Using a sling over the winter - don't you both get cold?

[ButtercupWafflehead]

...I mean because you can't do your coat up - it must be draughty, surely?

I am looking for a sling from newborn and know they will be snuggly and cosy, but am wondering about me if I wear it out and about!

Also, am thinking about kari-me for my first go, (had a buckles and clips type one last time which I didn't really rate), any thoughts?!

Thanks!

A really thick wool wrap should keep you both warm = having the baby against you is also having a hot water bottle against your front. Lovely and snuggly.

Cant comment on the Kari-me - had a close sling for DS2 which was great for the first few months till he got too big and too mobile...

NOt at all. If anything, the LO stays warmer, and your front is nice and cosy. The trick is to dress the baby slightly lighter than you would for the pram, but use soocks, mits (which can be socks) and a hat, and for you to wear a cardie or similar under your coat, so that you can adjust as necessary if you feel drafty.

I had one of these and it was fantastic. I used it in so many different ways - it does exactly what it says on the package!

When Ds was little, I wore a coat under the sling, he wore a fleece all in one. I never needed anything more than my fleece as he kept me warm.

Now he wears a coat and hat, plus leg warmers to keep the shoe/trouser bit warm. Again, he doesn't need such a warm coat when being carried.

If you feel like splashing out, you can buy special babywearing coats and ponchos so that you have the baby in your coat

I am not keen on having a baby under your own coat. Don't wish to alarm anyone but I know of a SIDs case that happened when a baby was under the mother's coat and I've always wondered if that was a contributing factor so would never do it....

I slung dd over my coat - these are pretty good

I had a stretchy wrap sling like a kari-me for ds when he was little (he was born in Sep last year so used it right through the winter - it was fab. I dressed him in warm clothes but not outdoor ones and a warm hat. I wore a large fleece jacket or waterproof that I just did up at the bottom (to keep his feet warm) and ds kept the rest of my front warm .

No, a baby on your front keeps you both lovely and toasty.

When it's really chilly I put a MaM four season cover over the sling (you can get heavier versions).

But on most winter days he's fine with a light balaclava, a light hoodie or cardigan, mittens and babylegs (mini legwarmers for the gap between trousers and socks) to add to his indoor clothes.

I was given/passed on some beautiful coats and snowsuits but we never needed them.

Can recommend the MaM four season cover, I didn't have a coat that would go round me and DS, so got this and it was (is) great. You can sometimes pick them up 2nd hand on UKBabywearingSwap.

Ah, thanks everyonu, top tips there.

And HOW CUTE is the thingy in Mrs Badger's link?

they're ace aren't they? I buy them for all new winter babies and suggest you nudge any potential present-buyers in their general direction... it's the legs that make the difference

i first used a fleece 2 sizes up from what I normally use. then I got a Suse's Kindercoat which is designed and made by a babywearing mum in Germany. Fabarooony. it is an all season coat.

A suffocation risk (not necessarily SIDS) that GrapefruitMoon talks about comes from an incorrectly positioned baby. It can happen in a carseat as well as a sling if a (newborn) baby's neck is allowed to flop to its chin. The coat is not normally a problem.

For really cold days I used to nick DH's coat and do it up round us both. Generally you keep one another nice and warm. A brolly is also useful to keep the rain off both.

I have a mamajacket - which is lovely and can also be used as a normal coat by zipping out the special babywearing panel. It is very smart and sooo soft.

I also like the Aiska poncho, the Ergo coat and the peekaru nori vest!

I second MrsBadger's suggestion about babyrug. I have a polar fleece one which is great, and am going to get a waterproof extreme one for winter also -- absolutely invaluable!

Can't comment on the Kari Me sling, I have a Moby wrap (which I think is similar to the Kari Me) and a Wilkinet, both of which I really like.

I have a kindercoat too.

Nice to see a couple of others on here like them too! I have yet to see anyone else in RL wearing one. People smile and comment wherever we go.