baby hat | baby stroller | leather handlebar covers | leather bumper bar cover | stroller foot muff | baby coat | mom’s hat | mom’s coat | leggings | sunglasses
If you live in an area that has a real winter, outfitting your baby for the cold is key. For me, winter gear is kind of a pain because it can be pretty pricey, and it’s hard to know how much use an infant or toddler will get out of each piece…they can’t be outside in 20 degree temps for very long! We had to buy all new gear this season because Wyatt grew out of everything from last year, and that’s pretty much expected for a while…but hopefully pieces we invest in now can be used with subsequent children as well! If you haven’t bought all of your winter gear for this season, now is the time, there’s so much on sale…or think about stocking up for next year!
Stroller FootMuff
These are 100 times better than just covering your babe in a blanket to go out for a stroll. They keep your little one super warm and cozy…remember even though you might get a little toasty walking, they’re not moving and need extra warmth! We have the black UppaBaby CozyGanoosh and love it (it also comes in grey, and in a lightweight version). It has a fleece interior, a full coverage neck warmer and hood that keeps your baby warm and comfortable. The hood rolls over the back of stroller and out of the way when not in use. It’s windproof and water-repellent and has a comfort rating of -20˚F. We tried out this Bugaboo one and liked it. It has essentially the same features of the UppaBaby one, but we preferred the materials and quilting of the Uppa, and that it was made for our UppaBaby Vista stroller. (The Bugaboo ones do come in tons of colors!)
Another hot brand in the footmuff department is 7 AM Enfant. Their Blanket 212 Evolution is one of their best selling items and probably every other stroller I see in NYC during the winter has one of these on it. This one has a little bit of a higher price point, but also comes in 17 colors and styles and is pretty universal among all strollers. The smart design allows you to size it up or down using zippered length and width extensions—so it can actually grow with your child. It has a water-repellent outer shell, fleece interior, and ergonomic hood with a temperature rating of -4°F. I see these all over the city and tons of my mom friends have this brand, I came very close to buying one myself. It has most of the same functionality of the Uppa one, and can additionally expand a little more to grow in length, but has a lower temp rating. I read tons of reviews and for me it finally just came down to aesthetic. I prefer the look of the Uppa CozyGanoosh, especially that the hood can be folded over the back of the stroller, went with that one. So far I have no regrets and would recommend it to anyone!
When Wyatt was an infant we used a JJ Cole BundleMe to keep him warm on chilly days when we strolled with him in his carseat (not for use in a car).
Stroller Handmuff for Mom
If you’re going to be spending a lot of time strolling, you might want to grab a pair of stroller hand muffs for yourself, like these that are all over NYC. They attach to the handle of your stroller and stay there so you’re free to put your hands in and out as you please, (to get something for your baby, check your phones, etc). I personally don’t have a pair, but I’ve been debating getting some all season and I’m sure they’re much warmer than my gloves!
Winter Coat
Baby coats can get super expensive, so if you want to invest, I’d recommend finding one that can span a few seasons because they’ll only fit in it for one year. I debated between a sporty and a dressy winter coat (or both) for Wyatt and ultimately went with this sporty one because I could wipe it clean (it gets messy from snacking on the go) and it’s not super heavy so he can easily move and it and we can used it in the fall and can continue to use it in the spring since it was on the pricier side for a jacket he will fit in for less than a year. I debated getting this toggle coat (it’s so cute!), but never pulled the trigger…Gap has some great options for baby coats (boys, girls), as well as Janie + Jack! So many are on sale for the season now, think about even stocking up for next year!
Remember that you shouldn’t put your baby in the carseat wearing a puffy coat or bunting! The Car Seat Lady has some great ideas for for safely dressing your child for the carseat HERE!
