winter with a babe

[trumpcard]

I need help! We moved to the midwest from the warm and sunny southwest when DD was only 5 weeks old. Now I am in the middle of my first winter and while I am doing alright adjusting to all the outerwear and winter gear for me, I don't feel like I'm doing a good job with DD.

She is 8 months now and I kept her in the infant seat as long as I could just so I could get her in and out of the car in a warm seat. Now I have to load her into the freezing cold car seat and then carry her through slushy, slippery, icy parking lots into stores. I have a Moby but I am finding it awkward to get her into it with all the clothes and accessories I am wearing while it is snowing all over us and the wind is blowing into her face making her gasp each time I get her out of the car. When I carry her into the store in my warms I am nervous about slipping and I am always dropping a blanket or unable to get the car locked or . . . I just don't seem to have enough hands!

Care to share your strategies?

[mommariffic]

I'll be honest, the babe stays home way more in the winter. DD and I do a few small outings during the week as out special mommy-time, and besides some neighborhood walks or family outings (seeing other family, going to a museum) we stay home way more. Of course sometimes it's impossible to stay home, but I try to make my life a little easier by ordering things from Diapers/Soap.com or ordering my grocceries using free delivery coupon. 

It gets easier I think, when they aren't babies. Also my DS doesn't like to be worn really so I don't have that luxury unless he's REALLY in the mood 

[northerngirl]

Dd is almost 11 months and we live in northern WI, it is cold here. I do try to avoid running errands with her mostly, but it has to happen.

We usually warm up our car before we get in it and if it is windy I carry her out with a blanket over her head to prevent the gasping, but she doesn't like that too much so I go quickly. Also, I wear my good winter boots out so I have pretty good traction. Dd is bundled in her snowsuit, which she hates bc she cannot move in it. It has fold over hands so I plop her in a cart, fasten, and go. Mind you she doesn't last long before she's pissed that she can't move and get into things, so I shop quick. I wish that I could wear her in a carrier, but that is simply not possible with a snowsuit plus all my gear. We'll use that more in spring time. Sometimes when the weather isn't slushy and the carts are all wet, I will park next to the cart corral and get a cart out there and push dd into the store. And we have a remote for the locks on the car which helps immensely. But when that wasn't working I would get out and open dd's door and open the passenger side door and hit the door lock. And then put my keys in my pocket on the opposite side I carry dd so I new right where to find them, not in the bottom of my bag.

[MamaKickyPants]

I live in Toronto - it gets cold and snowy here, from about December through March or even April. This week it has been freezing ranging from -15 to -25 C. When DS was little (he was born June, so he was 7-10 mos that first winter, I actually avoided using the car as much as possible. I found it easier to bundle DS under my coat in the carrier (ended up getting an awesome down babywearing coat that helped a lot) once before we left the house and then he stayed warm the whole time, as opposed to in and out of the car, especially as it's not safe to strap him in in his big snowsuit. I know it's not possible for lots of people, but I'd go days and days without using the car. DS like the walking motion for naps too.

[P.J.]

I have a really warm babywearing coat that goes over me and baby so he doesn't need a winter coat when I'm wearing him. We use it every single day in all situations and it's very easy to get on and off, so I reecommend that. Otherwise we load him up in his big puffy coat, or just don't put a coat on him if all we're doing is walking to the car and back....it is literally about 15seconds from the door to the car, and another couple minutes til the car heats up and I just don't think it's so bad for a couple minutes to be cold, and he actually doesn't seem to mind.

[Adaline'sMama]

Kentucky isnt really the midwest, but it sure is cold a lot here. Ive found that dressing her in layers keeps her pretty warm. I make sure to wear appropriate footwear so we dont slip on the ice. I think as long as they have the proper attire, they should stay warm enough to go out even in very cold weather. Honestly, I worry more about traffic accidents because of slippery roads than I do her being cold or me slipping.

[trumpcard]

Originally Posted by P.J. 

or just don't put a coat on him if all we're doing is walking to the car and back....it is literally about 15seconds from the door to the car, and another couple minutes til the car heats up and I just don't think it's so bad for a couple minutes to be cold, and he actually doesn't seem to mind.

I guess I'm wondering about this. How warm does she need to be for the walk to the car to a building and back again? I have a warm one piece body suit that I can dress her in but I'm nervous that it is too bulky for the car seat and then I can't imagine making her wear it in a store so then I'm trying to wrestle her out of it and then back into it . . . Ugh, I miss the desert!!

