This question is asked often, so here are a few suggestions to keep you and your little one lovely and warm this winter:

• Keep away from the snowsuits!

  • We love the look of a cute cuddly snowsuit, don’t we?  However these are not going to be the best option for keeping a good hip position with knees up higher than little one’s bottom.  The restriction in movement of a snowsuit will prevent a baby’s legs from bending into the natural wide-based position they should be in for a comfy knee-to-knee seat.  Even in a bulky jacket or coat they won’t be able to bend their arms to a comfortable position, and chew at those adorable little fingers.
  • Snowsuits and thick quilted fabrics can also get very hot, both from your own combined body heat, and from the warmth of going into shops or other heated areas.

• Layer Up

  • Instead it is best to dress your little on (and you) in thinner layers that can be removed and added as and when needed.
  • A short-sleeve vest under a long-sleeve/long-legged sleep suit is a good option.  Do watch  the in-built feet of a sleepsuit and make sure these do not ride up and pull on the feet, which can squish your baby’s toes – go for a larger size or ones without feet if it’s a carrying day.  Every now and then check your baby’s feet, and give the fabric a good tug to pull down the fabric, so there is plenty of room for movement in the feet.
  • Leggings and baby tights are all good (tights will have more stretch around a baby’s toes than a sleep suit), but a brilliant option is leg-warmers, as you can add and remove these while your baby is still in the carrier.
  • Don’t forget that your carrier itself will offer a certain warmth.  A stretchy wrap with 3 layers of fabric across baby’s back is actually equivalent to him wearing 3 t-shirts.  The clothes you would normally dress him in for being indoors, plus the wrap will be fairly warm – then you might want to look at babywearing fleeces or fleece covers for an extra layer of warmth, the equivalent of putting on a cardigan.  If your baby carrier is going over your own coat, your baby will need a coat or equivalent too.  If the carrier is able to go under your own coat then make sure you are able to fasten it up around your baby and the carrier when it gets chilly.
  • Your own body heat will help regulate your baby’s body temperature if you keep only a couple of layers between you (vest, long sleeve t-shirt) and layer up over the two of you together.  You’ll be better able to judge how warm your baby is if you can feel their warmth – and in return they will gain some of your body heat.
  • Remember to remove some layers when you come in from the cold so you don’t overheat.

• Babywearing Fleeces

  • There is bound to be one of these for your budget and taste, whether you’re buying from eBay, or looking to the top of the range polar fleeces like Zoli.
  • Zip-us-in – this company produces little panels that zip into your zippered top, so you can fasten your favourite hoodie/cardy/jacket around your little one in the sling
  • The most budget option can be to just wear your maternity cardies, or buy or borrow a cardy which is couple of sizes too big to fit around you both.

• Baby Carrier covers

  • A fleece baby carrier cover can attach to the carrier and provide a snuggly layer, and sometimes a hood, to keep baby warm.  This can be useful if your own jacket/coat is not large enough to pull right around them, or if it is particularly cold.
  • These can come within complete packages with a waterproof cover, plus a fleece cover and a snood for the adult.
  • There are also ‘star’ blankets you can buy that can cover up baby while he is in a sling.

• Babywearing Coats

  • As with the fleeces, there are a variety of these on the market, from padded to waterproof, there is something for everyone (if you can afford it!)
  • Or use your maternity coat!

• Hats and Scarves

  • A cute woolly hat can be just the job to keep your little one’s head warm when it’s cold out – but they can twist around and ultimately fall off!
  • Avoid scarves  – these are not recommended either for small children or for the wearer of a sling, due to risk of strangulation or suffocation.  There are other ‘snood’-type options that can keep you warm, that will not tangle you and your small up in knots.
  • A fantastic option is a hood-style hat – ‘capuchon’ in France – that has a back/neck and shoulder panel to keep baby warm.  This also means it won’t fall off, as it is attached underneath your baby’s clothes/the carrier itself.
  • Do remember to remove a hat/hood when you come indoors, even if he is sleeping so baby doesn’t overheat.

Keep warm this winter with our range of slingy accessories.