Kiddofreedom

How to Keep Baby Warm in Jogging Stroller in Winter

When it gets freezing cold outdoors, it’s easy to grab a Sherpa blanket and snuggle on the couch with your little one sipping hot drinks and watching TV. But for truly active moms and dads, winter is like any other season, and their exercise regime stays unchanged. These brave parents know how to keep baby warm in a jogging stroller in cold weather and how to cool baby in stroller when it’s blazing hot outside.

Related: How to Keep Baby Happy in a Stroller

8 Strategies for Strolling With Baby in Winter Weather

According to What to Expect, the best way to dress up a baby for strolling in colder weather is to have them wear the clothes they normally would wear plus one more layer. A blanket or even the stroller’s rain cover can be the extra later the baby needs.

Start with one thin layer such as a Onesie and add extra layers depending on how cold it is outdoors. Keep an eye on the baby and remove all or some of the added layers if the baby starts perspiring. Once you get back indoors with your baby, peel any extra layers off.

Below are 8 ways to help babies brave winter weather:

1. Give Your Tyke One Layer More Than You Have

Related: How to Keep Baby Warm in a Car Seat

What’s the right way to layer up for kids riding in a stroller in cold weather? Take a look at what you’re wearing, and then put on one extra layer on your  baby before strapping them in. You want to your kid to wear easy-to-take-off layers so you can peel them off quickly any time you need to.

No matter what the tot wears, make sure to cover their little hands with warm mittens and heads with a hat. A hat is always a good thing on a child’s noggin regardless of whether the weather is warm or cool.

As for the feet, you need to keep them covered, too. Have the tot wear socks and shoes for kids. But kids are notorious for kicking shoes and socks off. Because you never want the tot’s toes to get cold. No kid is fussier than one whose toes stay uncovered and get cold as a result.

Alternatively, help the child wear footed pajamas. Footed pajamas cover the foot entirely. Plus, it’s impossible for little feet to kick off footed pajamas!

What if the kiddo is past the age where they can wear footed pajamas? No problem; they can always wear socks and winter boots for kids.

2. Bundle Up Older Kids the Way You Dress Yourself

Do you have an older kid running alongside you as you stroller-jog? Dress them the same way you dress. But if the weather is too cold and the tyke’s doesn’t handle freezing temperatures too well, give them an extra layer (a thin one).

And as you run or jog with a stroller, understand that the bigger child running beside you may need you to slow down the pace a bit. If they need to take a breather at any point in the run, wait for them.

3.Use a Warm Blanket to Cover Baby in the Stroller

If you’ll ride in the car some of the time, don’t put puffy jackets on the kid before strapping them in. Car seat safety experts say that’s bad idea because thick winter jackets compress in a crash making the safety device less effective.

Instead, buckle the child in and place a thin but warm blanket over the child. You may not need to do this if the vehicle’s heating is working efficiently.

Keep your eye peeled for any signs of perspiration on the kiddo and remove the blanket immediately. According to What to Expect, layering excessively or using too many blankets over the child in a stroller can cause overheating and even SIDS.

4. Carry Baby in a Carrier (Some of the Time)

What’s better than warming your little one with your body’s heat all while staying closer to them? Nothing! If it seems like your child’s feeling lonely in the stroller in winter weather, consider wearing them for some time.

5. Use a Universal Stroller Blanket or Sleeping Bag

The baby gear market is awash with all kinds of stroller-specific weather-resistant blankets designed to keep baby warm and cozy while blocking the elements. The nylon/polyester exterior keeps out snow, wind, and rain so your kiddo can ride in complete comfort.

The interior is soft and plush, and the stroller blanket is pretty easy to install. And the best part? These universal stroller blankets fit a whole bunch of stroller styles and models. You don’t need a different blanket for your umbrella stroller and a different one for your jogging baby stroller.

I’m not saying this type of blanket works with every kind of stroller. But I can guarantee you that you’re unlikely to have blanket/stroller compatibility issues.

Whether you live at the base of New York’s Adirondak mountains or in chilly windy Alaska, this stroller blanket got your baby covered literally.

6. Keep the Cold Out With a Stroller Cover

Stroller covers are one of the most effective ways of blocking wind chill and rain while strolling through cold, snowy weather. This cover keeps the stroller protected throughout the ride, and the baby stays warm and dry in the stroller.

Amazon and a bunch of other places offer all sorts of decent stroller covers at affordable prices. Look around the web and see if you can find something that’ll work for your stroller.

7. Snowsuits Keep Babies in Jogging Strollers Really Warm

Find a snowsuit with a front zipper so you can change out wet diapers easily and fast. This is a single-piece garment designed to keep baby warm and cozy from head to toe. It comes with coverings for the feet and hands, keeping these body parts nice and warm.