Today I dressed her in a long sleeved onesie and fleece pants and a hooded sweatshirt. She was wearing socks. I put a blanket over her from the car to the store and back again but it doesn't cover all of her-I was focusing on her face so she wasn't gasping in the cold.  I could feel that her pants were riding up and part of her leg was exposed for the 15 seconds we were outside. Is that a big deal?

I am always seeing parents piling layers on their toddler sized kids at exits from buildings and then I feel guilty that I am underdressing her. But I can't imagine trying to get her into more clothes before we leave a building.

[tjjazzy]

my methods:

i never go anywhere alone in a car bc i don't drive BUT if i did drive, i still don't think i'd go places on my own as often as i'd go with someone along (mom or DH.) it's SO much easier to have help. DH is stronger and able to carry the kids quickly where they need to go. there's always someone to help get the boys in carts and to carry bags etc. DH is better at changing kids who are standing up as well. i have to lie them down and finding a place to do that can be hard sometimes. 

i use a jogging stroller and that is our primary form of transport year round. it works in snow beautifully. bundle the little man up in a snowsuit and away we go (i take a blanket and i have a cover for the stroller too so that i can keep wind out.) you have to learn to open doors and keep your eye out for snow drifts (i'm in a small town so i can walk on the street.) mostly, it's fun for me bc on my way to pick up ds1 from school, i blast my mp3 player and ds2 falls asleep in the stroller :) i love my time "alone" with my music. we walk 2k (at the least) 3 x a week (sometimes 2x.) i never have to take ds2 out of the stroller to go into the school or into stores or anywhere at all. the teacher often tries to make sure ds1 is ready to leave before i get there so that i don't have to take the stroller down the stairs to the section of the school where ds1's class is. i love having all the room underneath to keep anything i pick up on the way (milk, groceries, ds1's school bag, etc.) as well.

other than that, DH does the groceries. i email him a list and he does the shopping so we don't have to take the kids out if we don't want to.

i have a sitter on wednesdays so i make appointments for wednesdays so i don't have kids along.

[Adaline'sMama]

Honestly, my babe goes from the house, 25 feet to the warm car, then 50 feet into the other house every day in nothing but a long sleeved onesie, tights, and a hat. I work for my neighboors who live one mile away and I am not getting her dressed in multiple layers. ( I go twice a day, so that would be quite a bit of bother for a one mile trip).We do this daily, in 20-50 degree weather. If it is colder than 20, I tuck the warm blanket around her in the carseat and wrap her in a blanket to carry her in and out. I will say, I keep a huge microfleece blanket in the car just in case my car ever breaks down.
 

Originally Posted by trumpcard 

Originally Posted by P.J. 

or just don't put a coat on him if all we're doing is walking to the car and back....it is literally about 15seconds from the door to the car, and another couple minutes til the car heats up and I just don't think it's so bad for a couple minutes to be cold, and he actually doesn't seem to mind.

I guess I'm wondering about this. How warm does she need to be for the walk to the car to a building and back again? I have a warm one piece body suit that I can dress her in but I'm nervous that it is too bulky for the car seat and then I can't imagine making her wear it in a store so then I'm trying to wrestle her out of it and then back into it . . . Ugh, I miss the desert!!

Today I dressed her in a long sleeved onesie and fleece pants and a hooded sweatshirt. She was wearing socks. I put a blanket over her from the car to the store and back again but it doesn't cover all of her-I was focusing on her face so she wasn't gasping in the cold.  I could feel that her pants were riding up and part of her leg was exposed for the 15 seconds we were outside. Is that a big deal?

I am always seeing parents piling layers on their toddler sized kids at exits from buildings and then I feel guilty that I am underdressing her. But I can't imagine trying to get her into more clothes before we leave a building.

[rachieface]

We live in Chicago, and it has been pretty cold lately.  But honestly, I don't bundle my 9 month old up much when we're taking the car -- he wears his normal pants/shirt/sweatshirt with a hat and slippers thrown on sometimes.  I don't even always put a coat on him.   It's only a few feet from our door to the car, and I just hold him close.  Once he's in his seat, I put the blanket that I keep in the car over him.  Although, I do often keep a coat of some kind in the car in case of an emergency.  When we're out walking he's either in the Ergo (also without a coat...I just put a hat on and a warm blanket over his back and feet) or in his snowsuit in the stroller.  

