Brrr! The cold has arrived. Taking long walks or simply shopping with the children becomes more difficult among jackets, umbrellas and strollers. Babywearing provides a solution in all seasons. If you don't want to give up carrying your children in a sling or baby carrier even when the temperatures are not exactly mild, there are a number of precautions to use.
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Brrr! The cold has arrived. Taking long walks or simply shopping with the children becomes more difficult among jackets, umbrellas and strollers. Babywearing provides a solution in all seasons. If you don't want to give up carrying your babies in a sling or baby carrier even when the temperatures are not exactly mild, there are a number of tricks to use.
Not to mention that carrying the children even in the coldest months is really pleasant. A small corner of heat released by the body of the mother or father who is in contact with that of the child.
It should also be mentioned that newborns are unable to regulate their body temperature. Consequently, it is the adult's body that stabilizes it through contact.
"For the principle of homeostasis the heat will pass between your bodies in contact, so the fewer layers of tissue there are between the two bodies, the better the thermoregulation works and the baby's body temperature remains stable even if the external temperatures are low" explains the School of Carrying.
If this will be your first winter with babies in a swaddle, don't be discouraged. Here is a series of tips on babywearing in winter.
1) The jacket should be worn on the mother, not on the baby
We have to use a suitable jacket, which covers both. In this way, if you are in the open air you can keep both closed and warm, while if you enter a warmer environment just open it, without having to remove the baby from the sling.
There are numerous solutions for babywearing on the market. There are now many jackets to wear both front and back. These are clothes created specifically to keep mom and baby warm. Alternatively, it is also possible to adapt conventional garments, for example a father's jacket, a few sizes larger, a poncho, a wool cape or the jacket used during pregnancy.
If you wear it to the front and the jacket is unable to close, you can use a wool blanket to cover the space left open.
If possible, it is best to avoid tying children over our jacket. It is not the best as children could slip in contact with the fabric. However, especially when they are older and are worn on the side, for example with a ring, or on the back with a pouch, it can be convenient to put them over your jacket. In these cases, avoid long journeys as it is not very comfortable.
Photo: Simona Falasca
2) How to dress the baby?
Although obviously the clothing must be adapted to the temperatures, you should not overdo and dress too much the little ones when they are in a band or in the baby carrier. It is a good idea to dress them in layers but without the jacket, with leggings or heavy socks and over a shirt and sweatshirt that can be removed if necessary, if it is hot or if you go indoors.
It is best to avoid footed rompers as they can create tension as well as jeans or trousers that can be uncomfortable once tied. If the children are too young and do not wear shoes, it is also helpful to wear two pairs of socks. The fabrics recommended for them are suits or jackets of wool, fleece.
3) The hat must never be missing!
Like the legs and feet, the head is one of the few parts of the baby's body that remains outside the sling. This is why it must always be covered. The hat is important because it avoids the dispersion of heat from the head.
Many baby carriers already come with a head cover but it is always better to use a hat.
4) Do-it-yourself cover
If you are good with needle and thread, with crochet and knitting needles, your only limit is your imagination. There are many solutions to cover babies in swaddling clothes. For example, you can create a wool cover with buttons, to be attached directly to the mother's coat. Or you can still make the classic star cover.
This solution, especially useful when carried in front, can be used by both parents and is suitable for both the sling and the baby carrier.
Alternatively, there are numerous covers on the market for all budgets. Some, like those Bundlebean they are even 5in1. In addition to babywearing, they can be used in the stroller, in the car seat, as a picnic blanket or travel mat and for the bicycle seat.
5) What if they bring fathers?
There are many carrier fathers, who do not give up a nice walk even in the cold. For them, what was said for mothers applies. There are also sweatshirts and jackets to wear for fathers who can, however, buy a wider jacket, especially if you still wear it in front.
Photo: Simona Falasca
In the photo below, a wide wool scarf has been tailored for a carrier dad. At the upper ends two long laces were sewn to tie behind the back, completely covering the child's body.
Photo: Francesca Mancuso
Covers are fine as well as heavy sweatshirts. One of the most used is the Arpenaz by Decathlon, which should always be chosen a few larger sizes to make sure that you can accommodate your baby and dad inside.
6) What if you bring twins or two siblings?
Usually the twin tandems are recommended for short distances or at home to calm the children (think about when they are both sick), but if you need to go out with both loaded one forward and one back, you can use the jackets designed to carry both front and back (with zip on both sides) to add the additional panel.
Photo: Simona Falasca
Dal blog Wrap you in Love, una list of must have a series of things to have to bring your baby in winter. We summarize them below together with the videos.
- Hat or balaclava.
- Booties, different according to the age and activity of the child.
- Muscle warmers!
- Coat / Cardigan / Pullover for Mom:
- Gloves for the little one:
- Wool socks.
“Always make sure your baby's airflow is free. If you are wearing a scarf, or if your child is wearing a scarf, he checks that he can breathe without hindrance ”the blog reads again.
READ also:
- BABYWEARING: 10 ADVANTAGES OF CARRYING THE CHILDREN IN A BAND
- BABYWEARING: THE EXTRAORDINARY (AND FUN) ALTERNATIVE USES OF THE BABY STRAP
The cold has just arrived, let's not be discouraged. Let's equip ourselves, even taking advantage of what we already have at home or the skills of friends / knitting grandmothers, and take our children for a walk in the open air, absolutely healthy even in winter.
Francesca Mancuso
