[is it puppies?]

I was at winners today and noticed crazy fantastically great winter baby clearance stuff and I know I'll need winter stuff for baby BUT what do I really need? and what size(s) would be most likely to fit? It gets pretty cold here as early as Sept (may even freeze at night) and will stay pretty cold until April or even May. So baby's first fall/winter will be from about 4 months old till 8 or 9 months old. A few months over the winter will be horrifyingly cold (maybe Nov till Feb) and I can't find info online that seems right for weather as bad as it will be.

I did buy a cotton puffy footed thing that looks a bit like a light snowsuit (not plastic-y though) and I broke down and bought a really cute fuzzy footed sleeper that is only 80% cotton, both in size 6-12 months. It was $16 for the two. I also bought a 3 piece cord pants/long sleeved cotton t-shirt and (christmas themed!) sweater for $3 but I think that's in a 3-6 month size so I assume I will be using it on chilly summer nights.

 

[AutumnW]

I would say buy 6-9 or 6-12 month stuff and then if you lo is bigger or smaller at the beginning or end of the chilly season you can get a few things to supplement then.

In winter I use sweatpants, long sleeve t-shirts, flannel shirts to go over the t-shirts when really chilly, warm socks, shoes (baby won't be walking but those little robee like shoes are great for keeping their feet warm), warm and comfy blankets for walks or just to put over them in the car, warm hats. Because we ec and use cloth diapers we also use lots of baby legs and wool pants at different times. Then some sort of coat or snowsuit which it looks like you've got. Oh, and a lighter jacket or hooded sweatshirt for fall/spring.

I usually have a pair or two of dressy type pants for special events but don't use them on a daily basis because babies at this time are sitting up and they just seem uncomfortable in stiff pants.

 

[soso-lynn]

Hello fellow Canadian,

The most important thing you will need is at least 2 extremely warm and well designed snowsuits. I would get 1 6-9 months and one 12 months. Make sure that the feet are part of the suit, not buttonned on or anything like that. The same thing for hands would be a plus. Look at the hood to see if it is of the right size and shape to actually keep the baby warm. I say get two because you never know when they will get all wet from the snow or otherwise dirty from a leaky diaper or massive drool. You will also need a good hat (perhaps waiting to try it on the baby would be best).

if you have a good snowsuit, you can dress the baby normally underneath, no need for a bunch of heavy sweaters and such. At home, it depends a lot on how you house is in the winter. I personnally keep my house very warm in the winter so clothes are simply long sleeved shirts and sweat pants.

The trickier time is fall, before the real cold comes. I think that the snowsuit you bought seems appropriate, you will also need something waterprrof, but that depends on how you get around outside. If you walk a lot, you will need more elaborate things while if you usually drive, you can get away with a lot less.

 

[is it puppies?]

what would be a good brand or store (we have in Canada) to check out for GOOD snow suits? I didn't see much for the plastic ones at winners but I will be going back for more stuff I think with all the clearance that's on!

I will probably be driving everywhere come *real* winter, but you never know. I hate HATE winter and being cold, myself! My DH does drag me out for a walk once in a while though...

 

[at_the_hip]

Teehee, my hubby works for Winners here so I know exactly what you are talking about with final clearance!! I just bought a bunch of boy clothes from there the other day!

Long sleeve onesies, and FLEECE sleepers work really well to insulate and cut the cold in winter - and they are water resitant to boot. Snowsuits are great for in the stroller, but if you are putting baby in a carseat, one of the shower-cap style carseat covers is safer. Otherwise you won't be able to buckle baby in tightly enough.

If you are wearing your baby, then again you need something not too bulky - and it will keep you and baby warm up against each other anyway. I used a homemade fleece poncho over us both a lot. Fleece works really well, be it sleepers, blankets or outfits...and you need warm hats (fleece, or wool is even better!!), and I would go for some nice warm Robeez booties, leather with the fur inside...IME you can never have enough pairs of mittens, socks or hats because they grow legs and disappear right when you need them!!! Wool is even more desireable but much more expensive obviously, and not as easy to keep clean. So that depends on your preference for sure!!

MEC and Lands' End have nice one-piece fleece snowsuits. You likely aren't going to be sitting baby IN the snow much, unless it is for a picture.

Please mum is a great place to go for outerwear as well...they have waterproof pants, jackets & snowsuits. The fleece one-piece suits (think just fleece, no fluffy lining) are nice and warm without being as bulky, and you can put them on right over baby's regular clothes. We've had an unseasonably warm winter here so I haven't had much use for mine this year, but normally it would get plenty!!

