What this is about
Standing by the stroller with a baby bundled in a thick snowsuit, it is tempting to zip your baby straight into a fleece-lined footmuff. That double layer turns the stroller into an oven.
A footmuff (US shops also sell it as a bunting bag or a stroller sleeping bag) is not an accessory on top of a winter outfit. It is the winter outfit for the lower body.
What to wear under a footmuff
From the chest down, the footmuff does all the heavy warming. A windproof outer shell blocks the chill, while thick fleece or down traps body heat around the legs and feet. That means your baby only needs everyday clothes underneath, even if knit pants look thin for a frosty morning.
What goes inside the footmuff?
Good: Everyday clothes inside
A bodysuit, warm knit pants and warm socks are enough. The seat and backrest block the wind from behind, and booties can stay at home, because the feet are inside too.
Not good: Too warm with a snowsuit
Adding a padded snowsuit inside a winter footmuff is almost always too warm. The extra padding traps sweat against the skin and restricts movement.
Not good: Too warm with a blanket
The footmuff already does the blanket's job. A blanket tucked in under the zip is one more layer to overheat in, and it stays put when you open the footmuff in a warm shop.
Dress the top half for the open air
A stroller in cold weather creates two different climates. The lower half of your baby rests inside an insulated cocoon. The arms, shoulders, and head stay out in the cold air. Dress the upper body for the open breeze, with a warm jacket and a hat.
The jacket also closes the gap at the top of the footmuff, where cold air can reach the chest. A padded warm jacket zipped to the chin does that better than a long coat, which only adds padding where the footmuff already is.
From about 11°C (52°F), a winter footmuff is worth zipping up. On milder days, a stroller blanket over the legs is usually enough, or the footmuff with its top folded down. Below that, the clothes inside stay the same however cold it gets, and only the top half changes.
When to unzip the footmuff
A winter walk rarely stays at one temperature. You walk along a freezing sidewalk, get on a heated bus, or sit down in a warm café. You cannot easily pull a sleeping baby out of the harness to take off clothes. The front zip solves this problem in seconds.
Pull the zip all the way down to the feet as soon as you step into a heated space, even if your baby is asleep. Fold the front flap back so heat escapes freely, and take the hat off too. When you head back outside into the wind, zip the front back up to the chest.
Your cue is the back of the neck. Slip two fingers down the collar: warm, dry skin means the layers are working, and hot or damp skin means heat is building up and the footmuff needs to open. The hands stick out into the cold air, so they often feel cool even when your baby is warm enough.
Outdoors, the footmuff can get too warm as well. Parked on a sunny bench, it heats up quickly, so fold the top down while you sit. A rain cover holds the warmth in too, and on a mild wet day the footmuff may need to stay half open under it.
When your baby falls asleep outside, it works the other way round. A sleeping baby stops wriggling and lies still, so zip the footmuff back up to the chest and leave the hat on (stroller naps).
Toddlers who walk part of the way
Once your toddler starts walking, winter outings get messier. A child will stomp through wet slush, then want to climb straight back into the stroller.
A child who walks is dressed for the ground: boots, and on the coldest days a pram suit. That outfit is already warm enough to ride in, so leave the footmuff open while your child is awake, and zip it up when your child falls asleep on the way home.
Wet boots are the one thing to sort out before you zip up. Inside the footmuff, they soak the fleece lining and leave cold dampness against the feet.
Good: Boots off, wool socks on
Pull the wet boots off at the stroller and drop them in the basket. Thick wool socks keep the feet warm inside, and the lining stays dry.
Good: Boots out of the bottom zip
If your footmuff has a two-way zip at the bottom, open it, and the boots poke out into the air while the rest stays zipped.
Questions parents ask
Can my baby keep sleeping in the footmuff once we're home?
Not for long. If your baby is asleep in a stroller seat, move your baby to a crib or bassinet as soon as you can. A carrycot approved for sleep can be the bed, but only bare: its firm, flat mattress and no footmuff.
Can I use a stroller footmuff in the car seat?
No. Its padding sits behind your baby's back and under the straps, and in a crash it squashes flat and leaves the harness loose. The padded jacket comes off for the car seat too: your baby rides in thin clothes, with a blanket over the buckled straps.
What should a newborn wear in a footmuff?
Use the table one row colder than today. In the first 3 months, a baby needs a light layer more than an older baby (how to dress a newborn). A newborn lies flat, so the footmuff must be one made for the carrycot or a lie-flat seat, never an upright one a small baby can slide down into (kinds of footmuff).
What age should I stop using a footmuff?
Full-size stroller footmuffs usually last until about 3 or 4 years. Your child has outgrown one when the feet press hard against the bottom end, or when the highest harness slots sit too low for the shoulder straps.
