Molly was a winter baby. She was born at the end of November and it was blimmin freezing for the first three or four months of her life. As in toe biting frosty cold when all I wanted to do was get out and about. Walking for hours to get her to sleep or to just get some fresh air was not the easiest when I was getting frost bite on my fingers.
As we enter the winter months I thought I’d share some top cosy tips for keeping your little ones snug during these cold days including some of my favourite knits. Meanwhile I’ll be snuggling up in front of the fire, possibly in a big cosy jumper and a pair of wooly socks. All the glamour. However, if you do fancy a bit more glitz in your life though then head on over to Rock My Style where Lisa is getting her festive sparkle on.
1. Bedtime Baths
Warm up with a nice bath and playtime. Make sure the bathroom is heated so there isn’t too much cold air around them. This wasn’t the easiest for us as we lived in a draft old Victorian house that was still to be renovated. Instead we would put Molly’s baby bath in front of the newly fitted woodburner to make sure she wasn’t freezing.
I personally hate getting out the shower to a cold towel so why would your little ones? Pop the towel on the radiator before you get your little one out the bath and they will be all snug and cosy.
2. Heated Clothes
In the same vein I pop the girls PJs or school uniform on the radiator for a quick warm before they get dressed. They love nothing better than snuggling in to a cosy cardigan before we head out the door.
3. Toasty Toes
Pop teeny tiny socks over little one’s babygros to keep their tootsies warm and I also have a penchant for sweet knitted booties. These Boden fox slippers are beyond adorable but are closely followed by these Teddy Bear Booties from H&M.
4. Cosy Prams
As I mentioned above all I wanted to do was get out and about with a teeny Molly but I feared she would freeze if we ventured outdoors. My mum came up with the genius idea of popping a hot water bottle down the bottom of her pram, wrapped in blankets, to help keep it toast for her. Another way we kept the pram toasty was by folding a few cellular blankets under the pram mattress. Obviously you don’t want your little one to overheat so make sure you haven’t overdressed them for the weather.
5. Woolen Warmers
I have been perusing all the knits for the girls this weekend and may also have my eye on a spot of festive novelty wear too. There is a Christmas jumper day at school after all!
Charlotte purchased this cute Tu cardigan for Mabel and I also love the striped Merry & Bright jumper for the festive period. For dino fans this jumper is sure to be a winner. Even better all the clothes have 25% off till the 4th December. For a festive Dino alternative Becky has recently picked up this H&M bargain for Leo.
The subtle styling and colours on this John Lewis cardigan make it perfect for layering and I recently purchased the girls some sweet jumpers from Joules which are gorgeous quality. Molly has the cat version and Alice is a big bunny fan so this one seemed appropriate. The bright bear design is also really fun.
Finally I can’t not mention the Boden character knits. They are the best and anyone with a little one really needs this Reindeer knitted jacket so that I can live vicariously through you.
6. Warming Drinks
Obviously your teeny one will be busily guzzling milk but toddlers and young children enjoy it just as much. As they get older you could make up hot chocolates. You can sneak one in too 🙂 With added cream and marshmallows of course!
The girls also live a hot juice on a cold day. Hot Ribena is still one of my favourite things.
7. Knitted Rompers & Outfits
Molly wore a lot of knitted rompers as a baby as they were easy to change her in but just that little bit cosier.
I am wishing I could still pop Alice in this knitted bunny set. All the cute.
I love this bright stripe car design from Tu. A while back we shared our love of all things cosmic and this little romper from Next fits the bill perfectly.
M&S baby clothes are some of my favourites and the two piece trouser and top sets are great for little ones (and make it easy to change nappies!). This set is gorgeous and it’s definitely worth checking out H&M for some excellent knitwear. I only wish the range came in bigger sizes. These knitted shorts and rompers are off the chart adorable.
8. Hats, Scarves & Gloves
I often struggle to get my girls to wear their winter woolies to school but I’ve been stocking up on some new items to tempt them in to hats. Boden has always been my go to for hats and I love the style that come down over their ears for extra warmth. The baby sets make perfect gifts and I may have purchased this teddy bear one for some lucky recipient. I’ve also picked up this Joules pom pom hat which comes in a multitude of colours and has a cosy lining. I normally pick them up a pair of the mittens too. This year it’s the turn of the unicorn!
Also, this snowman hat from The White Company is too cute.
Oh and ear muffs. They are a winner.
9. Bedtime Snuggles
It’s hard to know how many layers to dress your little ones in at night but when the chilly nights hit you don’t want them kicking off the covers. Sleeping bags are brilliant for keeping them warm and you can add an extra blanket over the top on the really cold nights. Make sure you tuck them in at either side though to stop them kicking it about and getting tangled up. I rate Mamas & Papas for the amazing designs on their blankets. Also always keep an eye on room temperature to make sure they are dressed appropriately. You can find our guide to baby appropriate sleepwear here.
Now my girls are a bit older they love a hot water bottle to take to bed. Alice has requested one for Christmas as she has been using mine up until now. I’m looking forward to getting my own toasty toes back!
10. Duvet Days
And if all else fails grab your duvets and snuggle down on the sofa with a few nice stories and a mince pie or two.
How are you and your little one’s keeping all snuggly this winter?
Ah, hot Ribena. I’ve been drinking loads recently because I had a really bad cold and went off tea. My husband couldn’t understand it but it reminded me of when my mum used to send me to school with a flask of hot juice for after swimming lessons during the winter 🙂 When I was a kid we only had one hot water bottle in the house (why I don’t know) and if it was very cold the cat used to have it put in her basket wrapped in a towel!
I’m pretty sure we had a limited number of hot water bottles in our house too as I seem to remember me and my sister having a turn each to get the beds cosy. Although we much preferred going in to mums bed as she had an electric blanket!! xx
I used to love having my clothes and towel on the radiator when I was little. We do it for our daughter now, but this leads me to wonder why i dont do it for myself? 😊
For keeping little ones warm in their pram or sling, I recommend the star wraps from Tuppence and Crumble – they are so cosy, not too bulky and are super cute! http://tuppenceandcrumble.com/shop/index.php?route=common/home
I know, I thought the same thing when I was writing this post. My PJs are going on the radiator tonight!! x
For those still using prams – I recommend Mummy Mitts!! Marvelous invention 🙂 Heated tights on the radiator were a requirement when I was little going to school, definitely a must.
I think I need some mummy mitts for myself! Oh my gosh yes to the heated tights xx
Morrck blankets for car seats and buggies are amazing, you don’t need to wrestle your baby into a snow suit, just wrap them up like a little fajita! https://www.morrck.co.uk/
Also, I second mummy mitts or a muff as an essential for a buggy/pram when you live in the Scottish Highlands https://www.amazon.co.uk/IntiPal-Pushchair-Stroller-Anti-freezing-Accessories/dp/B018TGFXSK/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_75_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=N7PB0FDS3XCH0PX118XB
These blankets sound great. If I don’t have a buggy can I still get myself some mummy mitts? They sound ace. x
I find my babies get cold hands and arms when using a sleeveless sleeping bag with just a long sleeved babygro underneath so I found these sleeping bags with padded arms http://purflo.com/sleepsac or these padded babygros https://www.mothercare.com/onesies/little-bunnies-wadded-walk-in-sleeper/LMC137.html with a thinner fleece sleeping bag over the top. Seems to help, especially in a cold Victorian cottage!
These look fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing. I wish I’d had these. From a fellow cold Victorian dweller! x