Cold weather gear for baby?

[daniturtle]

So Thalia is about 2.5 weeks right now but I am thinking about the near future - the winter. I didn't grow up here and this is my first baby. So -- what do you all do for cold weather clothing? Specifically, for going outside the house. It's not like I'm planning on taking her sledding or something, but should she be dressed in a snowsuit or something? I've heard that wearing a snowsuit & being in the carseat should not be done (snowsuit compromises the carseat, I think). So do people put baby in snowsuit, take it off in the car, put it back on after getting out of the carseat....etc etc etc?

As far as regular clothes (ie what she will wear while inside) go, using the idea that you dress your baby like you'd dress yourself (in terms of warmth)-- I'm thinking layering? Using babylegs under pants. Little sweaters over onesies... Is that enough?

[heymama1plus1]

When it was bitter cold I had my little babies in regular clothes in their "baby bucket" car seats that clicked in and out. I had a car seat cover over that (zipped up, fleece lined, peekhole for the face) and stuffed some blankets in with them. Took a few blankets out in the car if it was a longer car ride. They always stayed toasty warm.

The only thing I didn't like about this system is A) the car seats are heavy and B) I would always take the babies out and sling them when we got inside (ex: the mall) so I'd have the car seat with me. So I'd either have my DH run it back out to the car or I'd have to haul it around (click it onto the stroller, which was basically my shopping cart since my kids spent minimal time in their stroller).

That's just a personal pet peeve of mine-- babies who ride in their car seats when they're not in the car. Doesn't seem too comfy!

If we were going outside I had them in a heavy windproof snowsuit that covered feet and hands... no boots/ mittens needed (they get lost anyway). I would use a hat, though, since the wind can whip into the hood. Then a nice warm blanket. Again, if I could manage it, I often wore them in the sling either inside or outside my coat.

HTH! Christina

[girlmama28]

We used a fleece Columbia snowsuit (though other companies make similar ones) and loved it. I actually ended up buying one in a bigger size when DS grew out of his first. This is why--I hated carrying around the car seat. This fleece suit was not so thick as to interfere with the car seat doing it's job and kept him warm enough to be put into the sling or whatever . It was perfect for a baby that doesn't play in the snow yet and we were able to use it from fall until spring. I also loved the long sleeve onesies from Old Navy ( once again, a lot of companies make similar ones, but these were relatively inexpensive and wore well). I used these as a layer or alone. We've always lived in cold places, and all my babies thrived.

[grisaleen]

I just dressed my baby in what I thought would be comfortable indoors, added a light fleece jacket and hat, and then just wrapped a nice thick blanket around her when carrying her to and from the car. Her first winter, we never spent time outside so it seemed silly to me to bundle her up so warm for the 10 second trip inside from the car. I didn't use an infant bucket seat at all, so I always took her out of the carseat.

The only exception was if we were playing in our yard, and then I'd put her in a fleece snowsuit. I think the poofy astronaut suit ones look terribly uncomfortable on the tiny babes, so this year will be the first year my daughter will wear one (she's two now).

[Love_My_Babies]

Originally Posted by heymama1+1

B) I would always take the babies out and sling them when we got inside (ex: the mall) so I'd have the car seat with me. So I'd either have my DH run it back out to the car or I'd have to haul it around (click it onto the stroller, which was basically my shopping cart since my kids spent minimal time in their stroller).

I have two other young kids, so I can't haul the seat around. So, I sling the baby in the van, and I sewed a double layer fleece poncho that I wrap around myself and the baby outdoors. We both stay warm!

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by heymama1+1

When it was bitter cold I had my little babies in regular clothes in their "baby bucket" car seats that clicked in and out. I had a car seat cover over that (zipped up, fleece lined, peekhole for the face) and stuffed some blankets in with them. Took a few blankets out in the car if it was a longer car ride. They always stayed toasty warm.

This is what we did as well. We'd put them in a sweater, and then into the car seat, and then cover them with blankets and the car seat cover. When we got where we were going, we usually wrapped them in a very warm blanket and tucked them into our own winter jackets right next to us for long enough to run inside. Once we were inside, we tucked the baby into the sling and put the baby blanket into the diaper bag.

It worked great -- no baby bucket, and no worrying about a stroller on the ice.

[doubledutch]

another vote here for the columbia fleece snowsuit. i found ours at a consignment store. it isn't thick at all so isn't a problem in the carseat. what i liked about it versus layering and blankets is that baby is completely enclosed, so there's nowhere for things to ride up and wind to get in. speaking of wind, on very cold/windy days, i put something on their cheeks (i don't want to admit it, but i used vaseline . . . i'm sure some non-petroleum-derived oil would work great too!) to protect them and/or threw a light baby blanket completely over their heads as i ran from the car indoors or vice versa.

all that being said, if i was just going to target and the grocery store (places with carts) i kept baby in the carseat with a "bundle me" (zippered cozy blankey thing) on very cold days because i just felt it was warmer. if i needed to take baby out and carry or sling him, because i ended up stopping at, say barnes & noble or something, i just left the carseat at the customer service desk nearest the door, or out of the way near the door. it was never a problem.