Welcome to winter. For much of the country, ‘tis the season of snowstorms, icy road conditions and power outages. It’s a good idea to be prepared, especially if you have a baby or toddler.

For one thing you will want to have a bag ready with appropriate supplies in case you and your family have to leave your home. See Packing your baby’s emergency bag. It’s equally critical to have enough on hand to take care of your little ones should you get stuck in the house for a few days.

“You need a three-days preparedness kit,” said Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics “You want three days of water, and three days of formula.” She recommends that people stock at least a gallon of water per day, per person.

It’s also important to keep supplies of food that offer ample “calories in not a lot of space,” said Dr. Swanson who writes the Seattle Mama Doc blog for Seattle Children’s Hospital. She suggests food like peanut butter, Gatorade powder, raisins and granola bars. Other good choices include canned, high-calorie foods like tuna, chili, vegetables, soup, as well as comfort foods, such as chocolate or candy, to appease your children who may grow restless from “cabin fever” when stuck at home.

Don’t forget to have extra supplies of diapers, baby wipes, garbage bags and hand sanitizer.

Dr. Swanson also urged parents to have a week’s supply of any prescription medicine for your child safely on hand. Remember to “rotate your stock”—use medicines before their expirations dates and replenish your extra supply. It’s also useful to have over-the-counter remedies like infant’s and children’s Tylenol and first aid supplies like band aids, gauze, tape and antibiotic ointment.

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