Buntings + Snowsuits
Snowsuits, like coats, can be very pricey. Before you purchase one, think about how much your baby will need it. If it’s super snowy where you live and you have a yard, and your baby can walk, you’ll probably get a lot of use out of a snowsuit. However, if you live in a city and don’t see yourself taking your baby to the park every time it snows, or your baby can’t yet walk and won’t be able to by the time the winter is over, then you might only be using a snowsuit a few times in one year (and they won’t fit the same size next year.) Another thing to consider is the amount of time you’d actually be spending IN the snow with them, it’s been super cold in the northeast and I can really only keep Wyatt outside in his suit for for 20 minutes at a time before I worry about his nose freezing off! Wyatt’s snowsuit is sold out, but we got it from H&M and spent $49 on it, it is similar to this one. He is basically the Michelin Baby in it, super chunky and his movement is restricted (a trade off for being thick so it keeps him warm). We’ve taken him sledding a few times, and I’m so happy we have a suit to be able to do that, even if it only get use a few times during the season, but I’m also happy we didn’t spend $$$ on a suit he won’t fit next year and didn’t get a ton of use out of this year. (Although I die over the Canada Goose one!)
Some things to think about when making your bunting or snowsuit purchase:
How old is your baby when they’re wearing the bunting or snowsuit? (How much use will they get out of it)
How much time will we actually be in the snow/cold?
Is it waterproof? (Important if they’re old enough to play in the snow.)
Does it have attached booties that you wear regular boots with? (Not ideal if they’re already walking, but great if they’re an infant and don’t need to stand/walk in the snow.)
Does it have fold over hand and foot flaps to keep them warm? (Again the foot ones aren’t really important once they’re walking.)
Last year, I bought Wyatt this bunting. Because we lived in California for most of the winter and Wyatt was 2-4 months during those months, we didn’t really need one for the snow necessarily, (he was a tiny infant, I really only took him in the snow for a pic or two), but more for when we wore him in our baby carrier and it was cold out. It was a great extra full body layer to keep him warm when he wasn’t in the stroller with a footmuff (and it has the fold over hand and foot warmers!) This one that makes infants look like a little bear is SO CUTE! Here are some snowsuits and buntings in a range of prices (many come in multiple colors!)
Remember that you shouldn’t put your baby in the carseat wearing a puffy coat or bunting! The Car Seat Lady has some great ideas for for safely dressing your child for the carseat HERE!
Hats
If you see Wyatt out and about in the fall and winter, he is almost always wearing his fur trapper hat. Ours is by Appaman, but there are TONS out there. It is honestly the best hat, is stays on because it buckles around the chin (much easier than a tie or velcro that he can rip off), is soft faux fur lined, not itchy wool, has ear flaps that go down around his chin so he stays snuggly warm, and is literally the cutest! (He get’s so many compliments on it!) When Wyatt was an infant, he was more likely to leave hats on his head so we got away with a more traditional style like these (mommy + me matching!)
Mittens
Mittens are tricky with babies. I really only put mittens on Wyatt when he’s playing in the snow or if we’re at the park and it’s super cold. When he’s in the stroller I can just zip him up in the stroller muff to keep his fingers warm (plus he likes to have his fingers free to snack, the kid loves to eat.) We have two pairs of Patagonia mittens (these and these) for when he needs to wear them and they’ve both stayed on pretty well. They stay on even better if I put them on before his coat so they’re all tucked in!
Boots
This year based on the amount of time I thought we would actually be spending in the snow, I decided to get Wyatt these rain boots with a boot liner insert. That way he could wear the boots from fall all the way into spring. However, if you’re looking for a true snow boot, there are tons of adroable “duck boot” options in a range of prices, I’m such a sucker for any baby shoe that is just a tiny version of the adult ones! Just note that if your baby is an early walker, a heavy snow boot might be difficult for them, and a rain boot with layers of socks or a boot liner might be a better bet! If the boots are meant to be used outside, make sure they are waterproof, a lot of the “crib” boots meant for pre-walkers have soft soles and are not!
If you haven’t bought all of your winter gear for this season, now is the time, there’s so much on sale…or think about stocking up for next year!
What do you think?