Sunday, 24 October 2010

Make Sure Your Child is Safe this Winter WIN a Morrck Baby Hoodie


Parents are being advised to double check the tension of car seat harnesses, particularly when their babies and toddlers wear thick coats or snowsuits this winter. The advice comes from baby company Morrck, who says many UK parents don’t realise the effect that thick outdoor clothing can have on the fit of car seat harness straps or the potential consequences of straps being too loose.

“Parents may be very surprised at the amount of slack a coat or snow suit can cause. For a car seat harness to work properly, the straps need to be tightly strapped against the child’s chest. When a child wears a snowsuit or thick coat, the straps are usually adjusted to the thickness of the coat, not the chest. If the car was in an accident, the coat could compress, making the straps too loose and reducing the level of protection for the child,” explains Isobel Thompson, mum of three and founder of Morrck, creator of the Baby Hoodie.

To test whether you have correct harness tension when using a coat or snowsuit, Morrck advises you do the two finger test:
  • Put the coat on the child.
  • Strap the child into the car seat and tighten to ensure a snug fit.
  • Remove the child from the car seat – without loosening the straps.
  • Take the coat off the child.
  • Strap the child back into the seat – but don’t adjust the straps.
  • Do the Two finger test. If you can fit more than two fingers underneath the harness at the child’s shoulder bone, the harness tension needs to be tightened or avoid using the coat in the car seat.



According to the UK Department of Transport, 60 to 80% of all car seats are used incorrectly, with harness tension being the single biggest failing. Getting the correct harness tension is even more difficult in winter as it is hard to tell whether you have a good harness fit if a child is wearing a thick coat.

“To get the correct harness tension over a puffy snowsuit or thick coat, a parent really has to tighten it substantially, which can make the child uncomfortable as their freedom of movement is restricted. Being tightly strapped in a thick coat can also lead to the child overheating once the car warms up,” explains Isobel.

She continues: “The safest bet is to strap the child into their seat wearing their indoor clothing so you can be assured of the correct harness tension. To keep them warm before the car has had a chance to heat up, parents can place a coat or blanket over the top of their child, or use a product like our Baby Hoodie, which is designed expressly for this purpose. The key is to ensure that whatever is used, still gives you easy access to the harness release button.”

Morrck’s Baby Hoodie helps keep babies both warm and safe as it fits into a car seat, with slots for the harness straps to pass through. The baby is then strapped in as normal with the straps tight against their chest. The hoodie is then wrapped around the baby, keeping them snug and warm, but is easy to fold open once the car heats up. As it has no fastenings, clips, zips or Velcro, it also offers easy access to the harness release button.



Morrck’s Baby Hoodie has been tested by an independent testing facility and it was certified as having passed the relevant elements of the ECE Reg R44.04 car seat safety test. Baby Hoodies cost from £32.95 and are available from www.morrck.com

And we have one of these fabulous Morrck Baby Hoodies to giveaway - you can choose between the Rambler (the warmest one) or the All Season Hoodie!

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is comment below (or email secondtimemum@live.co.uk with the subject line "I want to win a Baby Hoodie") and tell us which hoodie you would choose if you won (make sure you include the colour/pattern). 

For a bonus entry tweet "I've entered to win a @Morrck Baby Hoodie @second_time_mum's blog http://bit.ly/bTy2of " but make sure you comment (or email) separately for your extra entry to count! 


Good luck!


Competition closes 7th November 2010. The winner will be selected using Random.org.

Find more prizes at ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions.

60 comments:

  1. think I'd have to go for the All Season in cool spot/ poppy. Love the organic one though!

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  2. tweeted as liveotherwise

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  3. i like them all. the rambler is nice with the winter coming
    simontink@aol.com

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  4. Ooooh, these look awesome :)
    I'd like to enter for the winter one to keep my freshly hatched bubba warm xxxx

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  5. Oooh, I love these! It would have to be the All Season Baby Hoodie in lime/charcoal - beautiful!

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  6. Tweeted too @gingerbread_mum

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  7. All Season Baby Hoodie - Charcoal / Turquoise
    What a fab product!

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  8. I'd go for an all season hoodie in stripe/blue for my best friend whose little boy is due on Friday.

