I’ll be the first to admit that I think I am a pretty relaxed parent but, for some reason, I’m an absolute nut about temperature when it comes to Rowan. I literally lose sleep over the temperature in his nursery worrying that it is too hot or too cold. In the summer months, I fret about him overheating when we’re outside or on walks and in the winter months. I fret about him being too cold and not having the words or ability to tell me due to his young age. I think my temperature concerns will fade as he grows and becomes more aware of his body and more able to tell me how he feels but, for now, I’m a nervous Nellie.
During the winter months, it is obviously so important to keep babies warm in the cold temps. Babies cannot communicate when they feel cold and their bodies are not mature enough to fully regulate temperature the way ours can as adults. Our babies need help from us, from cozy clothes, and from necessary layers. The winter essentials you need for your baby depend on where you live but no matter what, the winter calls for extra necessities. In today’s post, I’m sharing a roundup of 20 baby essentials for winter to keep those tiny toes warm and toasty wherever you are!
20 Baby Essentials For Winter
Fleece One Pieces
I love a baby in a fleece one piece zip-up! There is nothing cozier than a baby zipped up from head to toe in a soft, fuzzy, fleece one piece. Rowan had two last winter than I put him in all the time for walks around the neighborhood. I could always rest assured that he was warm enough when wearing one. Rowan had this blue fleece one piece romper (also comes in white, grey, and pink) when he was a baby. It was perfect! I also love this fleece one piece that isn’t a footie.
Onesies
Rowan pretty much exclusively lived in onesies when he was a baby. We’re huge fans of Kyte Baby onesies in our house! They are so soft, easy to put on, have the right amount of stretch, and come in really pretty solid colors. We’ll be dressing our second baby in Kyte onesies non-stop too. Magnetic Me onesies were convenient too when Rowan was a newborn.
Footies
On cold winter days, footies replace onesies in our house. This was especially true when Rowan was a newborn. Footies help give babies that extra bit of warmth. Just like with onesies, we relied on Kyte Baby for footies too. I really can’t recommend the brand enough! For some cute patterned footies, I turned to Kissy Kissy. How precious is this footie for a boy and this footie for a girl!?
Knit Pants
Knit pants are so precious on a little baby in the winter. I think they make babies look so grown up. Bonus: they are really warm for little growing and developing babies. Here are a few knit pants that melt me: one / two / three / four / five.
Snuggly Sweaters
Bundle your little babies in snuggly sweaters all winter long. Layer a sweater over a onesie or pair it with a pair of cozy knit pants for a perfect little winter baby outfit. I’ve found some adorable snuggly sweaters for your littles… Baby boys: one / two / three / four / five / six. Baby girls: one / two / three / four / five.
Booties
Baby booties are a cold weather winter essential. I always felt like socks slid off of Rowan’s feet when he was a baby but booties stayed on and kept his little feet and toes warm. Rowan had these booties as a baby (also come in white), which were both warm and absolutely adorable with the pom poms. We’ve also had these fleece booties at every stage of Rowan’s life and they are tried and true. Lastly, I think the booties from La Coqueta are pretty perfect.
Mitts
The best way to keep newborn hands warm is with some little mitts. Rowan was born in the fall so he wore mitts when he was a little guy that first fall and winter. We had a few pairs of these adorable mittens and they were perfect!
Beanies
Keep your baby warm from head to toe with a sweet little beanie. Look no further than La Coqueta for the most precious baby hats out there! You can’t beat the simplicity of these baby beanies either.
Snowsuits
Living in Charleston, Rowan didn’t needed an official snowsuit when he was a baby but if we lived in a snowy place or if we had taken a snowy trip when he was a baby, then we definitely would have invested in one. I recommend checking out the baby snowsuits from Backcountry as well as the baby snowsuits from Maisonette and the baby snowsuit from The White Company (navy, pink, and gray).
