Front or Back Carrying?
Why do we venture outside in winter, and how does it impact the way we carry our babies? The typical activity, especially this time of year in Germany, would be to go see the Christmas lights and visit the Christmas market. Particularly in such a loud and busy environment, we always recommend using your carrier rather than a stroller, and if possible, carrying your baby in front rather than on your back. Here are the reasons why:
- In a normal stroller, your baby usually sits lower and, in many cases, faces the street instead of facing you. With lots of people around, your baby is more likely to inadvertently get hit by a handbag or have mulled wine spilled on them.
- Who hasn't encountered strangers thinking it's okay to touch your baby just because they look cute and are sitting there? To prevent that, choose babywearing instead! Your baby will cuddle with you and be protected from any unpleasant encounter or experience.
- Front carrying for the win: same reasons as with the strollers. In a busy environment, you want to always have an eye on your baby. Front carrying seems to be the best solution for this.
Sensory Comfort
Loud music, people singing, and bright lights - there's a lot going on during the merry season. All these sensory stimulations can quickly become too overwhelming for a small child. To prevent this, make sure you carry your baby in front of you and avoid facing forward positions in the carrier. Thus, your baby will be surrounded by familiar sensations like your heartbeat and your smell. As they are little copycats, they will also be able to take a look at you when they encounter a new situation to figure out how they should react, and most importantly, they can hide their face in your neck if the stimulations get too intense for them.
Facing Forward in Winter
We usually don't recommend carrying babies facing forward, but we know that many parents do it and enjoy it. However, in winter, carrying your child facing forward under a Mamalila coat brings a few difficulties:
- The neck area: with your baby facing forward, it is almost impossible to close your Mamalila jacket at the top. Your neck and your baby's neck will both be exposed if you don't protect them with a scarf. You also cannot really adjust the neck cord, and therefore cold air is more likely to get into the jacket from above.
- The legs: When your baby is carried facing forward, he takes up more room under your jacket, allowing more cold to come from below as well!
Out and about in nature
There are many other activities to enjoy while babywearing in winter, and back carrying is, for example, ideal if you go for a snowshoe hike. Whether in front or in the back, facing in or facing forward, winter is, in our opinion, the best season for babywearing. Just because you’re sharing the same jacket, keeping each other close, and snuggling along the way. Stay warm and happy babywearing!