Winter walks with babies

During winter walks, do not be afraid to involve your little ones in the hike, rather think about the benefits of the crisp winter air! Let me remind you that it is not the cold that causes illnesses, rather the closed and crowded places that very often do not have adequate air circulation!

If we dwell on the practical aspect of how and with what to equip our little hikers, I suggest the good old system: "dressing like an onion"... basically: wear clothing in layers, because each layer serves a specific function:

• Base layer

This is the one most in contact with the skin, very important, and too often overlooked. 
It has the purpose of retaining heat and keeping the skin dry. To achieve this, warm and breathable fabrics such as: merino wool, wool and silk or even good quality technical fabrics are preferred. Absolutely avoid cotton because being a hydrophilic fiber, it absorbs and retains moisture and sweat and then dries slowly.

• Middle layer

Must well insulate and retain heat, so green light to wool suits ir fleece/microfleece suits,which substitute excellently for wool; they are excellent insulators with good thermal properties.

• Outer layer

Important to help keep little hikers safe from: wind, moisture and cold. Down jackets and waterproof jackets are ideal, make sure they are breathable!

Baby carried in the sling/baby carrier and in the baby carrier's backpack

Keep in mind that there is a difference between the baby who is carried in a sling / baby carrier under the carrier's jacket and the baby who is housed in the baby carrier's backpack: in the backpack he is less protected. 
In the former case, the baby will be carried inside the carrier's jacket, so I recommend that you do not overdress them, the first two layers mentioned above may be sufficient, because of the principle of homeostasis, it will be the contact with your body that will keep the baby at the right temperature, and the fewer layers there are to divide you, the better thermoregulation will work.

Watch out
Some areas of the body are particularly sensitive to cold.
Head and neck are the first to be protected, the same goes for hands and feet, which tend to get cold easily.

Have you decided to go hiking with a baby during winter time? 
I recommend that you plan your departure in the late morning, when the air is warmer and maybe there is also nice sunshine...but the weather forecast is sometimes deceiving (but always consult it!) and in case of rain, know that there are rain covers/waterproof canopy covers both if you use a sling or baby carrier and a baby backpack.
In winter even strong winds can be treacherous, raising dust and not pleasant for either baby's eyes or delicate skin. Don't forget to protect your skin with sunscreen!

With small and simple steps, you will turn any winter day into a wonderful experience in nature for the whole family!