Are babywearing coats worth the money?

[KermitII63]

I'm moving to the East Coast and will have to buy a winter coat for myself. I'm considering a babywearing coat like the ones at Suse's Kinder, or maybe a Peekaru Fleece. Has anyone used these products before? The other option is to just buy a men's (or very large women's) winter coat and zip it up over DS. I'm curious to know what other mamas out there have done.

[Anna Phor]

I have a quilted vest 2 sizes too big that I wear over the kiddo & under my coat. I think it cost about $25 from target. I've worn this all winter & we routinely walk for a half hour or more outside with temps in the 20s. It also means that when I wear my actual coat without the baby inside, it fits me!

[junipervt]

I have a kindercoat & I used it a TON last winter (was my only coat) when DD was smaller. This winter I have not used it as much, but still about once a week. DD is almost 2 & likes to walk in her snowsuit.

[HeliMom]

I have a Japanese Weekened mama coat it's a rain coat with a quilted interior. having a raincoat for me and lil one was most definitely worth it as I refused to buy that scary plastic that people put over baby carseat/strollers. I did have to buy her a rainhat with a neck guard because her head (90th percentile) outgrew the provided baby hat right away.

[sweetpeppers]

It depends on how much you wear your child outside. AND if you wear them on your back. They are really useful for back carries, but for front carries, a big coat is just as good, and easier to use.

[jtbuko]

I never tried one.

When the kids were really little I just used my husband's extra large and zipped up as far as comfortable for me and babe.

As they got older I switched to layering us separately.

The most useful baby items I ever got were an outdoorsy fleece onsie and another in light rain gear material in every size from 0-6 mos to 2T, both from REI.