3yo freaks out when she puts on a snowsuit...what is this?

[Ruby2]

Dd has always been picky about her clothes - won't wear tight shirts or straight skirts, socks that bunch on her toes, slippers, etc...but we can work around those things. She has thus far refused to wear winter coats, saying that they are "too puffy" or too big. I got her into one for a trip to the park once, but other than that I've have to let her wear her fall fleece for trips to and from the car. But now there's snow on the ground. We zipped her in to her snowsuit this afternoon and she melted onto the floor like a noodle and curled into a ball. It was heartbreaking.

What is this? Claustrophobia? The snowsuit is not tight at all. We tried one that was a bigger size with the same results. Has anyone else seen this? What can I do?

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Aw...poor baby. No ideas other than maybe she's too hot? Or has some sensory issues? Anyone have a shared experience or some advice for this mama? 

[stormborn]

I would say sensory. My now 4 yr old freaks out in snowsuits or footie pjs and I was the same way as a kid; I still can't wear turtlenecks or socks with seams!

My dd just wears layers of her big sister's outerwear instead so there's plenty of room for her. It's not below zero very often here though..not sure if that would work in a really cold climate.

[chel]

Can you skip snow play for a while.
I find light coats with hats and gloves are enough for basic in and out.

[minkajane]

My 20mo DD hates her snowsuit with a passion because it has hand-covers. It's kind of like built-in mittens. She tried to pick up snow and flipped out because she couldn't. She also hates the fact that she has a hard time moving. We don't spend a whole lot of time outdoors in the winter, so she usually just wears a regular coat and hat. I'm going to try and find some mittens she'll tolerate but I don't know if she'll put up with anything on her hands.

[Asiago]

We went from one piece to two piece snow suit and it solved the problem. My 3 yr old conveyed it was too difficult to run in the one piece, and it was! He falls far less in the two piece.

[mamazee]

It sounds like a sensory issue to me. My older one has some fairly minor sensory issues, but sensory-seeking (your sounds to be sensory-avoiding), and I think it's best just to try to work with them when they're sensitive. If she isn't comfortable in the snowsuit, maybe go to indoor play places (library? museum?) instead of playing outside, and wear something lighter to get to and from the car.

[RomanGoddess]

My daughter also hated her snowsuit and is even now at age 8 very picky about clothing and comfort. It's a sensory thing.

[milk monster]

I grew up in Toronto (back in the era when winter was cold). It was pretty common for toddlers to freak out about snowsuits; your daughter sounds sensitive, and I can completely understand that it's uncomfortable. But I doubt that sensory issues are often so severe that a kid absolutely can't wear a snowsuit (else kids in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec would stay indoors for five months straight--and they don't). Snow is fun--let her play in it!

I would definitely try a two-piece if you can--if it's really cold, layering really isn't likely to be much more comfortable unless it's all expensive high tech fabrics she'll outgrow in two months.. I'd get the least uncomfortable snowsuit I could find, weather the freakout if necessary, then take the toddler to do something super-fun (tobogganing? Snow fort?) that would be impossible without a snowsuit. Once the toddler learns that a snowsuit is the price of entry for fun in the snow, she'll probably get resigned to the suit and excited about the activities.

[akat]

I did let my almost 3 year old son go out for about 1.5 minutes in a light jacket.  The next 3 times we went out, he actually asked for the big coat.  I let reality do the job instead of me.

Both my kids have this struggle, as do I myself.  I find that often if I can get them past the first flash of having something on, then they're fine.  With the older one, I'd put the sock and shoe on, or the snow pants, and then tickle him [he loves to be tickled].  Tickling him would get him adjusted somehow.  The younger one isn't quite as intense, and I've just distracted him right after putting whatever on, the few times I've needed to.

Also, my kids run MUCH warmer than me - they are actually really hot wearing the same amount that I would be comfortable in.  They also like their bath/shower water a lot cooler than me.