Babywearing in Cold Weather

Wearing your baby in cold weather can be a little tricky. How do you wear a coat? Does baby wear a coat? I don't profess to be an expert on the topic, but I can tell you what I do. And it seems to work pretty well.

During the chilly temps of fall, I put the sling on and then put on my sweater or vest. That way, I can pop baby in and out of the sling without having to take my sweater off. Also, I can button my sweater/coat around Caden in the sling to give him an added layer of warmth. Lately, I have been putting a coat on him so that I can pull the hood over his head. It is getting downright cold here, y'all! I am SO not ready for winter.

I am also a huge fan of BabyLegs. If baby's legs are sticking out of the sling (like Caden's in the picture above), it can cause their little pants to ride up a bit. Putting the BabyLegs leg warmers on gives their legs another layer and prevents any exposed leg which could make them cold. In my opinion, BabyLegs (or equivalent leg warmers) are a cold-weather babywearing must!

When it gets REALLY cold outside, the same principles apply. Just substitute heavy winter coat for sweater and make sure baby has a hat and coat on while in the sling. Admittedly, I don't always put his heavy coat on. If we are running errands and will be inside more than out, I don't want him to get too hot while we are inside plus I don't want to take him out of the sling to take his coat off. So, I have been known to just put a warm hat on baby and drape his coat over him on top of the sling. That way, he is protected from the wind and cold but I can take it off while we are in the store or whatever to prevent overheating. If we are going to be outside more (ie: zoo, park, etc..), then I do put his coat on to keep him more cozy.

I hope you are getting a picture in your mind of what I am describing. Remember that your body heat will keep baby plenty warm and baby's body heat will do the same for you. With a little extra protection from the cold, both of you will be nice and toasty and not have to sacrifice any of the babywearing snuggles. Plus, you won't have to lug that dreadful carseat around. Just pop you baby in the sling and you are good to go!

Wearing baby on your back is a little more tricky during the winter. To do that, you would have to get one of those babywearing poncho things that have a cutout for baby's head. They look nifty and seem very practical. If you were gonna be outside for a long time in cold weather, it might be worth the cost to keep you and baby extra warm. I have never used one so I can't comment too much on it. Maybe I'll ask for one for Christmas...

I'm happy to provide extra advice and/or pictures if people are interested. Just comment here or send me an e-mail. I am having fun reading all the babywearing posts this week and getting mail/comments from all y'all. Keep 'em comin'!!

I hope this helps you stay warm as you cuddle your babies all winter long!