Babywearing 101: Winter Babywearing Safety Tips

Baby, it’s cold outside! What’s one great thing about babywearing in the wintertime? It keeps both you and your baby warmer, that’s for sure. But there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when wearing your baby in the wintertime, things that will keep you and your baby safer in tricky conditions. Here’s our short list of winter babywearing safety tips:

• If you live in an area that gets icy, wear ice grips for on your shoes. This will give you added traction just in case you step on an icy patch. It’s also a good idea to take smaller, slower steps on the snow and ice, especially while babywearing.
• Stick to a soft-structured carrier or a sling or pouch. Mei tais and wraps are wonderful, until you have to tie it on while standing outside in freezing temperatures and on wet, dirty, slushy ground. Also, because they’re tied on, it’s more difficult to put them on ahead of time and adjust once your baby’s in.
• For the ultimate ease, especially if you’re driving somewhere, put your carrier on under your jacket and pop your baby in and out of it when you get to where you’re going. Not only does this make your babywearing experience easier.
  It’s been shown that bulky suits and coats aren’t safe on your baby when they’re in their carseat.
• ALWAYS be sure that you can see your baby’s face. NEVER zip them up all the way inside your coat or jacket, doing so will restrict your baby’s access to air and may impede their breathing.

Please share some of your favorite tips for babywearing safely  in the winter.

Happy babywearing!