{"id":7280,"date":"2024-03-14T15:41:19","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T15:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/?p=7280"},"modified":"2026-03-10T14:11:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:11:07","slug":"staying-warm-and-safe-coats-and-car-seats-for-infants-and-toddlers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/newborn-essentials\/car-seats\/staying-warm-and-safe-coats-and-car-seats-for-infants-and-toddlers\/","title":{"rendered":"Staying Warm and Safe: Coats and Car Seats for Infants and Toddlers"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the<\/span> ideal room temperature for a baby being between 16-20\u00b0C<\/span><\/a>, keeping them comfortable when colder weather arrives can be tough. This is even more complex for<\/span> keeping your child comfortable on car journeys,<\/span><\/a> as we all know that it’s hard to keep vehicles at an ambient temperature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It can be tempting for parents to pad their little ones out in a thick winter coat before travel. However, this can negatively affect the safety of<\/span> car seats<\/span><\/a>, leading to them not properly supporting a child as they should. This article will discuss how you can keep a child warm yet safe whilst travelling. As we all know, heat is rarely on our side in the UK. We will also share some tips and advice, plus a few of our products that can always keep your little one toasty but supportive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Is It Important to Consider How to Keep Babies Warm in the Car?<\/span><\/h2>\n

As adults, unless you have an underlying health condition, most of us can regulate our body temperatures to protect ourselves when it’s excessively cold. Whilst we may deal with a chilly car, the same cannot be said for babies who struggle to balance their temperatures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While babies are still developing, their ability to regulate temperatures and the immune system that provides resilience to illness are compromised. This means that<\/span> babies are at a greater risk of developing hypothermia<\/span><\/a> because of being too cold.<\/span> When a baby gets too cold, they will struggle to exert the energy needed to make a guardian aware of their discomfort.<\/span><\/a> This can mean that parents may drive along completely unaware that their little one is at risk of a serious health condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To ensure that the driver’s attention can remain on the road and that babies are warm plus safe, making considerations for their warmth is essential. This will increase<\/span> how long a baby can stay in a car seat both safely and comfortably<\/span><\/a> in the winter and ensure they are not caused any stress whilst travelling. As the<\/span> UK car seat regulations<\/span><\/a> require parents to ensure their child is adequately secured, it is also part of a legal requirement to keep travel in line with the law.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is It Safe for Babies to Wear Winter Coats Whilst in a Car Seat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

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The last thing you want when choosing a safe car seat, such as a<\/span> rear-facing and Swedish-tested model<\/span><\/a>, is to find out that a child is not being sufficiently protected. If a puffy winter coat is being worn for travel, this will be the case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not safe for babies to wear winter coats, as the padding can mean that the safety features of a car seat cannot operate as intended. Although they may seem fine at first glance, the padded element of a coat will quickly be lost if an impact is made. The fibres of the wadding can compress, meaning that too much room is left between the child and the harness to provide secure protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, coats can impact other safety features, such as head and armrests, which can lead to a child not being supported in terms of ergonomics and comfort. Finally, babies could be susceptible to overheating in the car if they are left wearing a coat. Overall, we don\u2019t recommend that a child wear a thick winter coat whilst travelling.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are the Safest Ways of Keeping a Baby Warm in a Car Seat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

As you now know that wearing a winter coat in the car is not safe for a baby, you may be worried about how you keep them safe in the colder months. Below we have compiled a list of our top tips for achieving this as it\u2019s a lot easier than you may think!<\/span>
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