The other thing to think about is that you need either a good jogger/stroller with air-filled tires to get through the snow, and/or a baby sled. Now is a great time of year to find the latter! And are you going to layer on top with a blanket, or do you need a stroller cozy/boot - ie, if you are still using your infant seat ON the stroller, than you wouldn't need something extra.

I am not sure if that helps any, but there are a few things to ponder, lol!!

 

[Pinoikoi]

I usually err on the side of doubling size for age.. so a 6 month old would fit about 12 month size clothes.. but it really depends on the brand.

I stocked up on some fleecy type winter gear.. baby won't be walking by the time winter rolls around, so just something to keep her warmer in the carseat/sled/daddy's arms. Some of my fleece items have fold over feet so when they start to walk you can unfold them and put boots on.. but I am really not thinking that our babies will be walking with snow still on the ground.. pretty sure we would be looking at break up at the earliest..

so fleece "snowsuits" or buntings and warm hats.. mittens if the snowsuit doesn't have fold over bits on the hands.. honestly where I live we go from warm house to warm car back to warm house, so "bundling up" rarely HAS to occur.

 

[BetsyS]

I'm no good on winter (we get an average of 1-2 inches of snow a YEAR here

and our winter coats are fleece jackets), but for sizes, my boys are on the bigger side.

At 4 months, they've been wearing 9-12 month clothing. At 9 months, they wear 12-18 month clothing. Except for the first season (which is summer for us this time), I tend to buy one size per season. For this winter, most of the clothing we have will be 9-12 months size.

I do have friends that have petite little children that wear appropriately sized clothing for their age (18 months at 18 months, etc). It really depends on how big your kids are.

 

[jannk]

I used the a cover / bootie that goes over the car seat and stroller ALL THE TIME. It's so much easier - and more comfortable than a snow suit. I'm not exactly sure what it's called - it has a piece of elastic around it to fit snugly on the car seat/stroller. I'd put my son inside w/ blankets on top, then that. We had two, a corduroy one and a suede one lined w/ lamb's wool. They also come in fleece. One thing to keep in mind is that it's harder - and not as safe - to put them in a car seat w/a bulky snow suit on.
Also, it seemed as if I couldn't have enough hats! The best was one w/ ear flaps that snapped below the chin.
If you're going to take walks w/ LO in a carrier, a very large, warm coat for yourself that you can wear over the baby carrier.
But really, as someone said, at that age, they aren't going out in the snow to play and they really aren't outside a lot - unless you are. Oh, the other thing is that while I'm a big fan of fleece, my son had reactions to it since it's made of polyester which made wool (that was lined or w/ something underneath it) a much better option.

This is what the car seat cover looks like. They come in a variety of materials. Ours was suede and shearling - one of the best gifts we received as we used if for 2 winters and rarely had to bundle him up in that way that prevents them from moving.

http://www.amazon.com/Faux-Shearling.../dp/B000284WX6

 

[soso-lynn]

A little note on covering the baby with your coat while in a sling or carrier; it does not usually work when it's really cold out. In Edmonton, it might work in the spring and fall but not in real winter.

 

[Pinoikoi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soso-lynn A little note on covering the baby with your coat while in a sling or carrier; it does not usually work when it's really cold out. In Edmonton, it might work in the spring and fall but not in real winter.

Alaskan women have packed their babies inside their coats for centuries. I used to live on an island that got -70 in winter many many days each year.. Now of course, these women didn't use a sling, but they tied their babies on their backs with a scarf and then put their coats on over both.. and these were parkas not commercial coats, but it certainly can be done.

http://blogs.lib.berkeley.edu/media/...vecouture2.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691/...c39d8fe7b7.jpg

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/po...c_lc_inuit.jpg

ok- pretty sure some of these pics are of Canadian Inuits and some are of Alaskan Native women, but the process is the same even though the coats are styled a bit differently.

 

[is it puppies?]

I would love LOVE to get a fantastic Inuit baby-carrying coat, even if it's made of something naughty like polar bear as I HATE the winter so much I can't believe I live in Edmonton

I do like to pack my chihuahua in my coat if we drag him out in the winter though

I have now bought two adorable (but not necessarily practical) snow suits, one is the cotton one and one is baby blue fake fur (I figure fake fur is gender neutral if it's blue...). So anyways they are both the 6-12 mo size (or one might even be 6-9) as I haven't found anything bigger on sale yet... and I think they are relatively streamlined if they fit well, not too bulky or hot (or safe to get stranded on the highway in with -45c).
I can't even begin to guess how big my baby will end up being, I know I was born tall and stayed that way (though I'm only 5'8 or so now) but my husband is much more average at a very slight 5'10" and I think he was always comparatively petite (versus my giantism, always being the tallest and biggest girl in class or even school, which certainly wouldn't be the case nowadays!)