It has become a cold winter here in the north east and it is important to keep your baby warm, but it is also important to keep them safe. Now you can always go and warm up the car before putting your little one into the car but what about the walk from the house to the car. Would it surprise you to know that there are car seat inserts, and more importantly NOT ALL OF THEM ARE SAFE

There are different types of inserts and some present a real danger to your baby or toddler. There should never be anything between the the car seat and your child. Although there are some great looking warm option out there like these:

They are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! In the event of a crash your child can be thrown from the car seat! The fluff in the insert will compress greatly, creating “dead space.” The straps are not as tight as you think they are, just look at this

Never fear there are safe alternatives! You can use the “shower cap” style car seat cover. They fit over the top of the seat and don’t go behind your baby.

You can also dress your baby in layers to make sure they stay warm without adding extra padding, NO PUFFY WINTER JACKETS they produce the same effect as the sleeping bag inserts! Here are some great examples of layering for warmth.

If you have an infant it is safe to swaddle OVER the straps with a light blanket then a heavier one. They also make swaddling bunting that go OVER the car seat straps. These are safe ideas.

Now don’t go crazy wrapping your child up and layering them an overheated baby is an unhappy baby and can be dangerous. Try to think about how you would feel all bundled with the heat on in the car!

For older children you can always put their puffy jacket on backwards, they’ll be safe and can take it off if they get too hot!

So lets keep our kids warm, happy, safe and as always DRIVE SAFE!