Honestly, I don't worry much at all about him being exposed to the cold for a few seconds here and there.   I figure if it doesn't bother me too much, it probably won't bother him, especially since I'm holding him snuggled against me.  

[HonkyTonka]

I am keeping DD in her bucket through this winter for this exact reason! I have her in her regular clothes (long sleeved onsie, pants, sock, shoes, sweater) then I put her in her car seat, then tuck a super warm blanket around her and then I put this on: http://www.jollyjumper.com/show/84. I ALWAYS put a hat on her, because most of your heat is lost through your head.

Once she's into a convertible seat, I imagine I'll put this on over her clothes: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/61317?feat=61448-ppxs&dds=y plus a hat for trips out to the prewarmed car. If the weather is anything like it has been this week (-30) I'll wrap her in a blanket too.

[SilverFish]

my dd is 11 months, so i feel your pain! it takes a little practice, but i feel much more comfortable now than i did a couple months ago. we have a different routine for the 2-3 places we go on a regular basis, since different circumstances call for different strategies. 

short trips to the grocery store etc: these are local, on low speed roads, and since we live in an apartment with street parking, generally call for a fair amount of exposure to cold (long walk through the parking lot, or finding street parking, wait outside while i load and unload the groceries, walking between stores). in this case, i do dress her in a down snowsuit... groceries and short errands are already frustrating enough without worrying about being warm enough, and this way i can put her in an unheated car in between stops.

playdates, malls etc: longer drives on the highway and little time spent outside, we have a one piece fleece suit i sometimes put my dd in, but until it got super cold this week (below -20 for a few days in a row) i just dressed her in warm layers (tights, pants and socks, onesie and sweater) and took her out to the car wrapped in a fleece blanket. i bring the blanket from the house because it will be cold if left in the car.

walks, trips on public transit etc: we use a carrier under a babywearing coat (lent by a friend, but i will definitely be buying one for my next baby, as it converts from maternity to babywearing to regular). we might also use the snowsuit in the stroller, and i have a carrier cover i made for chilly but not frigid temps that i can use.

it's not practical for me to heat the car before getting in. we have street parking, so i have to leave the baby in the apartment, run down the block, turn my car on, run back up the block, up three flights of stairs, wrap the baby up, run back downstairs and down the block, all before someone steals my car. on super cold days, we usually don't go anywhere or take public transit. i am concerned about the compression risk of snowsuits in carseats too, but i have decided it's a risk i'm comfortable with on low-speed local roads.

[McGucks]

If it is dangerously cold, we have a carseat jacket (also called a bunting, I believe--bought it on ebay for about 15 bucks) that is great at keeping the wind off of him.  I don't mind just throwing a warm blanket over his carseat after I've buckled him into it (in the house) if we just have a short dash from the house to the car.  I never put a coat on him for the carseat because that is supposed to be unsafe; it creates too much wiggle room (even if it feels tight) to protect the baby in the event of a crash.  Honestly, like a PP said, we just do less when it's awfully cold out.  Cabin fever is rampant sometimes, let me tell you!  When all else fails, I let him take an extra bath for fun or get out a bottle of bubbles to play with...I go stir crazy sometimes, believe me.

[Orionsmama]

We bought a car recently with an automatic starter on the key that can start the car from something like 300 ft away. The car wont actually go out of gear unless the key is in the ignition so no risk of theft. I love this option for starting up the car and making it warm for my guy. It is nice because the car is warming I dont have to leave him alone in the house to go out and start the car

[Knitting Mama]

Originally Posted by Orionsmama 

We bought a car recently with an automatic starter on the key that can start the car from something like 300 ft away. The car wont actually go out of gear unless the key is in the ignition so no risk of theft. I love this option for starting up the car and making it warm for my guy. It is nice because the car is warming I dont have to leave him alone in the house to go out and start the car

We have one of these, but living in the desert like I do, it's more to get the A/C going first!

[trumpcard]

Originally Posted by Cecilia's Mama 

We have one of these, but living in the desert like I do, it's more to get the A/C going first!

Yep, I know what you mean! We moved to the midwest from Tucson so I'm adjusting to the new temp extreme! I think I like the heat better--you don't have to worry about outerwear!!