I recently discovered (and have since become obsessed with learning about) an amazing kind of coat, called an Amautik (also amaut or amauti, plural amautiit). Unlike other babywearing outerwear that I am familiar with, the Amautik is a baby carrier and coat all-in-one. The traditional coat of the Canadian Inuit people, these garments have a built-in pouch for carrying a baby or child on the adult's back, and are as beautiful as they are practical. Just look:
Customarily made of animal skins or thick woolen cloth, the Amautik holds the baby against the mother's back inside the pouch and feature sumptuous, oversized hoods that are large enough to cover both mother and child. They look sooooo cozy. Here are a couple of modern-day interpretations that I discovered online: 
Here's a cool (and adorable!) video I found on YouTube that shows a great demonstration of how to wear a swaddled baby facing out in an Amautik:
And here is a brief sequence from the film Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) which gives a sense of the Amautik tradition. I love that the child being worn in this clip is well into toddlerdom, and also completely naked inside the warmth of the Amautik. Just lovely.
Are you like me, do you totally want one now?!? Amauti Baby is a small, Inuit-owned and operated company that creates custom-designed coats along authentic, traditional lines, for babywearing mamas. Check out their website for more information on how to place an order. International shipping available!
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