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  9. we have a wrapture here and love it, id love a hoodie for her car seat :D

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  10. Rebecca Milne25 October, 2010

    I have just had my third baby (6 weeks), and i wish i had known about morrck for my other two. I have one already but i couldnt live without it!!! Brilliant product!!
    i would love - All Season Baby Hoodie - Charcoal / Fuschia size 2

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  11. Oh I would love to win one of these for my gorgeous baby Maxwell :) Would love the spotty rambler one!! Soooo adorable :)

    @soniathorpe

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  12. I have tweeted too! :)

    @soniathorpe

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  13. All Season Baby Hoodie - Charcoal / Turquoise
    WOw this is great, I would love a size 3 please, fabulous idea!

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  14. "I want to win a Baby Hoodie"

    All Season Baby Hoodie - Charcoal / Fuschia size 2

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  15. Clifford Sherwood26 October, 2010

    Great product

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  16. laura stewart26 October, 2010

    I want to win a Baby Hoodie
    I love them all

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  17. THESE LOOK GREAT, SNUG AS A BUG IN A RUG!!!!

    @MELANIEHONGKINS ON TWITTER

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  18. I love these! My fave is the charcoal/poppy All Season hoodie!

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  19. Have tweeted too! @superluckydi

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  20. Please add me to the draw, Ive also tweeted @annahelm84

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  21. Wow, these are gorgeous! My favourite is the Green Stripe/Red Rambler, it looks so cosy!

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  22. Have tweeted too @justforcomps

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  23. I love the Rambler in red and green stripe too, size 1.

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  24. Tweeted too @missielizzieb

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  25. Please enter me! All Season Baby Hoodie - Charcoal / Turquoise

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  26. I've twittered too @nige270

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  27. I want to win a baby hoodie,

    I love the Charcoal fleece and Fuschia jersey

    Too cute.

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  28. Have tweeted too @emmaand3

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  29. I want to win a Baby Hoodie - Rambler - Blue Stripe/Royal Blue would be perfect

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  30. Oh I love these, I really like the rambeler in cool spot/red my little monkey would look cool in that she would be the envy on playgroup.

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  31. the all season in cool spot/poppy! how cool is this!

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  32. I love the All Season Baby Hoodie - Cool Spot/Poppy !

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  33. I would love to win in size 2 pink stripe raspberry. Amanda gidders1

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  34. I have RT as well gidders1 Amandax Thanks, great giveaway x

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  35. Hi! I have tweeted @953am
    Great comp, thanks x

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  36. I want to win a Baby Hoodie... the All Season Hoodie in Charcoal/Poppy and size 4-18 months.

    Will tweet too @misslolitalove

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  37. I want to win a Baby Hoodie - the All Season Baby Hoodie in Green Stripe/Poppy in size 1 would be fantastic for my baby boy.

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  38. I have also tweeted @joanneblunt

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  39. I would like to win an all season hoodie please

    will tweet @savvymum4

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  40. What a fantastic product !!

    I'd love the All Season Hoodie in Cool Stripe Poppy.
    Will tweet @daisybeebee.
    Thanks for running.

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  41. I am a 1st time mummy to be and this would be ideal for my baby boy due on 1st Dec 2010!! hope i am the lucky winner xx

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  42. Hi, thanks for the comp, the Rambler one in blue would be lovely, thanks!

    Simon.

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  43. RT'd on Twitter as @cobbiecollinge cheers!

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  44. I want to win a Baby Hoodie! Would love to win the rambler in Royal blue/stripes! Baby due in Jan so be nice and warm! :)

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  46. I think I would have to choose the All Season Baby Hoodie - Stripe /Fuschia in size 2: 5-18 months.
    They are all beautiful though xx :0)
    I am off to tweet now!

    @MWeston13

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  47. i love these what a great idea! wouuld love the rambler for my great niece who is 9 months old x

    tweeted as @CHOCOAJ

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  48. I'd have to go for the Morrganic in natural/stripe. Awesome. off t.o tweet

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  49. fab competition and if I won I would love the all season and go for the spotty one, as not sure if bubs that is kicking me is a blue or pink one! Love the look of Morrck, brilliant invention x

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  50. I would have to choose the blue stripy rambler. it is gorgeous. I have tweeted as @mommafi

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  51. Love the cool stripe/poppy all season! Tweeted as rozzibee

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  52. Would love the All Season - Stripe /Fuschia.

    Will tweet too @polly1548

    Thanks for comp, great product :)

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