Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Children freezing in buggies

306 replies

goody2shooz · 27/12/2017 15:31

Would you sit outside on a chair for an hour in the current weather, wearing leggings and a mid thigh-length jacket, no hat, gloves or blanket? No? Thought not - so why do so many people keep putting children in buggies without enough proper warm clothes/blanket etc!!?? Just been for a walk today in 1degree cold weather, wind chill makes it feel like -4. Came across a granmother standing chatting to two friends. All dressed in gloves, hats and parka types COATS cos of the cold weather. Little tot in pushchair facing into the cold wind wearing leggings and a jacket. Her little hands looked frozen- like the rest of her. I said (nicely)to the woman that the lo looked v chilly. Was ignored. tried again and was ignored. Wibu to mention anything? I am amazed that so many people seem unaware that a small person sitting still in a buggy needs more layers under and over them than the person keeping warm pushing the buggy. I feel so bad for these tots i keep seeing with pinched faces and blue hands. :(

OP posts:
Tottyandmarchpane1 · 27/12/2017 15:55

Oh my goodness, yes! You pointing out that it is cold and they ought to be wearing more layers is exactly what we need - what a revelation! Amazing. FGS some will, some won’t, most of us aren’t so thick that we don’t know it’s cold but really, if they refuse (and many, many do) then what do you do. If they aren’t crying or whining then I would assume they are fine. I’m not surprised she ignored you frankly.

NapQueen · 27/12/2017 15:55

Have you got kids op?

shakeyourcaboose · 27/12/2017 15:56

But of course we're all doing it being we are all HORRIBLE parents who WANT our DC to be cold......

crunchymint · 27/12/2017 15:56

OP most of the time you are wrong. Sometimes a kid is neglected and not given warm enough clothing. And neglected kids soon learn not to complain.

TheLegendOfBeans · 27/12/2017 15:57

Also (warming to a theme here pardon the pun)

Having previously lived in Canada I can confirm that hot, raging toddlers will mitten rip and boot refuse in temperatures in the minus double figures, I swear.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 27/12/2017 15:57

I've lost count of how many hats and gloves I've lost when my 18month old flings them off. Footmuff is a no go becasue he wriggle his legs out of it and blankets are the same.
So yes his hands and ears are probably freezing and no doubt his legs are a bit chilly but it's his own bloody fault.

Pandoraslastchance · 27/12/2017 15:58

My 3rd toddler was an absolute arse when it comes to rain covers or cosy toes. I swear all I got was daggers form people thinking I was a crap mother but after a 45 minute battle I lost the will to fight and needed to go to an appointment.

YellowMakesMeSmile · 27/12/2017 15:58

Mine had a foot muff whilst young enough to be in a pushchair and coats with built in mittens for winter. If we had to go out in the cold for essentials they were always wrapped up. Hate seeing little ones in buggies with barely anything on.

With online shopping etc now, theres very few times I would have to take them out in buggies in cold weather.

MTverystressed · 27/12/2017 15:59

I wouldn’t say anything to the parent, but a few weeks back on a chilly rainy morning there was a man that had a new born baby in the baby carrier at the front, with thin socks a very thin cardigan and trousers no mittens.

They baby also had no hat on on and it was raining quite badly so it’s head was very wet.

The dad had a rain jacket with a hood on it and was wearing a scarf and gloves Confused

i honestly don’t know if he thinks newborn babies can’t feel the cold???

Yeahsureokay · 27/12/2017 15:59

Babies and young children have more brown fat than adults which keeps them warmer, amongst things.

If I over layer my 2 year old toddler she quickly becomes overheated and very unhappy. It really doesn't take much for her to get too warm. (It is also dangerous.) I actually check her more often to make sure she's not too hot than she is too cold. Sometimes we have to take a layer off in the street if she's too hot and flustered.

I know exactly the right amount of layers to keep her sufficiently warm without her overheating. This may look questionable to a passerby with limited knowledge. That is not my concern however, my child is. They have no idea the layers she wears under her coat or how many pairs of socks she has on under her boots.

Yes I'd love it if she kept her mittens on so her little fingers were warmer but she's 2 and rips them off every time. Every. Single. Time. It doesn't matter how cold it is. We have lost so many hats and gloves in this town.

She's not freezing at all.

I think you need to find something bigger to gripe about. You could channel your deep care and devotion to little children by helping out a charity like nspcc. That would be more effective than moaning here or potentially offending someone when you have no idea what you are talking about.

