With winter quickly approaching, you might be curious about how to still wear baby but keep both of you nice and warm. As always, there are many options on the budget spectrum! It's important to remember that he/she will already be getting warmth from your body heat. So, keep a close watch to make sure he/she doesn't get overheated!
If you like to be
crafty and make do-it-yourself projects, you can create your own
no-sew fleece poncho or this
cape cover!
Oversized coats or sweaters are great to zip up over you and baby. You can also wear a backwards hoodie zipped up over the both of you. Your baby has a built in hood this way if you're front wearing! Then you can wear your own coat/jacket on your back.
A blanket can always be tucked into any carrier or wrap. This is great for quick trips in and out of places.
If you're in the market for something made specifically for babywearing in the winter, Kowalli makes a winter cover that fits right over you and baby. Ergo has babywearing jackets, but it may be harder to get your hands on one since they stopped manufacturing them. Amautis require no baby carrier at all, as you just slide baby into the coat itself. These tend to be more pricey and tough to find, but are great if you want a solution outside of a carrier/jacket combination. Peekaru vests are also great options.
Wraps are fantastic for winter! Using multiple pass carries can give a cozy, blankety feel for both of you! Wool woven wraps are super warm and have a thick feel.
Once you have your cold weather babywearing gear ready, these are great tips:
-Footie pajamas or Babylegs will keep baby's legs warm while in the carrier. Pants can ride up once you get baby in a good seated position while in the carrier. If you are using footie pajamas, make sure they're a tad oversized so no extra pressure gets put on baby's feet. This could also encourage leg straightening.
-Pre-tie your carrier for easy ins and outs!
-Make sure to keep special attention to baby's airway with extra layers of coat or blankets nearby. Baby's head should still be close enough to kiss and their chin should be off their chest.
-Heat escapes from baby's head and feet first. So make sure to keep a hat on him/her! If you're back wearing, put the hat on baby before they go up on your back.
