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Wearing in hot weather & water

Unfortunately, no one has yet invented a baby carrier with an air conditioner feature, but when they do, we'll be the first ones to sign up. Until then, the bottom line is that wearing your baby is in hot weather is going to be, well, hot! That being said, we do have some tips for babywearing in the heat, sun and water.

• Stay in the shade! This may seem obvious, but if you’re anything like we are, you may be stubbornly trying to go about your business without any regard for the weather. Summer is a good time to slow down, take it easy as much as you can, and stay in the shade whenever possible.

• Dress your baby lightly. Loose linen fabrics that cover the skin but are breathable and cool may help. If you will be inside/in the shade, you may want to consider just putting your baby in a diaper. Babylegs are a great way to provide lightweight sun protection for little legs and arms.  They can be easily removed once you are out of the sun. 
  

• Consider a carrier with UV protection built in, like the Moby Wrap with UV Protection in Sand or Turquoise or the Gypsy Mama Water Wrap.

• Consider coverage when choosing baby carriers for the warm weather. Ring slings can be used to provide additional coverage.

• Consider the fabric of the baby carrier you choose. Fabrics made specifically for warm weather, like mesh, are breathable and cool. 100% cotton is breathable and therefore also a good choice.

• Consider a back carry over a front carry, when possible. We're not sure of the reason, exactly, but back carries always feel less hot to us.

• Check out our selection of Water Carriers for great options for the pool or beach!

Our favorite carriers for hot summer weather are:

• The Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Mesh Pouch (breathable, dries quickly, very light)
• The Gypsy Mama Water Wrap (dries quickly, has UV protection, great looking)
• ERGO SPORT baby carrier (less fabric to trap the heat in, plus made of breathable, wicking fabric)
• Maya Wrap Ring Slings (breathable, and you can use the tail for coverage
• Hotslings pouches (breathable, very minimal material)
• Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Breeze wraps - while wraps are hotter than other carriers due to the amount of fabric, the Bali Baby Breeze wraps are made from very thin gauze - super breathable and light!
  

Yes, it's cold outside, but that's no reason you can't wear your baby! In fact, babywearing is a great way to keep both you and your baby warmer when the temperature drops! Here are our tips for staying warm when it's cold outside.

• The simplest way to carry your baby in the colder weather is to put your child in a sling or carrier on your front, then put a roomy coat on over both of you.
  

• Be sure that there is adequate airflow around your baby’s head when you wear baby in this way, and periodically check your baby as well.
  

• Dress your child as you would yourself under the coat, and add a warm hat and socks/shoes. Don't pile on tons of layers on your child, as this can cause baby to overheat. BabyLegs are a nice light extra layer to keep baby's arms or legs warm.
  

• If you are concerned about about baby’s toes getting cold, you might consider placing some handwarmer packets into the feet of baby's snowsuit (making sure that they don't directly touch the skin).

• If you don't have a coat that will cover both of you adequately, there are several babywearing coats and vests on the market that you might want to consider. We like the Peekaru Babywearing Vest by TogetherBe (and hope to carry it sometime soon) but there are many other options as well.

• Another options is cover just the baby and the carrier. Catbird Baby's fleece baby carrier cold weather covers (available in fleece and water-resistant microfiber with a fleece lining) make that a snap! This ingenious weather cover bundles your baby from head to toe, with a elasticized foot pocket to keep little legs warm. You can snap this cover onto the straps of most two-shoulder carriers, including mei tais and soft-structured carriers, with children from newborn through toddler age.
  

• ERGO Baby also makes a weather cover that works with any ERGO Baby carrier.

• Which carrier to wear in the cold weather? Any baby carriers will add an extra layer of warmth and weather protection for your child. That being said, we do recommend carriers with some adjustability - this allows you to get truly comfortable if you're wearing a few extra layers. Adjustable pouches, wraps, ring slings, mei tais and buckle carriers all have the ability to adapt to thick sweaters and coats.

Our favorite carriers for baby carrying in cold weather are:

• Kangaroo Korner Fleece Pouch - fleece is cozy and warm and the adjustability means this pouch can slip on over or under your coat or sweater.

• ERGO Baby Carrier,Pikkolo or Beco with a weather cover to keep you cozy and warm - buckle carriers are easy to get on and off quickly, and no dragging straps to get muddy or wet.

• Wraps - the extra layers around you and baby are a good start for getting a little warm.

Stay warm out there!