10 - Winter Storm Survival Tips for Parents with Infants
As Snowmegadon 2026 has officially left it’s mark on the south this weekend, I wanted to pause our maternal mental health series to share some practical tips for keeping your baby safe, warm, and fed during this storm.
Warmth
Layer baby safely. Multiple thin layers are better than one bulk layer for both warmth and also to prevent overheating.
If baby has moved to their own room, now is the time to bring them back into your room to room-share. Room sharing will help utilize body heat.
Skin to skin & baby-wearing is great for both warmth for mom and baby but also for mom’s milk supply.
Designate one “warm zone” in your house if you lose power. Everyone in the house hunker down in that room.
Cover the window openings with towels and hang blankets over the windows if there are no curtains
Close the door to the room and place a towel, sheet, or blanket under the door
Close off any unused rooms
If the temperature inside your home drops below 60°F and you’re unable to keep baby warm with layers and body heat, it’s okay to seek a warming shelter, hotel, or another safe place if available.
To check if baby is too warm or too cold, check their core (torso/back). Not their hands and feet.
If your baby seems unusually lethargic, very cold to the chest or back, or hard to wake, that can be a sign they’re too cold and need immediate warming and medical guidance.
Sleep
As I mentioned earlier, bring baby into your room to sleep if they aren’t already. This can help conserve warmth and is regulating for them.
You might notice more wakings or more sleep disturbances due to temperature or even just change of routine
Contact naps while adults are awake can be regulating for baby and can conserve warmth
While you may put on extra layers baby will wear to sleep, safe sleep basics are still the same
Baby should always sleep on their backs on a firm surface with no loose blankets or pillows. Heavy blankets and extra stuff in the sleep area can increase the risk of SIDS, even in cold weather. Use a wearable blanket or sleep sack rated for the expected temperature rather than loose blankets if possible.
Food/Feedings
Breastfeeding
Nurse on demand if possible. Frequent feeding helps keep baby warm, hydrated, and regulated.
Skin-to-skin nursing can support both warmth and milk supply during stressful or cold conditions.
Stress and disrupted routines can make feeds feel harder. This is common and does not mean your supply is failing.
Stay hydrated and eat what you can. Simple calories count right now.
Formula or Bottle-Feeding
Cold bottles are okay if you do not have power.
If warming a bottle, avoid unsafe heat sources like open flames or space heaters.
If you run out of safe drinking water and do not have a way to boil water for bottles, feeding your baby is still the priority. In emergency situations, using the safest water you have access to is better than not feeding your baby at all.
Never dilute formula beyond what the instructions call for in an attempt to make it last longer or give baby only water. This can be dangerous.
Do not reuse prepared formula, and do not use formula that has been sitting out longer than recommended, even during emergencies. Always follow safe storage guidelines.
If available, ready-to-feed formula can be helpful since it does not require added water.
Pumping
If you normally pump and do not have electricity, hand expression is a safe and effective way to remove milk and maintain comfort and supply. Hand expression can be used to fully empty the breast or to relieve engorgement until power is restored. I have a short hand-expression tutorial on my social media pages that walks through this step-by-step if you need a visual guide.
Instagram: @cradleandkindoula
Facebook: Cradle and Kin Doula Support
TikTok: @cradleandkindoula
Expressed milk can be fed to baby right away or stored according to safe guidelines if conditions allow.
If you’re able, nursing directly or using skin-to-skin contact can also help maintain supply during interruptions to pumping routines.
No matter if you are breastfeeding, formula feeding, or combo feeding, feeding on demand is regulating, supports warmth, and provides comfort during stressful conditions. There really is no “wrong” way to feed your baby in an emergency. Keeping them fed is what matters.
Safe storage reminder: Freshly expressed breast milk can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours and in a cooler with ice packs for up to 24 hours. Prepared formula should be used within 2 hours at room temperature and within 24 hours if kept cold in a cooler. Once a feeding has started, discard any remaining milk or formula after 1 hour. When in doubt, use your best judgment and prioritize feeding safely with what you have.
Hygiene
If you have not yet, you can fill your tub with water that can be used for rag-baths, for the toilet to flush, wipes if you run out, washing bottles, etc.
IF YOU DO THIS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO CLOSE THE DOOR TO THE BATHROOM WITH THE FILLED TUB. Infants and toddlers can drown in small amounts of water. This room should be inaccessible to your child.
Safety
Be sure that if you have an alternative heat source that you will be using that it is indoor safe. Some are only made to be used outside and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Similar to the space heaters, if you have a generator, it should only be used outdoors and far away from the door or window it is ran through again due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Coats should never be worn under car seat straps
Candles, fireplaces, or anything with an open flame should be kept far away from baby
As mentioned above, if you have filled your tub with water for hygiene purposes be sure to close off the bathroom so that littles cannot access it!
Emotions
In emergencies, regulation matters more than routines. Extra comfort for your baby will not create bad habits
If you have kept your baby calm, fed, and warm? That is a success.
Even though it’s cold, bundling up and stepping outside for a few minutes a day can help some of the stir-crazyness for both you and baby.
You may notice more crying, clinginess, or disrupted sleep. This is a normal response to stress and change, not something you’re doing wrong.
Helpful Resources
Emergency Assistance (Non-Emergency): Call 2-1-1 for information on community resources, including food, utilities, and transportation.
Road Conditions (TDOT): Use the TN511 app or website for real-time traffic, or dial *THP for Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Shelter Information: To see where overnight or warming shelters are near you, please use this map - https://www.tn.gov/tema/ready-tn/tennessee-shelters.html or text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362 to find open shelters.
Power Outages: Monitor outages using local utility maps (e.g., Nashville Electric Service, Middle Tennessee Electric, CPWS, Duck River, etc)
Online Community Groups: Many community groups (at least on Facebook) are very active right now with offers to help with rides or assistance if needed.