Why shouldn’t bulky coats be worn in the car⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Putting babies and children in car seats while they’re in big puffy winter coats can hugely reduce the effectiveness of a car seat in the event of a crash due to the harness being too loose.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Here’s how you can check if their coat is safe to wear in the car:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1️⃣ Step 1: Put the coat on your child, sit them in the car seat and do the straps up. Tighten them until you can no longer pinch any of the strap with your thumb and forefinger.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

2️⃣ Step 2: Without loosening the straps, undo the harness and remove your child from the car seat. Take the coat off, put your child back in the car seat, and do them back up without adjusting the straps at all.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

If you can pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger now, then the coat is too big to be worn in the car seat.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🔹 Use blankets or lay their coat over them once they’re strapped in if you find their coat is too bulky to be worn in the car. www.daisyfirstaid.com

 

Feeding whilst travelling ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🚙 Imagine this scenario… you’re driving along on your journey. Your little one is becoming restless and asking for snacks so you give them something to munch on to keep them happy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🚗 Your child accidentally inhales a piece of food and starts choking, they can’t make a sound as their airway is blocked and it takes you a few minutes to realise what’s going on as you’re driving so are concentrating the road not your child. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🚙 Once you realise what’s going on you can’t pull over right away as you’re on a motorway. When you can eventually stop how long does it take you to get out, unbuckle them and perform the measures needed to try to remove the blockage?⠀⠀

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It doesn’t bear thinking about, does it?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🔹 We talk about choking in great detail in our classes and the importance of always supervising young children when they’re eating and knowing what to do if something does get stuck so we can act fast ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

🔹 If you’re driving you can’t be monitoring your child in the way you need to while they’re eating therefore it is not advised to give young children food in the car. Ever.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

 

Remember – CHOKING IS SILENT⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

If you’re travelling long distances schedule regular stops for snack breaks. And if you’re able to, try travelling at night so that your children are more likely to sleep and not feel as restless and bored as they may do during the day.⠀⠀