How cold is too cold to take baby for a stroll?

[lellian]

Hey mamas,

How cold is too cold to take baby out for an afternoon stroll? I'd dress DD in layers, and use a blanket on her lap, a hat on her head, and have a rain guard I could put on her stroller to keep any whipping winds directly off of her, although it won't help against the cold.

We have been talking a stroll every afternoon so we can get out of the house, and I'd rather not give these afternoon delights up. Staying in the house all day makes me want to jump from the roof, just saying.

What would you do, and how do you do it if you take baby out? We typically take between 60-90 minute walk.

Thanks mamas!

[Addie]

Don't know how old your LO is or if this is an option for you, but I'm more comfortable taking DS for a walk in the cold if I'm wearing him. We took a walk this morning, actually, and it was 40 degrees and damp. I had him in long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes, and a hat. He was in the Ergo and I have a maternity fleece jacket that I can put on and zip up over the Ergo so just his head sticks out. Looks a little silly, but whatever. We were out for about 45 mins and he was toasty. He's almost a year and about 27 lbs.

If you're using the stroller, I'd just check your LO periodically to make dure she's not cold. I can empathize with not wanting to give up walks!

[lellian]

DD is 10 months old on the 11th, and weighs 25 pounds! If I were to carry her, I might just die. Okay, that's a little dramatic, but I'm also 5.4 weeks pregnant so the exhaustion level is pretty high. Just carrying her up the stairs is a chore, but I love your idea. Maybe by the second trimester I could wear her a little outside; it will be even colder then.

[lonegirl]

Ok....I used to take ds for walks in the dead of winter (-20+C). Layered well, bundled in the stroller with a light blanket to go over him....he was/is always an oven. I never thought of not taking him.

[Adaline'sMama]

It doesnt get that cold here in the winter (usually in the teens at night) and I wouldnt hesitate to take DD out anytime in the day, as long as she was bundled and capped. However, I am not prone to go out in the cold...

[toughcookie]

i stay in if it's in the single digits. my son was a december baby, and we live in the chilly northeast. my ped told me as long as he was kept out of the wind, and he was bundled in layers, with most of his head/face covered, it was still beneficial to get outside. i used that clear windshield over him in his stroller, to keep the wind out. we'd go out for almost an hour like this, when he was really little (a couple of months).

have fun!

[linchi]

Parents of babies in Sweden certainly aren't worried about the cold!
Haven't read the article, but saw LOTS of strollers left outside while parents were inside cafes sipping coffee (like in the second pic).

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010...below_zero.php

Bundle up and baby will be just fine!

[dearmama22]

Nothing is too cold with proper clothing/gear We live in Alaska and you see people out in all temperatures, even little babies. Wearing them definately keeps them warmer than a stroller. I was outside the other day with my 1 week old in the Moby. He had on a hat, a little bear fleece suit, long sleve outfit and onesie. He was super toasty- mainly because of that Moby! Oh and it was around 35 degrees

[lellian]

Ohmygosh, Thanks Linchi for the link! Outside baby chilling isn't something I'm going to try, but I definitely feel more peaceful about taking DD out for a stroll all winter long.

Dearmama22, if you can pull this off in Alaska, I can pull this off in Ohio. Thanks!

I'm so excited! I thought I was going to be house bound all winter so to know we can go out,

[accountclosed2]

Yep. I grew up in Sweden. And being outside, well the temperature is never a deterrent, anywhere in the country (I think). However, in a Snowstorm you might reconsider!

In daycare and school children always go outside at least twice a day (usually three times at school, lunch time too). And it is expected of parents to keep appropriate clothes at daycare/pre-school (so they won't forget them at home): A good rain suit, gum boots, a thick snow suit (or the new shell-type suits, with an outside shell and layers under), thick waterproof winter boots, winter hats and water proof mittens.

At a lot of day care places children nap outside in push chairs and prams. They are then warmly dressed, and the push chair has one of these insulated sleeping bags, either a sheepskin one or a thick sleeping bag-type one.

When DD was little (although it isn't as cold were we live), I used a thick wool blanket folded under her and around her sides, and a thick knitted blanket on top of her (and the harness), a thick coat, thick wooly slippers, wool baby legs, a cotton hat and a knitted wool hat on top, tied on. I think I over-dressed her, actually.

One of the most annoying things about living here is the Kiwis attitude to weather and temperature. Oh no, insulation and double glazing is un-necessary, just put on a jersey and harden up. But it is raining, or there's a bit of chill in the air - the kids can't go out, they'll get a cold! (And why waste money on rain wear, kids aren't out in the rain anyway!)

[Deir]

I live in Philadelphia and I pretty much always go out. I draw the line at serious wind or windy rain or ridiculously cold but other than those times- I walk! My neighbors and friends think I am nuts but oh well- I already sealed that deal when I hung my cloth diapers on my clothes line!

[c'est moi]

Originally Posted by dearmama22

Nothing is too cold with proper clothing/gear

Absolutely!

i don't live in alaska, but do live in a place known for extreme temps. my daycare's policy is that they go out down to 10 degrees (air temp or wind chill). i had a january baby and we were out walking with her from the beginning.

i scored one of these for $50 at a store liquidation and swear by it.

http://www.amazon.com/7A-M-ENFANT-Fo...9098015&sr=8-2

now that i know about it, i'd be willing to pay full price for it if i had to. i mean, i pay that much for a baby carrier i use daily, why not for a stroller sack to ensure my child's warmth during daily walks?

one trick i found helpful was to wrap one of those popcorn heating bags in a receiving blanket and then stuff that at the bottom of her stroller sack.

[SilverFish]

it is important to test out all the clothing you want to use though. go out for a short stroll around the block, check extremities, walk around the block again, check extremities. the last thing you want is to get 30 min away from home and then realize your baby's feet are too chilly. once you know that a particular set of clothing works for a certain temperature, you're good to go!

[Abraisme]

I used to take my DS for walks when it was as cold as 10-15 degrees. However, he was always in a carrier, so I never had to deal with blankets, etc. I would put him in a fleece snowsuit and a hat, wrap him inside the Moby and then zip my coat around the outside of him. We were both warm and cozy.

[goldenwillow]

Originally Posted by linchi

Parents of babies in Sweden certainly aren't worried about the cold!
Haven't read the article, but saw LOTS of strollers left outside while parents were inside cafes sipping coffee (like in the second pic).

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010...below_zero.php

Bundle up and baby will be just fine!

That is just awesome!

I wondered this too. I just wear DS (15 months, 25lbs) and he stays nice and toasty!

[lellian]

Super great idea about testing our her clothing.

Thanks mamas for all your feedback. DD was a January baby and I never even considered taking her out in the Boston winter. Now, I know better.

[CoopersMommy0308]

My DS2 has his witching hour between 4-7pm most nights and the only thing that will calm him down is going outside for a short walk. Living in MI it's been getting cold lately. We just bundle up really warm. I put him in footed fleece jammies with babylegs over the jammies (so I can pull them off easily when we get home without waking him so he doesn't overheat in the house). Then I wear him in the wrap. I have a big fleece maternity coat that I can zip up while wearing him. So far that's been enough for us. But it hasn't gotten super cold here yet. The coldest it was one night was 42F with a wind chill of 30F. I know it'll get colder so we may have to modify our clothing as the winter begins if he still needs his nightly walks.

Oh yea, he's wearing a wool hat I knitted too.