We love winter around here - snowball fights, sledding, and building snowmen.  As much as our kiddos love it too, it can often be a struggle to keep them warm and safe, especially when it comes to car travel. We're here to break down the risks associated with traditional coats in car seats and introduce you to a safer alternative: car seat coats!

The Scoop on Winter Coats in Car Seats

While traditional winter coats are designed to provide warmth, they can pose a significant safety risk when worn in a car seat. Here's why:

1. Compression Hazards: Thick, puffy coats can create a gap between your child and the harness straps of the car seat. In the event of a sudden stop or collision, the coat compresses, leaving too much slack in the harness. This can result in too much forward mobility that can cause head, neck or spine injury.
2. Improper Harness Fit: When a child is wearing a bulky coat, it's hard to get the harness straps snug enough against their body. This means the harness may not provide the necessary protection in the event of an accident.
3. Reduced Effectiveness of the Seat: Car seats are engineered and crash-tested with the assumption that kids will be secured without any extra layers of clothing. Adding a thick coat alters the way the seat functions and may compromise its safety features.

Enter the Buckle Me Baby Coats

Buckle Me Baby Coats have been a game-changer for kids and their parents as a safer alternative to traditional coats in car seats. Here's why parents and caregivers are raving about them:

1. Innovative Design: Buckle Me Baby Coats are thoughtfully designed with Secure Me Strips™ and a unique flap opening that allows you to fit the car seat harness securely on their shoulders and chest, as though they aren’t wearing a coat at all.
2. Safety-Tested: These coats have undergone rigorous safety testing to ensure they do not interfere with the harness's effectiveness. Crash-tested and Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)-approved, you can trust that your kiddo is as safe in their car seat as if they weren’t wearing a coat.
3. Warmth without Bulk: Most puffy coats are made in a way that makes it look like there is more insulation, but there are actually empty areas created by the quilting effect.  It's fluff and puff! Buckle Me Baby Coats use sheets of insulation that are thinner but consistent throughout the entire coat – providing enough warmth without the bulk.
4. Variety of Styles: With different styles and colors available, you can find a Buckle Me Baby Coat that not only keeps your kids warm but fits your (and their) preferences and weather needs.

How to Use a Buckle Me Baby Coat

Using a Buckle Me Baby Coat is simple and ensures your child's safety while keeping them warm:

1. Place Your Child in the Coat: Put the coat on your child as you normally would, at home!  (Yes, that means no more running them frantically coat-less to the car.)
2. Open the Coat: Once in their car seat, use the Secure Me Strips ™ to open the coat’s flap and allow access to the shoulders and chest. 
3. Secure the Harness: Buckle your child into the car seat, ensuring the harness straps are snug against their body.  Remember the two-fingers-flat space rule.
4. Re-Zip: Once the harness is secured tightly, you can re-zip the flap and close the Secure Me Strips ™ to keep your kiddo warm while driving.  Or leave it open if they get toasty!  Once you’re at your destination, operate the coat the same way to easily unbuckle them and go!

Safety AND Comfort for the win!

With Buckle Me Baby Coats, you can have peace of mind knowing that your child is both warm and safe during winter travels and outdoor adventures. Say goodbye to the hassles of traditional coats and car seats or having to choose their safety & warmth and your sanity.  Check out our full line of Car Seat Coats now.  Adventure safely!