Toodle-oo op. 👋🏻

BishopBrennansArse · 27/12/2017 15:59

When I'm out in my wheelchair I'm wearing thermals under my jeans and a waterproof fleece blanket on my legs, fleece lined boots, top, hoodie, fleece lined waterproof jacket and fleece lined mittens. Was shocked when I started using my chair how much colder it is sat down rather than moving around.

YANBU, OP.

Sirzy · 27/12/2017 15:59

I always take hats, coats scarves etc out of my 8 year old buggy user. Chances of getting them anywhere near him are little to none!

NorbertTheDragon · 27/12/2017 16:00

My youngest was ok with wearing coats, but hated the rain cover on the pushchair. And also hated getting rained on, or the wind in his face. That was fun times, he'd either be screaming because I'd put the rain over over him or screaming because he'd managed to push it off and was now getting wind and rain on him. So either way I looked like an evil mother neglecting my screaming child.

hendricksyousay · 27/12/2017 16:00

I often see the opposite in hot shops , babies or toddlers with loads of layers on and cosy toes . They look baking !! I always had a blanket I threw over and flung off when we went in and out of shops .

Cantusethatname · 27/12/2017 16:00

This is just like saying oh he won't wear suncream what can I do?

As a parent you have to make the decision to protect your child properly from sun/wind/rain/cold because a little child is unlikely to make the right decision themselves. You can put tights on a baby boy under his trousers so he doesn't rip his socks off and you can buy a big padded suit with attached mittens and zip them in it quick.

And I agree with you OP I hate to see it too.

EB123 · 27/12/2017 16:00

My toddler will scream blue murder if I put gloves on him and hats come straight off. He doesn't like his legs to be encased in a blanket/cosytoes and if in the pushchair he yanks off any boots or shoes. My older two were not like this at all!

I tend to layer him up by putting tights or knitted keggings underneath his normal leggings and then a long sleeved vest, t shirt and jumper plus coat on top.

storynanny · 27/12/2017 16:01

I read somewhere that most heat is list from underneath the toddler ie tbrough the buggy seat, so I used to sit them on a warm blanket.

Londonlady2015 · 27/12/2017 16:02

As someone whose toddler steadfastly refuses a hat and mittens, and has broken his zip up blanket and throws off any other kind of blanket (you get the picture), it would piss me right off if someone else commented on how cold he looked. Snowsuit and brisk walking from A to B has to do.

Runningoutofusernames · 27/12/2017 16:02

DS1 was fine with gloves and kit and I smugly looked down on parents who just couldn't be bothered to insist on warm clothing. Then I had DS2 aka 'the naked cowboy' 😉

Now I just assume their toddlers are similarly stubborn and will whinge if actually freezing and try not to be so judgy...

EB123 · 27/12/2017 16:02

You wouldn't know ds was layered up just by looking but he is. So judge away.

Soubriquet · 27/12/2017 16:02

This is one thing I do hate to see but....my Ds is one of those who refuses to wear a hat and won't have his foot muff on either.

He must be cold, but everytime I try to get his legs in the foot muff, he screams and kicks and thrashes and takes his legs straight back out.

Can't even wrap a blanket round his legs either. Won't accept it

Takeoutyourhen · 27/12/2017 16:02

My baby enjoys taking her hat off and merrily dropping it onto the floor from her pushchair.
My older children have a rule, if they don't wear their coat they have to carry it.
Can't abide the tutting and disapproving looks I and other people have had experience of. Makes me cheerfully want to hand over the dressing task to the commenter!

Babyroobs · 27/12/2017 16:03

What is just as bad is seeing kids completely overdressed in mild weather. In my city this is particularly evident with toddlers from certain ethnic groups so maybe a cultural thing ?

Naty1 · 27/12/2017 16:04

It's surely not neglect because the chance of harm- hypothermia in this country is very slim. Kids in other countries sleep outside in their prams. Gloves are really only needed if touching the snow.
I personally wouldnt mind it being mentioned. Someone could have a good idea how to keep the stuff on.
People survive -15 -30 etc in other countries.
Also possibly you are judging from feeling cold yourself some kids are hot blooded and wear shorts in winter. And tbh girls are expected to go to school in silly shoes and shirts in all weathers. The kids at dd school are never told to put on coats let alone gloves and hats.

Caroian · 27/12/2017 16:04

This is just like saying oh he won't wear suncream what can I do?

What a ridiculous - and completely invalid - comparison.

A child may well kick, scream and bite their way through having sun cream applied. But once it is on and absorbed they cannot rip it off in the way they can with a coat. The vas majority will also stop noticing it (if they don't, then there are clearly complex sensory processing issues in play, and believe me the parents will be having a very tough time). Children with sensor issues object to the feel of certain types of clothing against their skin and will therefore pull it off. Sun cream is in no way comparable!