Shortly after Tom was born, it snowed.
It was really pretty and I especially loved it this particular time for two reasons:
1. I didn’t have to go into work and approve 153,678 photos of people with a ruler in the snow on their deck to go on the TV website.
2. I didn’t have to go outside at all.
And it was awesome.
Fast forward to now. I have a 10-month-old who loves going outside and we have quite a few errands to run on a daily basis. And if we don’t have an errand, I invent one.
So…we must go outside.
And seriously, my already-slow-time of making it out the door has been REALLY slowed because it is winter.
And because Tom hates jackets. And he really hates coats. And he thinks hats are the devil.
But even though he hates those things, I sometimes dress him like Randy from A Christmas Story.
But most of the time, I don’t know how to dress him for winter at all.
Because every time I get him out of the car seat, he’s a toasty, sweaty child.
Should I just put him in his car seat with a blanket over him?
Should I put him in his car seat with his hooded jacket and a blanket?
Should I put him in the car seat with a blanket, put a jacket on while we go into the store, take the jacket off inside the store, put it back on to do to the car?
Because OhMyGod I will die if you say yes to that one.
So anyway — I don’t know what I’m doing.
(I think that’s the theme of my blog, actually.)
But I do know that my child is definitely really, really warm.
And he’s ready for spring.
The rule is to dress your baby in one more layer than you dress yourself. Seems to work for us, even now that Thomas is three.
Now, he was born in September, so he was a lot smaller for his first winter than Tom is. Plus it was a lot colder, being Ohio. But I would say dress him in a jacket or coat similar to whatever you’re wearing, and then put a blanket over him that you can take off once you’re in the store (or wherever). We used to put another, heavier blanket over the whole carseat while we carried him in somewhere, but again, this is Ohio. Oh, and maybe it doesn’t get cold enough for you to need something like this little carseat cozy (darnit can’t hyperlink. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Summer-Infant-CozyUp-Carrier-Cover-Green/12572808), but I had never seen one until Thomas was too old to need it. But they’re the coolest.
Thanks Jen! Super helpful! I didn’t know the “one layer more than yourself” rule so that helps me a lot! LOVE.
OK. I’m going to get on my decidedly-paranoid-carseat-highhorse now. (This is what happens after your minivan is totaled with your entire family inside–check my blog archives for December 2007.)
In any case–no coats in the carseat. If you have to adjust the straps to accommodate the coat, it’s a no-go. Because in an accident, the coat will get compressed, and your child won’t be properly restrained, thanks to loosening the straps for the coat.
Phew. All that make sense? What we would do is keep a blanket in the car, and just use a coat when they get out of the car. Still do that, matter of fact. Yes, it’s a total pain in the butt. But as I said, I’m Completely Paranoid About This Stuff.
Sara! Thank you so much! That was a question I had (coat in the car seat) and I didn’t know that about the strap-loosening. I appreciate it so much! Thanks!!!