Graco's version of a bundle me?

[AllieCanada]

I know after market items are a no-no for car seats but clearly shouldn't Graco know that since it's written in all of their manuals? Just by looking at the pic there is no way that could be safe.

http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B0018OZT58/sr=1-71/qid=1211852458/ref=sr_1_71/002-1800470-0926436?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core&mqnodeid=397280011

 

[BW1426]

Graco usually has taken the stance that if they make it, it can be used with there seat. For example, they say that the toys they make that can hang off the handle bar of the infant seat are ok, but if it is made by someone else it isn't ok. With that said, I'm still not thinking I would feel good about using this, especially if the layer in between car seat and baby is thicker fabric.

 

[Patriot201]

I wouldn't use it. Padding between the baby and the harness is NOT GOOD.

The only way I would use this product is if the backing is as thin as a flannel receiving blanket. I doubt that is the case here.

 

[Unregistered1]

I will NEVER understand people's problem with bundling their kids OVER the harness! Especially with an infant, it's not that hard, just put a blanket on them, or one of those covers that goes OVER the seat even! Why use something more difficult than what you need? A lot of those things you have to disconnect the harness, put the straps through, do all kinds of messing around, what's wrong with a simple blanket?!

Okay, vent over.

 

[jen_nah]

I am wondering if this is truely meant for their strollers and Sears did the picture in the car seat and since we know they do their own discription wording who knows Graco's real intent is for this product.

 

[thepeach80]

I am wondering if this is truely meant for their strollers and Sears did the picture in the car seat and since we know they do their own discription wording who knows Graco's real intent is for this product.

No, this is the picture on the front of the package, it specifically says for babies up to 1yo and 21# in the carseat. They sold them here in the US for a SHORT while and I guess decided they weren't selling or whatnot. I even contacted Graco about them right before Ilana was born and the CS I talked to didn't even know this product existed. I saw them again a few mos ago at BRU on clearance.

 

[mimieliza]

I will NEVER understand people's problem with bundling their kids OVER the harness! Especially with an infant, it's not that hard, just put a blanket on them, or one of those covers that goes OVER the seat even!

Well, the back of an infant carseat is plastic and thin padding with holes in it. It's just not very warm for a tiny baby with little body fat. My poor DD nearly froze to death her first winter. She cried in misery every time we took her outside. I didn't use a Bundle Me or anything behind her in the seat, of course, but if Graco made something that was safety tested for use in their own seats, I would have bought it.

 

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

I will NEVER understand people's problem with bundling their kids OVER the harness! Especially with an infant, it's not that hard, just put a blanket on them, or one of those covers that goes OVER the seat even! Why use something more difficult than what you need? A lot of those things you have to disconnect the harness, put the straps through, do all kinds of messing around, what's wrong with a simple blanket?!

Okay, vent over.

In general, people think after-market products are safe. Why else would they be available to buy? I thought this way until I found this site. I used a bundle-me lite for my DD before I knew about it not being safe. FWIW, I thought I was doing the right thing. I did have her carseat properly installed and I used it correctly in every other way.

 

[Mommy090804]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering the same thing when I opened my new catalogue yesterday and saw this product. Wow, I honestly think they may sell quite a few of those. The price is a little much though. Hmmm, I wonder if it is "crash tested" like the Bundle Me?

 

[NHCPSTECH]

Hmmm, I wonder if it is "crash tested" like the Bundle Me?

Graco does test their car seat accessories. I don't have a problem so much with the layer of fabric behind the baby as I do with the way the straps have to go through the slots at a perpendicular angle causing the straps to fold and fabric to get all bunched up. (Honestly...is it much thicker than the fleece jackets we recommend?..okay, maybe a little thicker if we are talking about the original vs. the bundle me lite) This is what I point out to parents...you have to put a strap like this -- through a slit like this ! In every case it causes the strap to fold and there's usually too much fabric there to make it work smoothly.

I have seen the Graco "bundle-me" in real life and I cannot remember how the slits are. It's no longer listed as a car seat accessory on Graco's site. And what is with the ridiculous "boot"?? I mean, why not just go all the way Graco, and FINISH the cover...in patterns that match the infant seat. I usually tell parents that it's to keep the blanket from falling out of the seat.

R.

 

[thepeach80]

I loved my winter boot on my SS1, it was great! Mine was a heavy fleece though and covered Ilana quite well, especially the first winter since she was born in November. We couldn't really use it the next year since her feet made it pop off. I've seen some that don't seem worth anything, like you said, to keep the blankets from falling off. lol

 

[featherhead]

My SIL made her own version of a "bundle me". I checked out her seat one time when she was sleeping. The slits in the cover may have been made in the right spots, but the cover can slide around, so the straps were not coming out of the cover in the right spots. I think the buckle strap was about an inch forward of its original slot in the seat. My SIL has a little baby, so I'm sure the strap was not like that from the baby. I would personally not use ANY bunting bag type cover. I just don't trust them.