Want to give the best baby shower gift for outdoorsy parents? Something mom didn’t register for but definitely needs? Look no further for your outdoorsy friends: you need to get mom a convertible, baby-wearing coat!
Perfect for pregnant people who love to get outside and plan to wear their kids on adventures, this coat has different panels that allow it to grow and expand when you need it, where you need it. And even though the coat is for The Preggo, both parties benefit from having it. Mainly you’re still able to leave the house. The Preggo is not wet and cold, and once baby arrives you won’t worry about them getting wet or cold either. Win win win!
How it works
For Pregnancy
In Phase I, which I call the Belly Discomfort Cover Up phase, you are pregnant and rapidly expanding. Zip in the pregnancy panel for extra room as you waddle to and fro. It keeps you and your belly dry and warm – a difficult feat when that bump starts to stick way, way out.
Even as you grow more uncomfortable, this coat will shelter your belly from the storm. It’ll also largely camouflage just how big you are, keeping down the not-so-helpful, “sure you aren’t having twins?” comments.
When baby is wee
In Phase II, known as the Sleep Deprived Desperate phase, your baby carrier of choice becomes a respite for sleep. Little nuggets love being carried; it’s warm, cozy, restrictive, and close to your heartbeat. Basically a womb, save for the whole floating in amniotic fluid thing. Anyhoo, most babies sleep in a carrier, but if it’s cold out and you don’t have a magic coat, motivation can be hard to come by.
The convertible coat makes it easy for you and baby to get out of the house. Zip in the front carrier panel and wrap both of you up in a coat cocoon. If it’s windy, let your babe experience the sensation on their cheeks before zipping in for the long haul. They love wind and fresh air, but once they’ve had enough sinch their adorable matching hood and say nigh, nigh.
When baby is less wee
In Phase III, aka the Ready For Adventure phase, your kid is big enough to fit in a backpack. Since you’re probably getting 6+ hours of straight sleep a night now (you sly minx), it’s time to hit the trails. Once again, the convertible coat has got your back. Like, literally. It covers the kid in a backpack carry too. Zip in the back panel, coat up, and zip out for adventure.
While I haven’t tested Phase III yet, I can attest that the expansion panels work with different types of front carriers. It works so well that a few moms have asked me if the coat is, itself, a carrier. This is handy for when the little one graduates from one carrying position to the next, or gets upgraded from a cloth carrier to something more burley.
The Magic Coat
A Twiga** coat was given to me by thoughtful friends who’d used it with their second son. That mama’s a bit taller than me, but the extra length kept my bum warm. This magic coat was there for me when I outgrew all of my other coats. I’ll always have fond memories with this coat. Afterall, I was wearing it when I finally went into labor and had it on for little Lucca’s first urban ski tour.
That particular ski tour confirmed my suspicions: a convertible coat is the best baby shower gift for outdoorsy parents. While gliding along, every mom we passed asked about the coat. Every. Single. One. Then they commented about how they wished they’d had one. Granted they weren’t willing to pop out another kid just to try it out…. But it made them stop and think for a minute!
And that’s how you know this is the best baby shower gift for outdoorsy parents. A baby shower gift most moms won’t think to buy at that. So get ye to the internet and gift a convertible coat today.
Bonus during COVID: the convertible, baby-wearing coat keeps the baby completely covered and free from outside germs.
*generally I do NOT advise buying off registry. I spent 100+ hours agonizing and stressing over my registry. Unless you are also a new mom who knows I will need perineal soothing foam even though I don’t know it yet, stick to the registry. It’s too easy to go down the rabbit hole of out-of-season clothes and things parents already have. Plus, nesting moms are crazy and do not always react well to things they don’t want in their nest. (Guilty as charged; hormones are the worst).
**I was not paid or otherwise compensated by Twiga for this post. In fact, the have no record of my existence since I was given this coat used from a friend. But the coat is great and everyone asks about it, so it’s time to spread the good word. You’re welcome. (Other brands make convertible coats too, and I’ll let you Google those because honestly I’m a loyalist now. Twiga for life!)
