10 Reasons Why Winter Babies Are The Best

0

When I received a December due date for my first son, my heart sank. Bringing home a baby in the frigid cold seemed like a nightmare. And how was I going to survive being trapped inside with a newborn all winter?

In my case, my son was born early and the day we brought him home was 60 degrees! But I learned from my December baby, so when my OBGYN confirmed that my second child would be due the end of February, I could only smile contentedly. Here are ten reasons why winter babies are the best.

All The Blankets

Two words: baby bunting. It doesn’t get much cuter. If you get to have a baby shower, expect to receive everything fluffy, fleecy, and warm. Hats with ear flaps became my favorite baby gift, and every blanket I received was so soft and snuggly. (Just be aware that those snow baby suits aren’t actually safe in car seats, even if those fleecy sacks have holes for a buckle to go through. There’s some great information here, complete with a great demonstration of how to dress your littlest one for winter in a car seat.)

You Don’t Have To Venture Outside… But You Can And Should!

When the weather had finally turned frigid, we asked our pediatrician “How cold was too cold?” for baby, and he simply chuckled. “I’m from Alaska. Nothing is too cold!” He went on to explain that 10 degrees is where things start to get uncomfortable for everyone, but that quick trips in and out are fine. “But if it’s in the 40s, go take a walk! Get fresh air! It’s better for everyone!” he said enthusiastically.

Some of my favorite memories with my son involve putting him in a warm outfit, placing him in a carrier, then pulling my husband’s big coat over us and going for a walk around the block in the snow. The thing is, no one expects you to go outside — in fact, your older relatives may be shocked that you even dared, because they may have been told to keep baby inside for the first two months! But this is when your baby is most portable, so take advantage and head out. 

Park Near The Shopping Cart Corral

If you do run errands, save yourself some trouble and skip looking for the closest spot. Park instead next to the shopping cart return. You can choose a cart from there or go inside and pick a warmer one, but at least on your return trip you can quickly load up baby and your purchases, then ditch the cart and be on your way in a flash. (That little tip has saved my sanity more times than I can count!)

Wrap Your Post-Baby Body In Warmth

Once you’re home, swaddle yourself in your husband’s sweatpants and thick, forgiving winter clothes. No one will bat an eye. Your summer body is months away. Let your body recover with time!

Enjoy The Hearty Foods Everyone Else Made

Meal Trains, what a blessing you are. And there’s something about winter that brings out the tastiest of casseroles and dishes. Eat up, mama, you need to feed your body to feed your baby!

Do Not Fear Cold And Flu Season

As a first-time mom, I made everyone wash their hands or douse themselves in antibacterial gel, but I shouldn’t have worried so much. Breastfeeding produces tremendous antibodies for both baby and mom. My dad, the ER nurse, joked that my husband should just follow behind us everywhere, because I was effectively Moses parting the Red Sea of germs wherever I went. It gave me a sense of peace when I was stalled in the waiting room, surrounded by a chorus of kids with hacking coughs.

There are so many reasons to celebrate having a winter baby. By the time your child needs sunscreen, they’ll be old enough for their soft skin to handle whatever you slather on them. Shorts weather will roll around in time to show off all their hard-earned rolls. They’ll be sitting up independently when summer hits its peak and likely starting on solids when the sweetest raspberries hit the stores. Enjoy your winter baby, mama, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

 

 

 

Previous articleTable for One, Please! A Mom’s Newest Guilty Pleasure
Next articleThe Importance of Asking Permission for a Hug
Kate
Kate is a Hoosier by birth but knew in her mid-teens that she’d live near the mountains. In college she spent a glorious summer in Colorado Springs volunteering at Glen Eyrie and vowed she’d come back somehow. She's now lived at the foot of Pikes Peak for more than a decade. She and her husband and two boys live downtown in a home almost as old as the city itself. Kate attempts to garden in her free time, making a commitment to grow something strange and new each year. So far luffa sponges, quinoa, and various pumpkins have fed nothing but the squirrels. Prior to staying home with her boys, Kate wrote and edited for a nonprofit that transformed the lives of children all over the world. She is passionate and nerdy and is continually surprised at the joy she has found in this season of motherhood.