8. Have Them Wear Mittens

Fleece mittens are to little hands what warm socks are t0 tiny feet. And like socks, there’s a decent chance your child will somehow remove them at some point. Consider using a string to tie the mittens to each other to minimize the likelihood of losing them.

Winter Stroll Tips

  • Pack everything you and your baby needs.
  • Have tissue paper around for wiping down a runny nose.
  • Carry plenty of tasty snacks so that the kid can stay energized and warm throughout the stroll.
  • Pack some lip balm to shield the tot’s cheeks and lips from frost and the general nastiness of cold weather.
  • Sunglasses help protect the eyes from wind chill so purchase them for your kiddo.
  • Use the rain cover to shied the baby from rain while trapping the baby’s heat in and  blocking wind chill.
  • While covering the stroller is highly recommended when the going gets nasty and frosty, vent the stroller so that air gets in and out without much resistance.
  • Pack dry snacks instead of wet ones. Because the last thing you want is to have to tackle wet spills in the stroller after the snowy adventure. Dry snacks are easy to handle and have minimal spills, plus they tend not to be as cold as liquid-y ones.
  • Be sure to check the weather man’s report to get an idea of what the day might be like during the period you intend to be out and about with your baby. Fall and winter weather tends to change pretty quickly, and you need to have an idea what to expect.

Strolling in Winter With Baby FAQs

How Do You Keep Baby Warm in Stroller in Winter?

Dress baby up with as many layers as you’re wearing and throw in an extra layer. A Onesie or snowsuit is a great place to start. Remember to remove the snowsuit before strapping baby in the car seat for safety reasons.

According to child safety experts, snowsuits are great at trapping heat. However, these snowsuits compress during a crash, making the straps in a car seat or booster seat less protective.

But parents who run with baby in a jogging stroller bundle up their littles in snowsuits. This is because these winter weather baby clothes are generally safe for this use case.

How Cold is Too Cold to Walk With Baby in a Stroller?

You can certainly get out in winter weather with your baby in the stroller, but not when it’s too cold outdoors. Many moms are reluctant to stroll with baby if the temperatures have dipped below -30 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s too windy outside, even -20F would be considered too cold.

Can a 6 Month Old Go in a Jogging Stroller?

According to Healthline.com, 6-month olds can safely ride in a jogging stroller. But if the  baby is younger than 6 months, the experts at Healthline.com discourage strapping them onto a jogging stroller. The reason for this is that running strollers lack a fully reclining seat.

Is Jogger Stroller Good for Winter?

Pretty much all baby strollers with lockable front wheels are a good option for pushing through slush and snowy conditions. Three wheeled jogging strollers are suited for all kinds of terrains. They’re all-terrain/off-road options that do well on sand, asphalt, forest trails, slush, and snow.

Wondering what’s the best stroller for snow? There’s a bunch of decent and great options on the market. The Bob Revolution Flex 3.0 jogging Stroller is a good place to start. Joomvy Zoom Lightweight Stroller is another snow stroller that deserves some consideration.

How Do I Dress My Baby for a Stroller Walk?

Dress baby the same you’ve layered up plus an extra layer. Peel off or add extra layers depending on how windy/chilly and cold the weather is. The cooler it is, the more the layers and vice versa.

Putting It All Together

Wintry weather discourages many people from venturing outside to connect with the great outdoors and heal. But there’s always a mom or dad for whom every week is a time to go out the door with baby and enjoy a good run. Usually, these are parents who know how to dress baby to suit the prevailing weather conditions.

Is there a tip you’ve learned along the way that you’d like to share with us here on Kiddofreedom.com? Please tell us about it in the comments section below. Keep strolling and bonding with your little one throughout the nastiest winters and the warmest summers.

Author: Esther Moni

I'm Esther Moni, a proud stay-at-home mom and a psychology graduate of the United States International University (USIU) . I hate it when anyone calls me a housewife, because what does housewife even mean? Being a mother of two babies and a pup, Bailey, as well as being Ricky's wife tires me to no end, but I still manage a smile at the end of it all. And when my boys aren't done doing mischief, I juggle writing a post on parenting or baby gear performance for this blog and running my little counselling office based out in Nairobi. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/esther.moni/">Visit my Facebook profile here</a>, and this is my <a href="https://ke.linkedin.com/in/esther-moni-3841b573/">LinkedIn profile</a>, and here's my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKcVb3NNDrURDH8C0KiAE1g/">nascent youtube channel.

Esther Moni

I'm Esther Moni, a proud stay-at-home mom and a psychology graduate of the United States International University (USIU) . I hate it when anyone calls me a housewife, because what does housewife even mean? Being a mother of two babies and a pup, Bailey, as well as being a wife tires me to no end, but I still manage a smile at the end of it all. And when my boys aren't done doing mischief, I juggle writing a post on parenting or baby gear performance for this blog and running my little counselling office based out in Nairobi. Visit my Facebook profile here, and this is my LinkedIn profile, and here's my nascent youtube channel.

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