What this is about
You open the front door, the wind whips past your legs, and you immediately second-guess the outfit you just put on your baby. The quick instinct is to reach for another sweater or a heavier fleece. But knitwear and fleece have tiny gaps that moving air slices right through.
A windy day is still a good day for a walk. Keep the warm layers you picked for the feels-like temperature, which already counts the wind, then add a smooth outer layer that blocks the breeze.
A smooth outer layer stops the wind
A thick knit cardigan and a windbreaker can both feel warm when you pick them up, but they do completely different jobs.
What the wind does to a fleece
- Outside air
- Light jacket
- Thin fleece
- Warm air
- Cotton bodysuit
- Skin
On a calm day, the warm air stays trapped in the loops.
Wind blows straight through the loops and carries the warm air away.
A light jacket on top stops the wind at its smooth surface, so the fleece keeps the warm air.
Calm, cool days
12–15°C 54–59°F
The fleece alone
Cool, windy days
12–15°C 54–59°F
The jacket over the fleece
Mild, breezy days
16–20°C 61–68°F
The jacket alone
Below 12°C (54°F), your baby needs a padded warm jacket.
Windproof does not mean buying high-tech mountaineering gear. A simple nylon light jacket, a smooth pram suit (a snowsuit, in US shops), or the zipped apron of your stroller footmuff will do the job. Then close the gaps where the wind sneaks in: zip the collar up to the chin, and pull the socks up over the pant legs, so a kick doesn't leave the ankles bare.
A hat that stays on in the wind
A cute beanie might look great by the mirror, but the first sharp gust usually pulls it off or twists it sideways. Loose beanies also have a habit of sliding down over a baby's eyes. Your baby suddenly cannot see, starts fussing, and you end up stopping at every corner to pull it back up.
Loose knit hats also let cold wind whistle right through the stitches to the ears. On blustery days, the hat that stays put covers the ears and fastens under the chin: an earflap hat, or one with a short strap that opens if it catches, rather than long strings tied in a knot. In the cold, a balaclava covers the ears and the neck in one piece.
When the wind blows in your baby's face
A sudden gust in the face can startle a baby. Your baby gasps or gulps, blinks, and seems to hold the breath for a moment. A puff of air on a baby's face sets off a swallow, a reflex babies are born with and lose in the second year, and breathing carries on as soon as the swallow is done.
Many babies cry at it, and it is easy to read that as cold. Often it's only the draft on the cheeks, so before you reach for another layer, change the stroller's angle.
Pull the stroller canopy forward so the outer fabric takes the brunt of the gust. If your stroller seat reverses, turn your baby to face you, so the back of the seat blocks head-on wind. A footmuff with a wind-resistant apron acts like a built-in shield for the legs, so you do not need heavy snow pants underneath.
Not good: Face into the wind
With the canopy folded back, every gust lands on the open face.
Good: Back to the wind
The gusts break on the canopy, and you and your baby can see each other.
Keep the front of the stroller open, though. A blanket or a spare coat over the opening stops the gust, and it stops the fresh air too.
If your route takes you behind tall buildings or into sheltered streets, the same outfit suddenly feels warmer without the wind. Feel the back of your baby's neck, and if it's hot or clammy, unzip the jacket or open the footmuff.
In a carrier, your body blocks the wind from your baby's front. When a gust comes, turn your back to it or step into a doorway until it passes.
How windy is too windy?
Around 25 km/h (16 mph), the air feels noticeably gusty and the stroller can start catching the wind like a sail. By 40 km/h (25 mph), you will find yourself leaning your weight into the handlebar. At that point, no extra sweater will make the walk pleasant. Pick a sheltered route close to home, or turn back and save the outing for calmer air.
Read the wind from your window
Good: Fine for a walk
19 km/h 12 mphor less
Leaves and thin twigs flutter, and the washing sways a little.
With care: Take the sheltered streets
25 km/h 16 mph
Small branches sway, the washing blows out sideways, and loose paper skips along the sidewalk.
Not good: Too windy for a long walk
40 km/h 25 mph
Big branches swing, the washing flies straight out, and an umbrella is hard to hold.
Not good: Stay in
50 km/h 31 mphand stronger
Whole trees bend, and twigs and branches snap off.
On any windy walk, put the brake on every time you let go of the handle, even for a second at the front door. With the canopy up, one gust can roll a stroller that isn't braked.
When a wind warning is out for your area, stay in. Branches come down in strong wind, so parks and tree-lined streets are the worst places to be with a stroller.
On an ordinary windy day, head out into the wind and come home with it at your back. The cold stretch comes first, while your baby is still warm from the house, and the way home is the easy part.
Questions parents ask
Can the wind give my baby an ear infection or a cold?
No. Colds come from viruses, passed on by coughs, sneezes and hands. An ear infection usually starts with a cold, when the tube between the ear and the throat gets blocked and fluid builds up behind the eardrum, where the wind never reaches. A hat over the ears is there to keep them warm.
Can I take a newborn out on a windy day?
Yes. A newborn can go out whenever you feel up to it, as long as the gusts stay off the face. The deep sides of a bassinet (carrycot), with its hood pulled forward, keep most of the wind off. Keep the first windy walks short.
Should I put the rain cover on against the wind?
Only when it rains. Makers say to take a rain cover off once the rain stops, because the air under the plastic warms up, and to leave it off in a gale. On a dry, windy day, the canopy and the footmuff do the job. A few brands make a wind cover with side vents for their own strollers: use it the way its maker says.
Does my baby need cream on the face in cold wind?
On some days. Below 0°C (32°F) feels-like, or on days with bitter dry wind, a thin layer of barrier balm or plain ointment before stepping outside gives your baby's skin an extra shield against the draft. Red cheeks after a brisk walk usually fade once you're warm inside. Cheeks that stay dry and chapped need a little more care.
What if it is windy and sunny?
Sunny wind can trick you, because the sun feels warm on your face while the breeze chills your hands, and the cool air makes it easy to forget the sun. From UV 3, the sun needs covering too. On a warm day, a sun hat with a strap stays on in the gusts. On a cool one, keep the warm hat on for the ears and pull the canopy forward for shade.
What if it is windy and raining?
Put the rain cover on while it rains, and fasten its straps at the bottom so the gusts can't lift it. Once you are under dry shelter or indoors, take it off so fresh air circulates freely.
