An Everyday Parent’s Advice for Buying the Perfect Baby Blanket - Swaddling blankets and multi-purpose blankets - Babies need different blankets as they grow

Lisa, 33, Eastgate, Ohio
Proud mom of Nolan, Rylie and Ashlynn

Below, Lisa, mom of three, explains that babies will require different types of blankets as they grow and as their needs change.  To help other parents and blanket shoppers in their baby blanket searches, she describes her criteria for swaddling blankets and her preferences for blankets for swaddle graduates (older babies).

Swaddlers

For newborns you need a great swaddling blanket!  Look for blankets that are:

1) perfectly square
2) stretchy
3) big (when I’m using them to swaddle, most regular receiving blankets don’t feel big enough)

I own a receiving blanket made of thermal material that I would recommend.  It’s made by Koala Baby and can be purchased at Babies “R” Us.  The blanket is green, made of 100% cotton, very stretchy and perfectly square.  You can easily swaddle a baby with it and it keeps the baby warm during the colder seasons.  A great swaddle would keep my baby comfortable and sleeping.

Koala Baby Thermal Receiving Blanket – Babies “R” Us (pictured)

I would not suggest buying regular, cheap receiving blankets for swaddling infants.  At my house, they just ended up being used as burp cloths.

Swaddle Graduates (older babies)

As babies get older and more active, I recommend blankets that are:

1) breathable
2) soft (babies LOVE soft materials for cuddling and playing, especially silk or satin)
3) durable (during this stage, babies become attached to certain items—namely their blankies—so you want one that will hold up)
4) big (it’s nice to have a blanket big enough to throw on the floor at other people’s houses and let the baby play)

One word of warning:  In my experience, the blankets that have a solid silk or satin side with the opposite side made of a soft material tends to make babies sweat profusely.  The sweating is usually worst if they are touching the silky side of the blanket.  This is one of the reasons I recommend breathable material.

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An Everyday Parent’s Advice for Buying the Perfect Baby Blanket - Sleeping Blankets and Play Blankets

Jill, 26, Petersburg, KY

Proud mom of Madison

 

When it comes to purchasing the perfect baby blanket, Jill says first things first.  You need to decide what you want to use the blanket for (sleeping, playtime, swaddling, etc.) before you begin your search.  Then search for a blanket that has the qualities that match the use.

 

Jill says the blankets she used most often for her daughter were for sleeping and playing.  Below are her tips for finding great blankets for sleep and play.

Advice for finding a great blanket for sleeping:

 

1)  Find a blanket made of quality material.

My favorite blanket to wrap Madison in was a medium-sized blanket made of heavy material (but not too thick).

2)  Find a blanket that keeps your baby a comfortable temperature.
My husband and I liked the blanket mentioned above because it was heavy enough to keep Madison warm without being bulky or fuzzy.  The weight of the material is important, I don’t want my child to get too hot or too cold.

3)  Find a blanket that is durable and can grow with your child.

When shopping for a baby blanket for my own daughter or for a friend, I look for a blanket similar to my favorite blanket described above.  I want to get a lot of use out of the blankets I purchase. The large “throw” blankets you put on the floor don’t get used after they start crawling/walking and the small receiving blankets are only good for a few months.

 

4)  Find a blanket that is safe for sleeping.

I always make sure the fabric is safe for sleeping.  I steer clear of  fuzzy fabrics when it comes to sleeping blankets and of course, it must be flame retardant.

Advice for finding a great blanket for playing:

1)  Find a blanket that provides comfort and cushion.
When our daughter was first born we had a big playtime blanket that was extra thick to put down on our hardwood floors.

2)  Find a blanket with a fun texture and design for your baby’s playtime.

Our play blanket was fuzzy with bright colors for Madison to look at.  She loved it!

 

 

 

Filed under Baby Blankets, Info, Interviews, Play Blankets, Sleeping Blankets, Swaddle Blankets, Swaddling | Tags: baby blanket, interview, Play Blankets, real parents' advice, Sleeping Blankets, Unique Baby Blankets | Comment (0)