10 Mommy Must-Haves When Having A Winter Baby

I wanted to put together this list of items because honestly as a mom having had her second baby in the midst of flu season it requires a playbook all of it’s own. This list will help you to be prepared the minute you bring baby home in those cold weather months. So, don’t leave these items sitting in your shopping cart!

  1. Baby bottle warmer – Even if you are breastfeeding, I recommend having a baby bottle warmer handy if you plan to introduce a bottle in the evenings. I have come to find with both of my girls that if you take the cold edge off of refrigerated breastmilk or formula it helps them digest their feedings and keep down their food. Especially in winter months, you don’t want to drop their body temperatures that quickly causing them to shiver. I found a new bottle warmer after having gone through two others and we absolutely LOVE how this one quickly warms up bottles without using a ton of water. It even comes with a handy cooler that you can keep bedside if you pump or need to store breastmilk for other feedings during the evening.
  2. Fridababy Nose Frida – If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw my newly found love for this product. If not, let.me.tell.you….. it is amazing. I was opposed for quite some time with the concept of how it works, but after my 6 week old newborn caught a cold and the bulb syringes just didn’t cut it. I finally opened this item up, only to learn that you just can’t suck snot any other way! Remember, you’ll need replacement filters to keep it clean for repeated use.
  3. Fridababy MediFrida – Along with winter comes runny noses, fevers, ear infections, and all the yuckies. This results in the need to give medicine. Anyone who has had to administer gross antibiotics to a toddler, or even fever reducers to an infant knows the struggle giving medicine can be at times. This built in pacifier/medicine dispenser is a huge help! Since it is a pacifier at the end the tip goes beyond you child’s taste buds while comforting them with something to suck on. I promise it is worth a try.
  4. Saline Spray – You will want to have saline spray handy in the winter months for your infants. Even if it is just a runny or stuffy nose, saline spray is a natural way to help loosen all the gross stuff going on in their little noses before you suck it out with your Nose Frida (or any other mucus remover). It is nice because you can use this to help with a cold for an infant as young as a few weeks old (obviously consult your doctor on that, but generally speaking that is the case). I prefer the Little Remedies brand because it has a tiny tip designed for little noses.
  5. Wipe Warmer – There is nothing worse than un-swaddling your tiny babe, ripping off their clothing, and then smacking a freezing cold wipe on half of their body all in the middle of the night to change their diaper. Let’s just say that is NOT how I want to wake up. That being said, I find that although the first two can’t be avoided, using warm wipes at night keeps for a quieter diaper change. I have enjoyed this diaper warmer as it has lasted for over 2 years now, and was very inexpensive. It even has a little night on the front that can easily be pushed on & off.
  6. Plug-in Lamp Dimmer – This is honestly the best thing we purchased for the nursery and our master bedroom when having a little one. Again, keeping those middle of the night feedings and diaper changes as low-key as possible is crucial to Mommy, Daddy, and Baby’s sanity. This dimmer can be attached to any lamp by simply plugging the lamp into the dimmer like an extension cord, and then the dimmer cord into the wall – so simple. We put one on each nightstand and also have one attached to the floor lamp in each girl’s rooms. This way we avoid having to light it up like it’s New Years Eve every time we want to change a diaper or feed. You will need to make sure you have a halogen or incandescent bulb in your lamp as LED bulbs will cause the bulbs to flicker.
  7. Bunting Bag – You only really need one of these, but especially if you have more than one child and will likely need to be out-and-about more often than you were with your first child (ex: dropping off at school, going to the park, even just playing in your yard/driveway at home) you will want one of these to keep your baby warm. It is better than a blanket or coat because it covers their entire body and wraps each limb. I fully dressed my girls in clothing, then placed them in the bunting bag, and if it is cold enough even cover them after with a blanket. Jackets don’t really work well on newborns so this is a way more effective alternative to keeping them warm. I purchased this one from Nordstroms and I absolutely love it. I recently purchased, another from Magnetic Me and I am excited to try it out. The Magnetic Me version is nice because it is magnetic closures vs. zippers or snaps. Here is another from Bloomingdale’s that is one sale. Lastly, here is a cute option from Gap as well. The one attached in the header above is from Amazon. It is very economical and comes in several color options.
  8. Carseat Cover – There are two routes you can go when it comes to carseat covers for winter. There is the kind like this one from JJ Cole that covers the entire seat, and then has a zipper blanket that keeps them nestled in a warm cocoon-like seat all while being strapped in. This is great, but I do not think this is necessary unless you live in really cold environments. Down here in Georgia, that one is a bit much in my opinion and would likely only be used a handful of times. That being said, my favorite carseat cover for winter is this one from Amazon. The inside is lined with minky blanket material, and it easily velcros to the handles of your carseat. You can flip it open and closed easily so there is really never an instance where you can’t just leave it attached to your carseat. The added bonus is it can be used in a pinch as a blanket if needed. I do recommend having a go-to car blanket. My favorite is this one from Pottery Barn that we have probably 5-6 of by now between my two girls. We keep these in the car, use around the house, and in their cribs when old enough.
  9. White Long Sleeve Onesies – In winter it is important to layer. Remember with babies though that they only need to be dressed the as you are dressed. Some people tend to over dress their littles ones which is why I wanted to preface that. Regardless, I like to add a think white long sleeve under my kids clothing because most of the baby clothing out there is just thin cotton. They aren’t wearing the same wool sweaters and such like we do in winter. So have some white long sleeves available for everyday use under clothing. If you need colored options try these from Amazon.
  10. Humidifier – This Honeywell humidifier is our favorite. I do not like intricate appliances when it comes to things that produce vapor. Since you are inhaling what comes out of it I want no where for mold or gross stuff to hide. I love this one because it is very easy to clean, and works well for small and large spaces. Cool mist is better for you than warm mist humidifiers since it doesn’t allow a warm environment for mold to develop. I also recommend having some of this Honest Breathe Easy Rub handy. Like Vick’s Vapor Rub, the Honest brand version is amazing at helping your little ones breathe with the added bonus of being a more natural alternative. I will note it is not as potent as Vick’s Vapor Rub, but that is probably a good thing with little ones.

I hope this helps you navigate those winter months, and keeps you going until warmer months. Let’s just hope that darn groundhog says Spring is coming soon!