Baby Winter Essentials: Cold Weather Gear for Babies – 18 Months

Last Updated: November 10, 2022

Getting outside in all weather is a challenge when you have an infant. If you and your child are properly outfitted for cold weather, you’ll be content for much longer! In this post, I’ll cover all the baby winter essentials. Tips for keeping your baby warm in winter, and what baby winter gear for newborn babies to 12 months. Plus what gear you’ll need for the next early walker / young toddler stage for cold weather. Jump ahead:

• Newborn to 12 Months: Winter Baby Essentials
• 12 to 18 Month Old Winter Gear
• Tips & Tricks to Keep Baby Warm in Winter

Cold Weather Gear for Babies: Newborn to 12 Months

These winter items are great to put on your baby registry, if you’re planning in advance. You sometimes receive so many clothes for babies, so it’s nice to be able to direct people to practical things you’ll need – that are still super cute! Here’s our favorite cold weather gear for babies.

Mitten-Cuff Long Sleeve Onesies

Long sleeve bodysuit onesies that have flip-over hand covers (mitten cuff) were a winter clothing essential for our newborn. This was a great base layer for our fall/winter baby. Babies don’t keep their hands under a blanket. At a few months old, going for winter stroller walks, it is nice to be able to flip these over his little fingers and know he wouldn’t be in a continual fuss loop over being cold. Buy: Target $8

Baby Bunting Snow Suit

The One piece baby bunting puff “snow suits” are amazing! You can usually find some high quality used ones, as babies don’t trash clothes yet. Columbia and Patagonia are both great quality. A friend handed us down one of these. It was a size 18 month, but once he was all zipped in it was like a cozy sleeping bag. I used it in the stroller from about 6 months – 18 months. So don’t be afraid to size up a year and use it like that. Columbia also makes a cheaper fleece bunting for shoulder season or if you live in a bit warmer area and don’t need a full puff for warmth. Buy: Patagonia, Columbia at REI $35-$169

Fleece Booties

We had the Luvable friends brand from Target. Then I found they were similar to the Zutano ones everyone was obsessed with. Size up, as they’ll last longer. Usually they’re wearing before they can walk anyway. A larger size just velcros higher up their ankle or calf with other socks underneath. These are especially nice to keep baby warm in a carrier on winter walks, or in the stroller for extra warmth. Buy: Amazon $9 or Zutano $22

Fleece Baby Blanket

Fleece blankets are one of my favorite baby winter essentials. Great for tucking your baby in, to keep baby warm in a stroller or carseat. Put it over their lap, after you buckle them in, and even around a baby carrier for baby wearing. I used a fleece blanket as a baby carrier cover, and reversed a large rain jacket to tuck around and put the hood up, in a pinch. Target $13

Baby Mittens

Your best bet at such a tiny age is to use mitten cuff onesies that they can’t flip easily themselves. Or “scratch mittens” and a fleece blanket over their arms. If they get their mitts out of the blanket they’re still protected. Buy: Target $6

Fleece-Lined Baby Beanie

Patagonia makes a great baby beanie to get you through the first year. You want a warm hat that is thin, soft, and covers the ears. Velcro strap can also be a nice option when needed to keep it on them. This was another of our top items to keep our baby warm in the stroller on winter walks. Cold air is actually really great for baby sleep! He would often fall asleep all bundled up on our stroller walks. Buy: Backcountry $39, (last season’s colors $15!)

Baby Winter Gear: 12 – 18 months

The great thing about reaching the older baby / young toddler stage, is many of their baby winter items will still fit! If you sized up on the snowsuit, fleece booties, blanket, and beanie you’ve saved some shopping and money. Here are some additional items for this next stage. And just like not all babies crawl or walk at the same time, you might not need some of these items until later.

Toddler Puffy Jackets

As babies get more mobile and start toddling around, a puffy jacket is perfect for this stage. Size up a bit. An 18 month size will often work from about 12-24 months depending on their size and when winter hits in your area. You’ll never forget their tiny adorable first puffer jacket. Buy: Cat & Jack Puffer coats $27-$35, Patagonia $129 (sale colors $65)

Fleece-lined Hoodies

The baby bear hoodies with ears are some of the cutest baby and young toddler jackets. Fleece-lined anything makes great winter wear. And Hanna Andersson is makes some the cozies sherpa-lined fleece hoodies. You can also find fleece-lined hoodies at Gap, Cat & Jack from Target etc. Buy: Hanna Andersson

Fleece Pants

Fleece pants as kind of a coverall over pants are great for the in between stage of outdoor exploring – just walking, but not super adept. From around 15-18 months, we had two larger pairs of fleece pants that went over whatever baby leggings our kiddo was already wearing. It was nice for an extra layer and the fleece helped with moisture as well. Buy: REI $25

