What this is about
Rain is no reason to skip the walk. Gray skies make any morning look colder than it actually is, and it's tempting to bundle your baby into winter layers and wrap the stroller in thick plastic. But clear rain covers reduce airflow and can trap body heat, turning the stroller into a small greenhouse.
Separate the two jobs: dress for the actual temperature, then let the rain cover handle the water. Once your child walks, a raincoat, rain pants and boots take over the cover's job.
What to bring on a rainy walk
On top of the usual stroller bag:
- The rain cover, folded at the top of the basket. If a shower hits, you want to grab it in three seconds without dumping the diaper bag onto a wet sidewalk.
- A dry change: a bodysuit, pants and socks in a sealed pouch.
- An empty bag for whatever comes off wet or muddy.
- For a toddler who walks, the raincoat, rain pants and boots, if the rain hasn't started yet.
In the stroller: what to wear under the rain cover
Start with the clothes you'd choose for a dry walk at the same feels-like temperature. If that means a cotton bodysuit and a light fleece, rain does not turn it into a snowsuit day.
Good: Dressed for the temperature
The same clothes as on a dry day. The plastic stays clear, and your baby is comfortable.
Not good: Bundled up for the rain
A snowsuit and a blanket under the cover. The plastic mists up inside, and your baby is soon hot and sweaty.
A baby who rides the whole walk needs no rain clothes. Soft booties or warm socks are enough on the feet, because the cover keeps them dry. Rubber rain boots are heavy and slip off easily, so save them for toddlers who walk.
Now and then, reach inside the cover to feel the back of your baby's neck. If it feels hot or damp, find shelter, open the cover and peel off a layer.
The rain cover: on when it rains, off when it stops
Stroller rain covers are notoriously awkward. Wrestling stiff plastic and tight Velcro tabs during a sudden downpour is miserable. Test the fit on a dry afternoon by your front door. You want to know exactly how yours fastens to the frame, how you reach your baby, and that the vents sit free of folds.
Once it is on, keep the vents clear of the blanket or footmuff, and if the cover has a front window, open it a little in a mild shower. If wind begins to lift the plastic, move out of the gust and fasten the straps at the bottom.
Take the cover off when the rain stops, and every time you go indoors, even for a quick stop with a sleeping baby. Under plastic in a warm shop, bus or café, heat and damp build up fast.
Carrying your baby in the rain
In a carrier your body warms your baby, so the clothes underneath can be lighter than in the stroller. For drizzle, a water-resistant carrier cover or a babywearing coat keeps the carrier and your baby's body dry. In steady rain, a big umbrella over both of you helps, as long as the wind lets you hold it. Your baby's feet hang below most covers and coats, so they get wet first: waterproof booties over the socks keep them dry.
A rain suit keeps your baby's clothes dry, but the rain runs off your shoulders and hood onto your baby's face, so it doesn't replace the umbrella. However hard it pours, never zip your coat up over your baby's head or pull a hood across the face. A soft hat with a brim keeps most of the drops off instead. At home, hang the carrier up to dry.
Toddlers who walk: raincoat, rain pants and boots
Once a toddler climbs out of the stroller to explore, rain clothes go on over the usual outfit: a raincoat, rain pants and boots. The temperature decides which ones.
From 12°C (54°F)Light raincoat and unlined rain pants
Straight over everyday clothes, with rubber rain boots.
4–11°C (39–52°F)Warm raincoat and fleece-lined rain pants
Rain boots down to 8°C (46°F). Below that, lined winter boots, because rubber doesn't keep feet warm.
Below 4°C (39°F)Pram suit and winter boots
A padded pram suit (a snowsuit) has a water-repellent shell for drizzle, and in steady rain your toddler rides under the stroller cover.
Rain pants earn their keep after the rain too. Playgrounds stay wet for hours, and a toddler sits, kneels and slides on all of it. A baby who crawls at the playground needs them as well, and a one-piece rain suit leaves no gap at the waist. Before a muddy toddler climbs back into the stroller, pull off the wet boots and check the socks, so the ride home starts dry.
Where the rain goes
Don't tuck the pants in
Tucking keeps the pants out of the mud. But the rain runs down them and pours into the boot. Rubber holds the water in, and the socks soak it up.
- Not good: Rain runs into the boot
- Not good: Socks come home wet
Always pull the pants over the boots
The cuff hangs over the top of the boot. The rain runs off its edge, down the outside of the boot and into the puddle. The socks stay dry.
- Good: Cuff covers the boot top
- Good: Socks stay dry
Choose rain pants with stirrups
Squatting pulls the pants up the shins, so a cuff can slide off the top of the boot. A strap under each boot (a stirrup) holds it down.
- Good: A stirrup under each boot
- Not good: Cuffs ride up off the boots
When rain gets in, and after the walk
Rain rarely soaks a baby all at once. It creeps in through an unzipped collar, wicks up from wet cuffs, or drips into boot tops. If you notice dampness, step under cover, peel off the wet item and swap in the dry set from the bag.
At home, hang the rain cover open to dry before you fold it, because a cover folded wet sticks together and starts to smell. Let the stroller seat and the boots dry fully too. If a boot lining is still damp in the morning, fresh socks get wet before you've left the house.
Questions parents ask
Can I take my baby out in the rain, even a newborn?
Yes, a newborn too. In the stroller's bassinet (carrycot), under a rain cover that fits it, a newborn stays warm and dry. Stay in when there's thunder: when you hear it, head indoors, and wait 30 minutes after the last rumble before going out again. Save the walk for later, too, when strong wind makes the stroller hard to control.
Can babies get sick from rain?
Rain itself doesn't cause a cold. Colds come from viruses, passed on by coughs, sneezes and hands. A baby who stays wet gets cold and unhappy, though, so change wet clothes as soon as you can.
Can my baby breathe under a stroller rain cover?
Yes, under a rain cover that fits your stroller. Air comes in through its vents, so keep them clear, and the canopy holds the plastic away from your baby's face. A loose plastic sheet or bag can blow against the face, and a blanket or muslin over the opening holds the heat in.
Do I need a rain cover for my stroller?
If you walk in all weather or take buses and trains, yes. Many strollers come with one in the box, and a universal cover fits many others: check its size list against your stroller. If you mostly drive, you may hardly use it.
Can I use an umbrella instead of a stroller rain cover?
Only in light, still rain. An umbrella is hard to hold over a stroller while you push, and the first gust blows rain under it. If a shower catches you without a cover, wait in a doorway with the canopy up.
What if it rains on a warm day?
Keep the lightweight outfit on. A plastic cover heats up fast in warm air, so open its window wide, or on a hot day leave it off and wait out the shower somewhere dry. From about 24°C (75°F), rain pants make an active toddler sweaty, and a dry change afterward works better.
Where can I walk with a stroller on a rainy day?
Pick a route with places to stop out of the rain, such as shop awnings, covered walkways or a café, and a short way home. There you can open the cover, fix a strap, or feed and settle your baby.
If your baby stays cold after getting dry
Move indoors, replace wet clothes and warm your baby gently. Call emergency services now if your baby becomes floppy or does not respond normally. Get immediate medical advice if your baby remains cold.