Swaddling Blankets
Swaddling blankets are everything when you have a newborn! In all honesty, Edwin was the master swaddled in our house. I never mastered it. So, I relied heavily on swaddles that didn’t require me to do the actual swaddle wrapping like Love to Dream swaddles (Rowan liked sleeping with his arms up) and Ollie swaddles. People are also obsessed with Solly Baby swaddles and Halo swaddles.
Sleep Sacks
Rowan has been sleeping in a sleep sack ever since he phased out of a swaddle, which seems like forever ago. The only sleep sacks he sleeps in are the Mori sleep sacks. They are wearable blankets essentially or like sleeping bags that are fantastic for the winter weather months because the Mori sleep sacks come in a few different weights. In the winter, I put Rowan in a heavier sleep sack in their 2.5 weight. I can’t say enough wonderful things about these sleep sacks for baby sleep. Rowan is cozy in their super soft material, warm in their nice weight, and safe without the loose blankets in his crib. I would recommend them to any parents out there!
Soft Crib Sheets
The very last thing you want is for your baby to overheat while sleeping (it’s a major contributor of SIDS), which is why Rowan sleeps with soft (but not hot) crib sheets, a sleep sack, no loose blankets, and no crib bumpers. We have some really cute crib sheets from Pottery Barn Kids, Pehr, and Gooselings.
Baby Blankets
We love our baby blankets for snuggling and for stroller walks. Rowan has a special personalized Swans Island baby blanket that I love! Oso & Me also has some adorable baby blankets in beautiful colors. I also love blankets from Zestt Organics and from Little Giraffe… both are so soft!
Humidifier
No matter how cold the winter is where you live, chances are you’re still turning on the heat at least sometimes. When the heat is cranked up in your house, it sucks the moisture out of your rooms. That combined with dry winter weather leads to a decline in moisture, which can make your baby’s precious skin dry. Humidifiers can solve that problem for you! They can also help with stuffy noses during the winter cold season to give your baby better nights sleep and to keep them comfy in the middle of the night.
Stroller Footmuffs
Every time I post a photo of Rowan in his stroller footmuff, I get questions about it! We have a Bugaboo stroller muff that specifically fits into our stroller. It is the coziest stroller accessory and an absolute baby essential for winter. Maisonette also has a selection of stroller muffs to choose from.
Car Seat Covers
If you live somewhere really cold, then you might have considered getting car seat covers to keep your little one toasty warm. This isn’t a winter essential we needed in Charleston but it feels like it would be very practical if we lived somewhere freezing. This car seat cover has amazing reviews.
Baby Carriers
Warmth from us mamas (and dads) can help keep babies warm. In addition to skin to skin time, baby carriers can help keep babies warm while you’re out and about all winter long. The three different routes I recommend for baby carriers are the tried and true Ergobaby classic carrier, the stylish Artipoppe carriers, and the wrap Solly Baby carriers. These are three different directions with carriers but they are all wonderful options!
Skin to Skin Time
Skin to skin time is the overall best thing for babies in those first months of their lives. In fact, skin to skin time helps moms and babies bond, helps regular baby body temperatures (great during the cold winter!), and helps babies transition into the world safely and happily.
Baby Salve
An organic healing salve will help with baby dry or chapped skin during the winter months. Salve will also bring a smile to your baby’s face when you apply it. Rowan loves it when I give him a little baby massage with baby salve or lotion. We’ve tried a few different baby salves and have decided that we like these three the best: Honest, Tubby Todd, and Pipette. I interchange these three and I’m always happy with whichever I happen to choose at the time.
Baby Wipe Warmer
Wipes can be so cold on little baby bottoms in the wintertime. A baby wipe warmer solves that problem and warms wipes up for diapering, keeping babies comfortable.
I always remember a nurse telling me that babies lose heat quicker than adults do so a good rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one more extra layer than what you would wear as an adult in the same weather conditions. I’ve stuck to this and it has worked well for us, especially when Rowan was a baby. I hope this post gave you some good insight in winter baby gear and keeping your baby warm this chilly season. I love getting ideas from other parents so I hope to do the same on here!