One-piece Toddler Rain Suit

Something you don’t think about before having a baby, is what season it will be when they are in the stage of dragging themselves around the outdoors or barely walking and falling constantly. Congratulations if it’s summer. If it’s the muddy season and you live anywhere colder, well you may want one of these rain suits. Ha! I ended up finding a used bib overall rain pants so I didn’t get the one piece. But they’re very popular for a reason! Buy: REI from $49

Bogs Baby Boots

We used these from about 12 months – 18 months. Great for when they first start walking and can work as rain and snow boots through long winters. You can usually find smaller sizes used in good condition. Especially since most babies aren’t walking a ton and trashing shoes until a bit older. Buy: Bogs Baby boots $30+

Mittens

Mittens or gloves can be hard until around age two, but it depends on your kid. You can also find some winter baby mittens that have a velcro strap to keep them on in freezing temps. When it was cold enough and I put them on my little one, he didn’t pull them off. He couldn’t crawl around or play in them though. This is an area where it can help to shop REI to have the ability to try on and return! When in doubt, as they get older and more mobile, fleece or wool-blend soft gloves are your best bet. Yes, they will absorb water, but fleece or wool will stay a bit warmer even when wet. And if the alternative is wearing no gloves (because snow gloves are giant and bulky), I’d rather they have thinner movable gloves and then take warm up breaks. Buy: REI

How to Keep Baby Warm in Winter: Tips & Tricks for New Parents

• Think layers! Layering is key to keep your baby warm in cold temperatures, but not overheated! In winter weather, we would do a long sleeves onesie (often with “mitt flips”), sweat pant/ leggings, and warm socks. Or a one piece PJs is another easy base layer.
• Just one more layer than you have on. Babies don’t need to be crazy bundled. My rule of thumb is to see what you are wearing and add one additional layer for your baby.
• Check their neck. If you’re worried about body temperature, the best way is to put your hand on the back of your baby’s neck to feel how hot or cold they are. You don’t want them to be too hot that they’re sweaty. That can create wetness which then can give them chills. You will get a better feel for how warm or cold they are as you get to know your baby’s signs!
• Body heat transfers. If your baby is next to you, in a baby carrier etc, you will need far fewer layers on them. When my baby was a few months old, on a cooler fall day, he could be in a just one layer of clothing. In the baby carrier, with a fleece blanket wrapped around the outside and tucked in around the edges and he would be toasty warm!
• Think about wind and ears. A fleece hat with ear flaps was my go-to baby accessory for going on walks on cold days. He kept warm and cozy.
• Help dry skin. Some babies have more sensitive skin and get chapped cheeks in winter. If this happens, help keep them protected so the skin can heal, with Aquaphor or another baby face balm.
• Size up and be open to hand-me-down items. One of the best cold weather gear for babies is a bunting – like a puffy onesie. Baby buntings are great to size up on as they’ll only fit into it for three seconds otherwise.
• Make it easy to unbundle! If you’re going to be indoors or in a car seat, you’ll need an easy way to get them unbundled. Especially considering you might want your baby to nap and you don’t want to jostle them. We used a fleece hat, fleece blanket and muslin blanket quite often to layer and de-layer as needed. And in car seats, you can’t have lots of layers – so they are strapped in securely enough! So think warm, but not bulky, then the car seat straps, and then an extra layer like a small fleece if they need it. (Provided you can see that they haven’t pulled it over their head).
• Instead of a stroller bunting, buy a baby bunting puffy snow suit in a larger size. Then you can use it as a cozy sleeping bag type bunting in the stroller. Remember, you’ll need to make sure they’re not disappearing into it. Roll the sleeves or legs up and pin back any layers if they won’t stay put. We used an 18 month baby bunting for two winters. The first year as a stroller bunting, second year as the intended snow suit! Bonus for this is you don’t need to add a million layers as these stay nice and toasty. Depending on where you live this is a winter baby essential! Think like the Scandinavians – bundle your baby and get outdoors!
• Blankets! A simple muslin blanket will save you in so many instances. These blankets are so popular for a reason! I always had one in my stroller and if we were out and it suddenly started pouring or was windy. I would cover the stroller with it and tuck or tie in the sides. While not waterproof, it was always enough to get us where we were going. They also make great a car seat cover over the handle to block a cold breeze. Fleece wearable blankets or sleep sack are also great for nighttime or cold days in a stroller. One of the best baby essentials and also on our checklist for baby travel!

Happy winter season adventuring! And when you’re ready for the next stage, check out my post on toddler and kids winter gear.

Originally published August 2020, updated November 2022.