How to carry your baby in winter (1)

How do you keep a little one warm and dry when you're outside in the winter? That is the question.

With a little one, I love wearing the baby in the front in a micro fleece wrap with just a coat over us. The coat doesn't even have to be that big. The micro fleece will keep the baby warm, it's water repellent in case of rain without making you feel too warm when you come back inside. If you need, you can just slip off your coat.
The micro fleece wraps are supportive enough for an older baby, with no 'bounce' effect so you can carry a child on your front longer than with other wraps.

However, it comes a point where back carries are the way to go. Your baby can fall asleep on your back while you get on with the shopping, playing with the older kids at the park... It's time for a 'baby wearing coat'.

There are many baby wearing coats and jackets on the market, however, they also tend to be expensive (and not exactly funky!). I thought I would share with you my quest for the perfect baby wearing coat.

The Magic City Slingers (the Sling group from Birmingham, Alabama) have this great no sew fleece poncho tutorial. All you need is 1.2 yards of thick good quality fleece (don't go for cheap light fleece or the fringes will stretch). You can even download the instructions
On another note, they have a lovely picture of a dad wearing his baby in a Calin Bleu, I love seeing dads use a sling.

... more to come soon...