The Best Way to Put a Coat on Your Baby

That's it! All of a sudden the cold has arrived. Now you need to dress your baby in winter clothes. However, your little one can't stand it when you put on her coat. You have only just put on one sleeve and already the crying has started...This is not the way things were supposed to be!

Wondering how to put a winter coat on a baby? Follow these easy steps and your baby will be ready to face the cold in no time!

How to Put a Coat on a Baby?

1. First, pay attention to the temperature of the room where you want to dress him. If it's already warm enough without a coat, make sure you don't dress him too quickly. Otherwise, baby may suffer from the discomfort of too much heat.

2. Then, make sure you put on the right layers of clothing. Use clothing that is both warm and breathable, using the onion skin technique. With this technique, you can easily remove layers of clothing if he gets too hot.

3. Next, start by putting on his coat gently. Put on one sleeve first, then the second. The key is to be gentle in your movements. The less abrupt your movements, the less confused your baby will be by what is happening to him.

4. If your baby seems unsettled, communicate with him or her in a gentle voice. Mom's or dad's voice will always have a soothing and comforting effect on a baby.

5. After that, add the accessories needed for his outing (gloves, hat, boots, etc.).

6. Once you are outside, be sure to test your baby's temperature by putting your hand on the back of his neck. If the back of his neck is warm and wet, it's probably because he's too hot. You can then remove his hat, open his coat, or even remove a layer of clothing if necessary.

Attention: Coats and Snowsuits in the Car

If you didn't know, many coats and snowsuits can decrease the effectiveness of infant/child seats. And of course, this is not something we want to happen.

For this reason, the onion skin technique can be very helpful. Why? Because once you get to the car with your baby, you can take off his coat and put him in his seat without him getting cold. 

And if it's really cold, extra blankets/soft toys can help keep him warm.

Alternatively, some clothing companies (such as Deux par Deux) also offer baby pouches that address this issue. Angel nests are designed to keep baby warm, make it easier for him or her to get into the car seat and don’t interfere with safety.

For Older Children: A Technique to Help Your Child Learn How to Put on His or Her Coat Alone

Your child is not quite so little anymore and wants to learn how to put on his coat himself? Thanks to the ‘Dip and Flip’ technique, he/she will be able to do it in no time.

It's so easy! Just put the coat on the floor, with the inside facing up. Then ask him to raise his arms above his head, bend forward and insert both arms directly into the sleeves.  After that, bring the arms up and rotate them backward. The coat will be on in no time!

For clarity, here is an explanatory video: 

 

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Don't have any baby clothes for this winter yet? Check out the Deux par Deux collection of baby boy winter clothes and baby girl winter clothes.