It’s getting cold outside, and that means it’s time to start thinking about keeping you and baby warm & dry this winter, while you go about your usual routine. To help out, I’ve updated our previous article of tips for cold weather, and added some comments from our Facebook fans, too.
If you’re ready to try babywearing in the cold and rainy weather, here are our tips for keeping you and your baby warm in your baby carrier.
Choose the right baby carrier
Any baby carrier 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
You may also want to consider a carrier that is easy and simple to get on and off. You’ll want to be able to pop baby out quickly if s/he gets unhappy which happens more easily in cold weather!
- Many people prefer a buckle carrier for cold and rainy weather, because they are fast and easy to use, and they don’t have to drag straps like a mei tai/wrap. But any carrier that you find fast and simple will work!
- For infants, a stretchy wrap like the Moby or Wrapsody Stretch-Hybrid can be pre-tied at home. Then you just need to pop baby in and go.
- For an older child, shoes can get in the way of getting kids in and out of carriers quickly, so keep this in mind, too.
Dress yourself and baby appropriately for the cold or rainy weather.
- Dress your child as you would yourself, then 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 in cold weather, particularly if baby’s sleeves or pant legs are pulled up by the carrier position. They also come in infant sizes.
- If you are concerned about baby’s toes getting cold, consider placing some handwarmer packets into the feet of baby’s snowsuit (making sure they don’t directly touch the skin)
- The simplest way to carry your baby in rainy or weather is to put your child in a sling or carrier in 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 this way, and periodically check your baby as well.
- 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 Boba Babywearing Vest for cold or rainy weather, but there are many other options as well.
- Another option is to wear your regular clothing for yourself and cover the baby and the carrier with a weather cover to keep her/him toasty and dry. Catbird Baby and ERGO both offers baby carrier cold weather covers in fleece as well as water-resistant covers. Weather covers bundle your baby from head to toe, with an elasticized foot pocket to keep little legs warm. You can snap a weather cover onto the straps of most two-shoulder carriers, including mei tais and soft-structured carriers, with children from newborn through toddler age. Many people also use them successfully with wraps. ERGO Baby makes two weather covers (one is fleece and the other is water-resistant fabric) that can be worn separately or snapped together the ultimate in cold/wet weather protection. Shop Baby Carrier Weather Covers
Baby Carrier Rain Cover | Brand | Price |
 | 1.LÍLLÉbaby Rain Cover | |
  | 2.Ergobaby Water Resistant Baby Carrier Rain Cover | |
  | 3.JAN & JUL Waterproof Baby Rain Cover | |
  | 4.MiaMily Windproof Baby Carrier Cover | |
  | 5.Thule Sapling Child Carrier Rain Cover |
Additional tips from our readers for staying warm and dry in cold & rainy weather
We recently asked our Facebook fans for their suggestions for keeping warm and dry in inclement weather. Some of their suggestions:
- Prep as much as possible ahead of time: wrap the Moby, get the rails tight on your ring sling, or snap the waist belt of the Ergo. This will get the baby in faster. (Becky)
- If shopping, either park near the door or by the cart corral to save yourself some time in the weather. (Becky)
- For rainy weather, get a big umbrella! (Alicia)
- Put baby into the carrier while you’re still in the car. It makes things so much faster! (Charlotte)
- When it’s raining, I borrow my husband’s raincoat and wear it over both me, the baby, and our carrier. It keeps us warm and dry! (Tara Elizabeth)
- A big, cozy, wrap-around sweater helps when it’s cold. (Felicia)
- I have a Suze’s KinderCoat that I absolutely love. I’ve hiked my 15 mo old daughter around Northern Europe in lots of wet weather and we both were toasty and dry in our carrier coats. (Christine)
- I have an ergo and bought a jacket large enough to wear around both of us! (Andrea)
- Walk fast (Laura)
- Baby Legs underpants, overarm sleeves, just about anywhere, lol. Layers, layers, layers, and extra changes of clothes. Also, a pair of baby legs for mom’s/dad’s arms so if your arms get cold you don’t have to take baby off. (Tiffany)
- In the cold, I don’t go anywhere without my Peekaru! (Julianne)
- Our thin Wrapsody Breeze wrap allows my coat to go over us both easily. Thin layers are much better than thick ones for my little over-the-heater.(Hollie)
- I prefer to use a (buckle carrier) in the cold so I can pop him in super fast. (Sadie)
- I put a kid’s coat in a few sizes too big over the outside of the sling then over my babe’s arms. (Beth)
Stay warm out there!
One Response
Here is another new solution. My son and I have been hiking since he was 6 weeks old. To protect him from the wind, rain and to keep him warm, I have used a CosyShell which is a baby cover that goes on all baby carriers. I was very happy and greatfull to have that as I was able to remain active with my baby.
CosyShell is more than a baby carrier cover, it is a 3 in 1 cover that goes on the carseat and the stroller as well. It also has liner options to suit various weather conditions.
For more information, you can visit http://www.bydaphne.ca. It will make your life a lot easier!
Enjoy your hikes!