Are Car Seat Canopy Covers Safe?

Are you a new parent wondering how to take your infant on a road trip? You must have stumbled across car seat covers for babies online. One thing of concern is: are car seat canopy covers safe?

There are safe ways to use car seat canopy covers so that your baby can sleep safe and sound. However, car manufacturers do NOT recommend car seat canopy covers. There are certain alternatives to canopy covers such as slipcovers. However, they must be used with caution as well.

Here, we are covering the ups and downs of canopy covers. So keep reading and discover how you can take your baby on a safe car trip.

What Exactly are Car Seat Canopy Covers?

Car seat canopy covers are exactly what their name suggests. They resemble a canopy-like structure. One can attach the canopy cover to a child safety seat. The canopy then covers the baby from head to toe, shielding it from the cold and mosquitoes.

The main purpose of the canopy is to help parents travel with a little bit more ease, knowing that their baby is covered. In addition, these car seat canopy covers come in a myriad of colors, designs, and sizes.

Check out the JLIKA Car Seat Canopy Cover Arrows on Amazon.

Pros and Cons of Car Seat Canopy Covers

There has been a huge debate surrounding car seat canopy covers. Many are not quite confident that the canopy cover is safe for children. They state that it puts the baby at more risk, instead of reducing risks.

However, many parents are affirmative about the cover. It supposedly reduces their level of stress while having a child in the car. Discussions in online forums provide a divided view of the issue from many parents.

Let us look at some of the car seat canopy cover uses. We will also compare it against the supposed risks associated with it.

Uses	Risks
Car seat covers prevent the use of bulky winter clothing, such as blankets and jackets.	There is a risk of rebreathing Carbon Dioxide. The canopy’s fabric may stop proper circulation.
Blankets may cause the harness in the seat to unfasten itself. However, canopy covers prevent this safety hazard.	Children might panic out of fear of being covered. They may cry or cause a fuss.
It protects the kids from smoke, smog, rain, snow, UV rays, etc.	Poor quality canopies do not meet flammability standards.
People interacting with the baby may sneeze or cough. Canopy covers also reduce the spread of germs.	Monitoring the baby becomes difficult with the canopy covering it.
Babies can sleep undisturbed inside a cover. The movement of the car will not disturb a canopy.	The child must be visible & kissable. Otherwise, it may face suffocation risks if the zip is too tight.

Before choosing a car seat cover for their babies, one must consider all these factors. Ultimately, the safety level of a car seat canopy cover comes down to the level of attention that a parent can pay to the child.

What are Some Other Alternatives?

If the only other adult in the car is the driver, canopy covers are unsuitable. One must keep an eye on the baby at all times. There are other alternatives to car seat canopy covers. The safety levels of these are more or less the same.

However, each alternative comes with its own uses and risks. Therefore, it is up to the parent to decide which one is the best fit for their child.

Blankets and Jackets

The go-to option to keep an infant warm in the car is to wrap them in a jacket. The parent then fastens the baby in the harness of the seat.

However, thick blankets may cause the harness to move. As a result, the baby might wriggle out easily. In the event of a crash, a loose harness might become fatal.

Car Seat Slipcovers

A different type of coverage is the car seat slipcover. This goes under the child and above the existing car seat cover. However, manufacturers do not recommend this unless it is purchased from the manufacturer themselves. In addition, these slipcovers must be crash-tested before coming to the market.

One should ensure that the child is fastened in its harness properly before and after putting on the slipcover.

Check out the Stretchy Baby Seat Cover on Amazon.

Sleeping Bag Style Covers

Another alternative to the canopy cover is the sleeping bag style cover. As the name suggests, these are literal baby-sized sleeping bags that one can put in their car. Some covers have 2 separate layers instead of one single bag. One layer goes below the harness, and one goes above, with the baby and the harness in between.

These covers come with a lot of conveniences. They are safer than most covers if the baby is wrapped snugly. Further, one can carry the baby with the sleeping baby and then fasten it to the car.

Moreover, it is easy to move the baby from the car to its room without dealing with the hassle of the baby waking up.

Check out the Mori Clever Sleeping Bag on Amazon. It is worth a whopping $90. However, one can use it for 2 years as the baby grows.

Shower Cap Style Car Seat Covers

The last alternative is the very cute shower cap-style car seat cover. There has been a lot of debate and discourse on the safety levels of this cover. Just like the canopy cover, some claim this is safe. However, other parents claim the opposite.

This coverage covers the entire seat, with just an opening for the child’s face. They do not mess with the harness. The opening for the face meets the visible & kissable standards.

However, these covers put forward the threat of overheating.

Check out the SkipHop Winter Car Seat Cover on Amazon.

Conclusion

The answer is yes for all doubtful parents wondering, “Are car seat canopy covers safe?”. It, however, depends on certain other factors.

Parents need to pay attention to their children at all times. The canopy cover completely hides the baby if zipped in. An adult needs to keep an eye on the sleeping baby.

Alternatives such as sleeping bag covers are recommended. However, their levels of safety also depend on the adult who keeps a watchful eye. Covers that do not interfere with the child protective harness in the seat are always better.