacket on but open, buckle, and then zip up the jacket, you avoid the issue.

We only have a thin fleece jacket, and a slightly thicker jacket that feels somewhat like a sweatshirt right now (joys of living in a mild climate), but that sounds like a great and easy solution. Thank you!

First there is a chance you are tightening the harness more then it needs be. Put the jacket on, then put your child in their seat. Adjust the harness as tight as you would normally. Take coat off then put child back in seat. If the harness still passes the pinch test even if it is looser then you would normally have it, it is fine.

A side-line question from the coat issue - how can you do the pinch test if you have harness covers on? We have 3 seats that I rotate between for various reasons, and don't use covers with the Pria (lost one) or the Scenera (don't think it came with any). But I just put the Coccoro in the car, and I do use the strap covers with it, otherwise J2 gets actual open sores from the straps against his neck/shoulder area. As much as I :love: the Coccoro, I'm always paranoid that I can't accurately tell how snug the harness is.

Fleece should be more then enough for 30 degree weather though.

It is, thankfully, and I doubt we will have more than a handful of days down into the teens at the coldest. Layers just work for us - I hope we never move any further north.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
The Moondoggy jackets are super thin and compress to nothing. I don't have to adjust DS's straps at all.
 

Phineasmama

New member
I don't use harness straps in the winter, I figure they don't need the extra bulk and there is next to no chance of a harness rubbing against their neck or whatever when they have jackets or fleeces on. I do usually use them in the summer especially because we're likely to ride around in tank tops or swim suits
 

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