# cold mamas in cold climates: what do you wear for night nursing while co-sleeping?



## indigosky (Sep 4, 2007)

I'm a cold person living in a cold place, co-sleeping with a newborn in our bed. When there's no baby in bed with us, DP and I sleep with about 15 blankets (that's not an exaggeration) in our heated bedroom -- we're very compatible in this way! When there's a young baby, we turn the heat higher, reduce the number of blankets, and only pull the blankets up halfway to keep them away from the baby's face/head.

The problem is how to stay warm enough, while also making it relatively easy to access my breasts multiple times a night. I'm willing to invest in good nursing pajamas, but the ones I've seen so far don't look nearly warm enough.

What do other nursing mamas wear in this situation?


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## Nicole730 (Feb 27, 2009)

I usually wore a nursing tank top and long sleeve shirt over. In your situation I'd try one of those skin tight long underwear type shirts (the newer version) and then another shirt on top of that. Try for snug fitting so the fabric doesn't get close to baby. It will be a little bit of a hassle to move it all up to pop your breast out, but you won't have to expose your stomach.


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## MrsGregory (Dec 21, 2011)

I am so desperate for my electric blanket, but I know it's not safe for my little girl. Luckily, she's a mini-furnace of sorts, and she snuggles in tight to my chest and belly all night. This time last year I was just barely pregnant, and I remember at my first pre-natal I just BEGGED to keep my electric blanket. Really - I know this is a mighty high-class problem to be having, but I miss my electric blanket.

These are my only thoughts on warm co-sleeping. Sorry - more whine than help.


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## Peggy O'Mara (Nov 19, 2001)

I put a woolen comforter under my bottom sheet, like a mattress cover and while it's not an electric blanket, it is nice and cozy.

Seems like a nice warm pair of flannel jammies with a turtle neck where you can pull up the top. If your shoulders are warm that will help. Maybe a hat, "a winter's cap."


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## MrsGregory (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm ashamed I didn't think of the hat! I should have remembered to wear a hat, having grown up on the frigid NorthEast in a cold, old farmhouse, wearing a union suit under flannels in a sub-zero bag under quilts from October to May.

We are trying to bed-share in the same bed with a husband that works from 7am until midnight Monday through Friday, so more tops are not possible as currently I wake up when she starts doing the truffle piggy impression; if she can't see and smell and feel her nunnies she just screams, which wakes him. So right now I wear a cardigan open in the front, and I am aware when she's on the hunt and can get her latched before she wakes the whole neighborhood. I'll be cold if it means he can sleep the whole night. :-/


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## Peggy O'Mara (Nov 19, 2001)

You are balancing a lot for your Lovies right now! Could you cut off a long sleeve turtleneck, jammy type, flannel, so it just covers your breasts or doesn't and wear that under the cardigan so your shoulders are warm and your chest but then you can open the cardigan and truffle piggy can find her mama!


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## MrsGregory (Dec 21, 2011)

Peggy, thank you for your suggestions! I'm fishing around through my older (and larger <cough>) clothes for some options to cut up the front, and the hat will be brought in as well. I also went ahead and talked the Mr. into turning the heat up. Heh.

Funny, I don't mind being cold all night if she's next to me, and I know he's getting enough rest to face his big long day. Of course I'd rather have those two things AND be warm all night!


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## Peggy O'Mara (Nov 19, 2001)

More heat, good idea. Good to know when you don't have to suffer and when you do.


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## GoddessKristie (Oct 31, 2006)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Peggy O'Mara*
> 
> I put a woolen comforter under my bottom sheet, like a mattress cover and while it's not an electric blanket, it is nice and cozy.
> 
> Seems like a nice warm pair of flannel jammies with a turtle neck where you can pull up the top. If your shoulders are warm that will help. Maybe a hat, "a winter's cap."


We do this! I have a super thick wool blanket that I put under our fitted sheet and it is really surprising what a difference it makes in keeping you warm. I am a very chilly mama. I have a flannel nursing nightgown that I wear. I have also heard of mamas buying long underwear and cutting holes for their breasts and then wearing a shirt over that so it can be pulled up for nursing and put back down to keep your bubbies warm. Now's a good time to get those on sale! I saw them 60% off at K-Mart yesterday. My LO is due next month. I may try that out this time.


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## indigosky (Sep 4, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoddessKristie*
> 
> I have also heard of mamas buying long underwear and cutting holes for their breasts and then wearing a shirt over that so it can be pulled up for nursing and put back down to keep your bubbies warm.


Ooh, I like that idea.

My conclusion so far is that wearing a turtleneck with a soft knit shirt on top of it, and a sleeping cap, are the best combo I've found. So many of my pj's have buttons on the front, and sometimes I end up laying the baby on my chest to help her fall asleep, and needing to undo the buttons so I'm not trying to help her relax with a big hard button pressing into her cheek.

But I find that I spend a lot of energy trying to get my shirts unscrunched when I'm finished nursing, especially if she drifted off in a side-lying position. Then my scrunched up two layers of shirts are too uncomfortable for me to sleep, and I have to try to unscrunch them super quietly and slowly so I won't wake her up (horrors, Mama rolled two inches away from me to unscrunch her shirt!). Cutting slits in at least one layer would reduce how much scrunching action I'd have to deal with. I'm putting an extra pair of cheap warm long underwear on my shopping list!


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## AnkaJones (Jul 21, 2011)

I'm in a similar boat. I found I "felt" a lot more cold if my belly was exposed to the cold, so what I did was had a couple of old tank tops that I just cut circles out of for my breasts, then wore a sweat shirt overtop, plus sweat pants and long undies for bottoms. And a hat. DH is a great knitter and made us both sleeping hats.

Anka


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## mambera (Sep 29, 2009)

Waffle knit PJ tops from Target with scoop neck and buttons at the midline. Leaving 1-2 buttons undone makes it easy to feed at night. You could add the cardigan on top as well.


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## ShyingViolet (Oct 23, 2011)

I got a fairly snug-fitting sweatshirt from goodwill. I cut a slit in it for my breasts and wear a nursing tank underneath.


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## kathrineg (Jan 28, 2009)

I got a couple of men's cardigans from target and I undo a couple of buttons but my arms and belly keep warm. Because it's men's it's a lot longer than the women's button ups and the buttons are big and functional.


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## indigosky (Sep 4, 2007)

If I cut slits, do vertical or horizontal ones work better? (I figured better to ask those of you who have experience than guess and regret it!)


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## Masel (Apr 14, 2008)

I would cut them vertical. When standing horizontal ones would droop open.

I'd wear a nursing tank. (I still wear them at night even though we've weaned. I find them very comfortable). Then I wear those waffle knit henley shirts as mentioned above. Sometimes I'd wear a hoodie with the hood up. It made a huge difference to have my neck and head warm. For the bottom half I'd wear sweats and wool socks. The month after DD2 was born was so cold.


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## GoddessKristie (Oct 31, 2006)

I just found some night gowns on clearance at Target. They are a thin cotton, so we'll see if I'm warm enough in them with only sweatpants underneath. We keep the house a bit warmer when we have an infant around, and since I can cuddle with DH this time around (baby wont be between us), I'm feeling like it might be enough.

Anyway, these gowns were flowered and had buttons in the front that went down to my belly. I saw them online and thought "that's perfect for nursing!" I went to the store and they were on clearance for $11.00.

Here's a link to one of them they had. I also got some with sleeves on them. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Simply-Basic-Women-s-Sleeveless-Sleep-Gown/17803492


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