Question How to dress a 5-10 month old baby for winter errands?

gigi · Oct 26, 2011

We go in and out of the car a lot. Twice a day I walk around the block to my car with baby in ergo, drive 10 mins, get out to bring my son to his classroom, drive 10 mins home, walk around the block again. I would ideally like a thin fleece suit to dress my baby in, but she's 4 months now and outgrowing 9 month sleepers...she's long and thin. I have an LLBean 200 polartec suit, but I've tried it in the car seat and there is just way too much slack in the harness no matter how much I try to cinch it down. I also have a Hanna fleece baby jacket, but I also feel there is way too much slack even trying the zipper over the harness trick.

We have LONG, very cold and very very very windy winter and we are in and out of the car a lot.

I plan to get a shower cap, but I really hate my baby to be in the car seat so much, especially since at drop off/pick up I have to walk up and down a narrow concrete staircase and it is heavy to carry up and down.

I know the usual suggestions. I'm not looking to justify use of something unsafe. I am really just looking for real life solutions for this type of daily winter activity...

Jessica61624 · Oct 26, 2011

What about a sleepy wrap? Or another type of baby carrier? There all kinds of ways to keep her warm in them.

rachelandtyke · Oct 26, 2011

Not as cold here, but I put DS in a fleece pouch to carry him and a hat on his head, then I could mostly zip him into my coat if it was really cold out. I should find pictures of how I had him when we went to the Calgary Zoo at Christmas, we were outside then and very cold! I don't think I had extra clothes that I put on him for after we got out of the car.

TechnoGranola · Oct 26, 2011

Would a cover over the carrier work for you? I just got a Rosk pouch and for something even warmer, there is the one from Baby Parka

The Rosk can also be used on the infant car seat so you'd have a 2-in-1 product. I've also read that the Baby Parka one works on strollers, but I am not sure if it works on an infant car seat.

If a thin fleece suit is warm enough for you to carry baby into school and back/around the block, then the ROSK would work for you as it's fleece with a nylon to layer to protect against, wind/rain/snow. It would be warmer than just a fleece suit alone.

melniemi · Oct 26, 2011

I think the Columbia fleece snowsuits work great.

gigi · Oct 26, 2011

I was thinking thin fleece because I was hoping it would be okay in the car seat and warm enough for running in and out. They are just so baggy and bulky!

My son screamed like a lunatic in the car and I didn't need to drive anywhere then, so I just basically didn't drive his first winter.

I'm more concerned with how to dress my little girl safely for the in and outs. I don't want her freezing each time I get her in and out of the carrier or car seat.

She wears sleep and plays mostly and probably will through winter (with a LS onesie underneath), but she needs something on top too.

Oh and she likes to be very warm...she wore sleep and plays all summer when it was HOT and never was sweaty...she cries when even a little cool. She's literally the complete opposite of my son...she's got me all mixed up LOL.

bnsnyde · Oct 26, 2011

Sounds like here!
Baby is 6 months but outgrowing 9 month size due to height. Very tall and average weight. So far nothing used in the carseat other than a regular shirt.

For cold weather...right now we have a Nuzzler shower cap-style cover for the infant carseat BUT it's really hard to zip b/c his feet are so long. I can use it for a bit longer, only.

For school pick up we have to 1. go down/up huge staircase. I plan to carry the whole carseat. Baby is over 18 lbs. now. But due to the cold...that's the plan. I can pile blankets over the seat for the walk to the school. There is a fairly long walk along the side-walk. Baby actually looks the warmest of all of us. I think the 2-year-old is more of a problem because I can't stick him in an infant seat and pile blankets on him, lol.

TechnoGranola · Oct 26, 2011

gigi said:
I'm more concerned with how to dress my little girl safely for the in and outs. I don't want her freezing each time I get her in and out of the carrier or car seat.

Can you sit in the car to take her in and out of her seat? Or are there other child seats in your way?

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Cryssy Jane · Oct 26, 2011

Carter's has some really cute micro fleece sleep and play type things with an attached good. I picked one up for Bella for the winter (she's almost 6 months wearing 9-12 month clothes). It's nice and warm but is thin enough not to effect the harness. I got old navy ones last year and they are a little on the thick side. The Columbia ones are great as well.

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honeydew · Oct 26, 2011

What about regular fleece pajamas? Carter's makes them up to 5T, I believe.

SignCuer · Oct 26, 2011

This is a great thread since I'm gonna have a 7-10 month old ladybug during the winter but I did use a fleece snowsuit from Carters and they work great.

On my faithful sidekick

Don't text and drive... It may save a life!

My ladybug, 6 months old, 13 lbs, 25 1/2 inches riding in different seats each day until she gets her Combi Shuttle 35!

xursusmaritimusx · Oct 26, 2011

i second the carters sleep n play outfits.

it doesnt get THAT cold here but it does get pretty darn cold/damp/wet.

i have to take DS in and out of the car everyday to dropoff/pick up DD from school.

DD's school doesnt have parking so i have to find parking on the street or 2 blocks away at a church... then walk over to the school. i cant use a stroller because the school also has a bunch of stairs to navigate and its too heavy to carry him in his car seat 2 blocks to the school.... its really annoying

ive been putting the carters outfit on over his reg clothes and taking him that way, then i use a sling or my beco with a blanket covering the outside to block the rain/wind.

so far its working.....

cryswilkins · Oct 26, 2011

You need a [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Together-Peekaru-Original-Carrier-Medium/dp/B001E5BZF4"]Peekaru[/ame]. Put him in a fleece that you are comfortable with him having on in the car seat, with a hat. Then put the Peekaru on and your coat over that.

gigi · Oct 26, 2011

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

Can anyone reco specific fleece items they've been comfortable using in the car seat with this young of a baby?

An Aurora · Oct 26, 2011

http://www.departmentofgoods.com/the-north-face-glacier-fleece-suit-infant-girls

http://www.departmentofgoods.com/columbia-benton-springs-fleece-jacket-infant-girls-col1083

http://www.departmentofgoods.com/columbia-benton-springs-fleece-jacket-infant-girls

http://www.departmentofgoods.com/patagonia-micro-d-luxe-fleece-cardigan-infant-girls

gigi · Oct 26, 2011

Thanks for those!!!

I started a separate thread about car seat fit, because it seems like the things I have *should* work fine, but when I take off the jacket and put her back in there is so much slack I can pull the harness to the edges of her little narrow shoulders (probably 1.5" longer than without jacket)...this seems not right and an ejection hazard.

CaseyRN · Oct 26, 2011

But the fleece will not compress in a crash.

An Aurora · Oct 26, 2011

Yep, well-fitting fleece isn't going to compress. Obviously anything you put on is going to make some slack if you put them in naked and you can't do that

canadiangie · Oct 26, 2011

I'm well into freezing cold temps lately, and my 1yo wears a fleece Carter's S&P over an undershirt every single day. Layered overtop is a 6mos Ursus suit from www.mec.ca because it's well fitting with a straight cut for less bulk. I put a pair of The North Face booties overtop of her S&P footies, and then flip the Ursus footies overtop of that. I keep the hand flaps over her hands, and the hood up with a light hat underneath. I have to walk a good 500 feet from my vehicle to oldest dd's kindy door entrance every day, twice a day, and baby is toasty warm *and* safe in her seat.

gigi · Oct 26, 2011

That suit looks great! I love the slim fit...but they won't ship to the US

That is exactly the layer system I had in mind until I realized the suit I have isn't working with my kid in her seat. I'm hoping I figure something convenient out.

Question How to dress a 5-10 month old baby for winter errands?

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