snow stoppers mittens
i’m pretty keen on a warm baby. not too cold, not too hot… but erring on the side of hot if i had to choose. (but i don’t have to choose! so alas, parker, you can just be warm!) i blame this on my mom. growing up it was always: “don’t catch a chill! keep your neck warm! put your hat on!” it is ingrained in me that a cold head means a head cold. or, pretty darn close. so you can imagine that upon raising a baby (who will not be dwelling snugly in a baby carrier as he was last year) in the great, and often cold, state of massachusetts, i’d need to have a few tricks up my sleeve. above are some of the things we’ve actually acquired (sans the striped sweater and the hat/mitten set) recently as the temperatures have dropped here. it’s pretty near impossible to go a day without bringing the little dude outside for some fresh air, so the snug things were a definite necessity.
now please! you more well-seasoned cold-weather veterans! tell me your tricks. is it even feasible to take parker on a two-hour-plus sledding trip this winter? do babies learn to keep mittens on? and warm weather socks for babies? what are your picks? so basically, am i fooling myself that my various pieces will make a difference?!
(this recent post got me thinking about this stuff!)
Dressing my baby for cold is stressing me out!! But I read on erstwhiledear that they make smart wool socks for babies. It was a recent post of hers
I didn't mess with mittens last year, but we only got maybe an inch of snow, which was rare for Illinois. We had like 18 gazillion snow days the year before. We didn't do a puffy coat either, but rather found a lightweight but warm one from Patagonia that still fits him this winter. Yay for no growth spurt! I do love that sweater from H&M and will need to get it for Thanksgiving/Christmas. Connor had one last year from there for the holidays and it stayed in such great shape. Love their clothes, especially maternity right now!
Ugh. Why can't you shop H&M online?!?! No H&M anywhere near us! 🙁
I think the fleece sleeper under clothing would be a good idea for two hour sledding trips! 😉
I did a similar post a few weeks ago:
http://www.thescribblepadblog.com/2012/10/winter-baby-essentials.html
Here is what I have learned after many missteps. (I can't believe I am entering my third winter with this kid, January baby!):
1. Mittens without thumbs keep hands warmer longer, bonus if they are attached by string. If this sting is too long, I tie a knot in the middle (behind their back) so they don't have room to tug them off.
2. I love Zutano fleece booties over socks, under boots, especially rain boots which tend to have some extra wiggle.
3. Behr has a pair of patagonia fleece lined ski pants that we rave about. He wore them camping a few weeks ago, and his legs were still toasty whenever Mark had to change his diaper. Expensive, but they make the cold weather outings last longer.
4. Hats need ear flaps, and they gotta tie! I usually put two hats on Behr. The Hannah Andersson pilot cap (ear flaps, ties) first and then a cuter hat for extra warmth on top. The Hannah Andersson hat is also great under bike helmets. Because we still ride all cold winter long.
5. The footed PJs zipper, tend to bother Behr when it is under clothes, so we skip that route, but it is worth a try on a shorter stint.
And now that I have written a novel…I will stop.
Love these suggestions. I have such a hard time keeping a hat on my little guy's head. He hates them but they are not optional in Canada. 🙂 I suppose I will just keep trying. I know layers are often the best bet because you can add or subtract according to how long you are outside, etc.
I would chime in on this topic if I wasn't so obsessed with the great state of Texas and football! I finally started watching Friday Night Lights and it's been such a great distraction since my husband is overseas. I could prob talk about everyone in the show for an hour but I'll stop here. i love it, thanks Bridget!!
great post. shannon (scribblepad) posted similarly about keeping babes warm.
smart wool socks at REI. so awesome! bought some when sam was a baby (2/3mos) last year (14-18mos) and again this year.
hanna anderson had great snowpants for sam last year (we went sledding in january for over an hour, he loved it – he was 16 mos), REI (and other places) sell hat & mittens sets – sam loved his knitted mittens & still does. the big bulky ones that i thought would be great over his jacket, he didn't like so much. I often layered fleece vests & sweaters under his windbreaker (for those cold windy New England days). I have a winter coat, but it can be bulky on a baby/toddler. Parker's down coat looks great & not too bulky tho. Rain boots w/smart wool socks were great for milder days (when the snow turns to slush -keeps the feet dry and the babes get to splash/stomp). I had to be careful, rain boots aren't super warm, toes can get cold. Sam has regular boots, but he def loves his rain boots better…
anddddd… i started and then saw shannon commented! she has some great tips too.
and i totally second the pilot cap. the best!!! (good in the car seat too)
and baby ugg slippers. sam loves wearing hanna PJs and his uggs (b/c he can take them off himself if his feet are too sweaty). and i'll stop with the comments.
cute picks! love warm wear!
i think you got it covered mama. and this is from someone that knows cold weather.
@beth ann, i WISH h&m would sell online. i don' tknow why they don't! i'm overwhelmed when i go in the store … it'd be easier online!
@shannon, how did i miss that post?! such a good one — those little caps are such a good idea — esp under bike helmets! i was wondering if it'd be possible to bike ride this winter… maybe with one of those!
