Snow Babies

[Emalin]

So, I'm a flat-lander and self-admitted weather wimp from San Francisco Bay Area and am moving to the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. My soon-to-be hometown gets about 20 feet of snow on average and rarely gets above freezing. I have never lived anywhere where it snows very much and am completely clueless when it comes to baby care in an extreme climate.

I would appreciate any advice about gear, safety. . .anything and everything really. I like to stay active and would like to carry my six month old in her Ergo pack and her Mountain Buggy stroller (which is supposed to be great for snow). How do I keep her face from freezing off? How cold is too cold for taking older babies out? How do I keep from falling down with the baby in potentially icy conditions? How do you keep mittens on a baby? Are there any wind and/or snow guards for jogging/three-wheeled strollers? Do I have to keep her in a snowsuit all the time? Can you even get a cloth-diapered baby into a snowsuit? (I can barely get her into 18-month-old overalls!) Are there any items that make life significantly easier in this kind of weather?

Thanks for enlightening me! :)

[ollyoxenfree]

Too cold? It will be a combination of temperature and wind chill that matters, rather than temperature. Dressing appropriately is key, so remember to layer. Lots of layers. My dc were bundled into snowsuits and I don't recall fit being a problem. They had scarves, hats and hoods, but I think I only bought them balaclava-style hats one winter when they were doing a lot of skiing. It wasn't a normal part of their gear. 

This style of mittens with long cuffs is good for little ones. My kids had similar pairs that reached almost to their elbows, and fit under their snowsuits. 

Last winter, I noticed people using Yaktrax for extra traction on their footwear. I find a good pair of boots with heavy treads is usually sufficient, but you may appreciate having a little extra. 

Oh, and snow tires for your car. Don't let anyone tell you that "All season" tires are fine for winter. Maybe they are in California, but not anywhere that actually gets any accumulation of snow. 

Good luck with your move and I hope you have a blast with winter. I've grown to love snow. Skating outdoors is probably my favourite activity.  

 

[Adia]

Here from Ontario, Canada, land of the ice and snow. First of all, invest in high quality thermal shirts. Not the kind from Walmart, the kind upmarket sporting/outdoors stores sell. Good thermals will be no thicker or bulkier than an average long-sleeve shirt but will keep you very warm, your kids too.

About snowsuits, I've never had trouble getting my kids into them, cloth diapers and all.

We live in a pretty cold climate and I've never been big on head-to-toe bundling, it restricts their movement too much. A nice woolen hat (no need for ski masks or full face masks), woolen gloves, thermal layers, and a good woolen coat do just fine most days, unless the windchill is horribly bad. Don't buy into those big fluffy marshmallow coats, they're gimmicky, they don't keep you half as warm as a nice thick coat of a good fabric.

On days when you'll be in wet weather, I'd recommend all-weather equestrian gloves rather than mittens. My kids will pull mittens off the second they get outside, they're just too impractical for play. Eq. gloves keep your hands warm and don't get soggy like woolen gloves do, but by their nature allow a full range of movement.

[kathymuggle]

Babies are notorious for kicking off boots, mittens, and hats if they can get them!

Some people put a string on mittens and lace them through snow suits and such.  Hats need to cover ears.  I have sewn snaps onto boots, and then the other snap onto the snow pant bottom (tee-hee - take that boot chucking baby!!!)  I like neck warmers - they are less likely to be a choking hazard than scarves.

Buy many mitts!  I like to have one or two waterproof pairs on hand - mitts are warmer than gloves, plus a few pairs of cheap dollar store ones for less intense weather.   

I have come to like thermal socks (great for boots - boots are not always as warm as we like and thermal socks make all the difference) and slippers - floors can be cold in cold climates.

Have fun!  Snow is cool (ok - cheesy pun intended).

Some people overdress babies which is not good.  They sweat, and then the sweat chills and they get cold.  They probably need to be dressed a little better than you as they do not exercise if in a stroller, etc, but if you are fine in a sweater, they probably do not need layers and layers.

[sk8boarder15]

Yes, the Layers help! I'm from Chicago and its not cold all the time but for a few months it is very frigged! I highly recommend wearing (and dressing kids) a thermal undershirt, a t-shirt and a good fleece jacket. Fleece is nice because they can wear it in the car seat, whereas anything bulkier they shouldn't have under the straps. I also love our car seat poncho for my toddler. I can use it in cool weather as his only coat, or in really cold weather over his sweater. Keeps everything covered for quick trips in and out of the cold, its not really good for playing in. But its GREAT for in and out of the car. 

All this being said I'm really excited to move to oregon, where it is much more mild!!! 

[Emalin]

Thanks so much. I'm feeling much more confident about the move now!