Scary but true: Car seat safety mistakes are easy to make, especially during the winter. Something as simple as buckling your baby in the car seat still wearing a coat or snowsuit can have tragic consequences.
Thick, puffy outerwear prevents the straps from tightening against your child's body in the event of a crash. Plus, most of the products designed to keep babies warm in the car seat are dangerous, even if they're advertised as "safe" — any kind of fleece-lined sleeping bag, for example, adds a layer, which, again, stops straps from functioning properly.
But don't worry, we've drawn out exactly what you need to do! Board-certified pediatrician Dr. Alisa Baer, better known as the The Car Seat Lady, helped CafeMom develop these drawings and examined them from start to finish to ensure accuracy and safety.
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Debbi Baer, RN — the original "car seat lady" — Dr. Baer has spent the past 15 years trying to change the statistic that car crashes remain the leading cause of death and injury to children.
More from CafeMom: The Important Winter Car Seat Safety Rule You're Probably Breaking & Why You Must Stop Now
Also see: Cold Weather Car Seat Safety Tips (For Toddlers)