Oh man… as a California gal, cold is nothing compared to what you have to go through. I'm wearing a sweater and just went on the river, haha!
PS… thank you for your comment about our smiles. I love how you smile into the camera. I love that you aren't ashamed of our dead teeth 🙂
Girls tights under clothes (even for my baby boy!). Helps prevent sock loss when baby carrying 🙂
For us, it's all about wool! It keeps little one's snug in the cold, but its breathable and even has naturally occurring antimicrobial properties. We do smart wool socks, a base layer of a merino wool onesie and sometimes a pair of wool long johns if it's really nippy. We also always have a wool/silk blend pilot cap on our little one (who will be in arms this winter). Its a nice thin base layer that stays on her head (because it's tied on!) and allows us to layer another hat as necessary. Wool is a bit pricier and takes a little extra care, but it is oh so worth it!
I know!! It's so stressful! I have a 3 month old and I keep on wondering if he's dressed warm enough.
I have a Beco carrier to keep him nice and snug, but how can I keep his legs warm? Any tips?
I know you have boots but have you heard about Stonz? They stay on really well (we have two pairs) and they allow them to move their feet when the walk – no hard soles. Personally I think that if you can move your feet when it's cold out they will stay warmer. Aside from that we bought ours MEC toaster one piece snowsuits which they were in today… it's cold here! We plan on lots of outdoor time so I'm with you on keeping them good and warm.
I just ordered these – they go over regular shoes and they seem pretty sturdy!
http://www.isisparenting.com/product/STZVV_BELE145/winterweather
And American apparel has some thermals I've got my eye on. And nova naturals for serious cold :http://www.novanatural.com/wearing/clothing/children
I'm totally going to REI for one smart wools! Today was so bitter that I'm now obsessed with keeping my kid warm. Thanks for the great post, Bridget!
@maria, i zipped him into my jacket last winter! but last winter was MILD… so it wasn't such a problem! i'd maybe put him in a full body suit then into the beco??
@ashley, will check them out! thank you!
@kate, oh my word, that nova naturals place has such great stuff! the one piece wool johnny?! so great.
Ok I have two new additions since we last discussed this! Polarn o Pyret. The best Swedish stuff, lots of it in wool, all of it classy.
Uniqlo, the Japanese version of H&M, AND they are online (but now off, because of the Hurricane. Back again soon). They've got a really cheap version of long underwear. It's mixed materials, which isn't the best, but nice stripe colors and really slinky-soft.
I just discovered Nova Naturals too! You know things are going to get all-plain-wood around here, asap.
@rachael… ohhhh polarn o pyret… i love their stuff. steve would sign off too because…. it's swedish?!
Hi,
Did you find that Zara runs small? I really like Mini Boden and have found that they run small so I was just wondering.
Thanks
Gina
I was toootally oogling over that striped sweater (or one like it) last winter! I think it is so stinkin' cute.
Oh, and as far as the mitten sitch goes, my 16 month old is so hot & cold with mittens…one minute he's fine wearing them, the next minute the boy despises them. Ugh.
I lived up in northern Ontario when my little ones were babies. Temperature at -40C. When going for hikes with the sled. (Xmas tree adventuring) A trick I was given by some of the experienced ladies was take dad's wool socks and put a pair over their boots and a pair over mittens. Takes too long for them to get out of it may not be very fashionable but if you are wanting to stay active and go out for long winter sleds and activities works like a charm and keeps them from getting cold and cranky. Have fun.
@gb, actually i find it runs big! but you're right about mini boden. parker fits best in their 9-12 stuff right now, not the 12-18!
@joanne, that is some serious cold. thank you for thet ip!
this post couldn't have been better timed–i will be having a newborn baby in winter and was wondering how to keep her warm. although to be honest it probably never gets that cold here compared to what you guys have to deal with.
My daughter (18 months) often refuses to wear mittens. Her hands feel so icy without them! I find it helps if I wait until we're outside to slip them on because then she is distracted by being outdoors. If we're still inside, she is more likely to freak out about them. It's also a major pain to try to get her thumb in the thumb part of the mitten. Sometimes I just put her whole hand in the mitten part and leave the thumb part empty. I'm going to try the string idea because they do sometimes fall off. At least that way, we won't lose them!
Where I lived in Germany the winters were freezing! It was a horrible, damp cold and if you didn't dress properly you would get sick, sick, sick! So as a former nanny I have a few tricks up my sleeve. 1. Tights- even little boys can wear these under their pants. A plain white pair will be discrete but come in soooo handy for an extra layer of warmth. 2.Weather proof shoes! So important for little feet that want to walk everywhere! and 3. House shoes- everyone in Germany had a pair of slippers or shoes for inside. No one walked around in socks or bare feet because it was just too cold. My favorite were these leather slipper kind. I saw some recently at Target and I am jonesin' to get my little girl a pair!
my little brothers wear all those costco footie pjs. they're so freaking cute in them! especially when they're matching! gap has cute ones too but i only buy them for them when they're on sale cause i mean come on $36 for a childs pj… you've got to be kidding
I like Hats for Cool Weather because it is so cool.