Babywearing

Babywearing in Winter

Winter is coming! Though it feels like it is already here giving how chilly some mornings are. But with colder days, I am getting more and more often this question asked by my clients: how should I dress my baby (or child) for babywearing in cold days? In this post I will tell you all you need to know about babywearing in winter, so keep on reading!

The main principle

The main principle for babywearing in winter is: cover outside the carrier. Do *not* wear your kid on a snowsuit or thick overall, or while they are wearing a coat or a jacket.

Why? Because it would be very hard to get your child into a good, physiological position while they are wearing thick stiff layers, and it would also be super hard to get a good tension around them. And as I always repeat, good tension and a good position are the two keys leading to free airways and hence safety! So it would *not be safe* to wear your child on winter clothing. Please don’t! 

Layers, layers, layers!

Ok, good. So what do I do so that my child doesn’t freeze, you might ask? Well, the secret is to have them wearing warm thin layers, and as many as you are wearing under your own coat! Keep in mind that the carrier or wrap itself counts as one, two or even three layers of fabric, depending on which carrier or carry you are using. 

Then you wear your kid, and you put your coat over both of you! You can get a special babywearing jacket (the ones from Zoli are my favorite, drop me a line if you want a voucher for a 5% discount with them!), or a babywearing cover. Or you can use one of your partner’s jacket, it might cover you both! You can also get a special babywearing cover, or simply put a blanket over baby and tuck it under the straps.

Keep them extra warm

Lastly, to keep baby extra warm, take care of the unprotected parts! Put a nice warm hat (also love the ones by Zoli), mittens, and booties and/or leg warmers. All things that are easy to remove if you go inside while baby sleeps: no need to take them out of the carrier and they won’t overhear, you just take out your jacket, and you are good to have a nice cup of coffee while you take a break from the cold!

Bottomline

The bottom line is to always cover *over* the carrier, never under it. If you get a special babywearing coat, I recommend you getting one that has also the option to back carry, that way the investment will last longer! You can always choose carriers or wraps with blends that include wool, the most fantastic temperature-regulating material, which is also super cozy and supportive.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *