Product Spotlight 4/26: Blankets/Swaddles

swizzlemalarkey

This weeks product spotlight is all about blankets/swaddles!! Feel free to use the prompts or just type away! Links/photos welcome.

I snagged a schedule that's been used I think by a few BMBs now, but if you guys want to add/change anything let me know!!

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions about, S+TMs to share their prior experience with, and everyone to share what they're eyeing in the world of maternity, baby and postpartum products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to look back and reference!

To view past Product Spotlights or the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fCSvGqefiQ7m-cqNEBzPuaIqF7BL2ost0Ta2sMjC-8w/edit?usp=sharing

For S+TMs (or FTMs that already have said item): 

• Individual (e.g., lifestyle) factors that might influence your choice:
• Favorite blanket(s)/swaddle(s):
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• What you like and don't like about it:
• Any special features? (Comfort, safety, convenience, aesthetic, etc)
• Is there a blanket/swaddle you don’t have but are considering? Why?:
• Is there a blanket/swaddle you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: 
• Additional thoughts on blankets/swaddles?:

For FTMs:

• Blanket(s)/swaddle(s) you're interested in:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• Any questions for S+TMs?:

(template taken from August 2020)

swizzlemalarkey

As a FTM realistically I’ll just be getting blankets/swaddles from target or wherever. However I do have my wish list for the $$$ small shop blankets! I really like Sarah Lou Co, I have one of her faux fur blankets (was supposed to be a present for H but it’s not as big as he likes blankets so I just use it lol) I got it on sale as they normally run $100. and it’s so comfortable and washes great. She has mini ones for $48 and also swaddles for babies, 
I also would really love a Lou Lou & co swaddle, even if it’s just one 😂

jennifer_louise

@greyl as a FTM I got a few sets of Aden + Anais as gifts. They're reasonable $$ish (especially reasonable when received as a gift! 😆). I don't think we used them much as actual Swaddles since we needed more foolproof methods, but they are still infinitely useful (spit up catchers, car seat/stroller blankets when chilly, laying on the ground for tummy time, etc).

We had a hard time swaddling her because she was so strong and could escape from anything. The only one she couldn't escape was the Miracle Blanket (available at Target.com). However - she never slept great in Swaddles (or out of them) despite all our best efforts.

Lately, I've heard good things about the Merlin sleep suit and Love To Dream suits. I'm intrigued by the Love To Dream stage 1 suits because their hands can be up by their face which many newborns find very soothing. I added one of those to my Babylist.

And of course, we have some Halo sleepsuits and sleepsacks for a bit later too. 

rosesintherain

@greyl Lou Lou and Co is having an annual sale this week! Sign up for emails I bet swaddles will be one day. I love how soft their swaddles are!! I’m planning to get a newborn top and bottom for pictures from them during the sale. Surprisingly my husband approved  

We were gifted so many blankets with our oldest. I’d almost not buy any swaddles unless you find one you really love! 

We swaddled for naps and put DS in halo sleepsacks at night. 

swizzlemalarkey

@jennifer_louise ah yes definitely would appreciate those as gifts as I feel like they are kinda pricey but if they’re great quality then might be worth it! I’m going to look more into the suits! I registered for a few halo sleep sacks. I remember when my mom (she was a baby nurse) taught me how to swaddle my baby dolls and I can’t wait to (attempt) to swaddle my human baby 😅

@ktholysz good to know thank you!! I have to refollow them on Instagram. I unfollowed all the baby instas when we were putting ttc on hold so now I have to go back and follow the ones I really liked. If it’s a decent sale I might have to convince H to let me get one and just have it shipped to his parents house since we will be most likely gone from here before it arrives. I would love a swaddle, gown, AND top and bottom set but then I remember I’m not made of money 😭

rosesintherain

@greyl I know they are so expensive! Even their BST group on Facebook is crazy expensive. I just can’t justify buying used for like the same price as new! So the resale is great on them at least 

swizzlemalarkey

@ktholysz oh I bet!! I definitely appreciate the quality and they’re so cute but it’s hard to justify spending that when I usually don’t have an expensive taste in clothing for myself at all. I just remembered they have those dresses for women now too! Oh I want one but they’re also super pricey too! I remember when they rolled them out all the women in the comments saying how many they bought and I was thinking how y’all have that much money ? 👀 sucks that many of the “nicer” things are out of reach for a lot of folks (including me) 

rosesintherain

@greyl oh yes the dresses! I can’t justify $88 for a dress! But I love the idea of the zipper but I can’t even imagine myself wearing it weekly lol let alone having multiple dresses to choose from! I see people’s stash shots of their loulou too and I’m thinking that’s thousand of dollars worth of baby stuff. They fit in them for such a small window of time! I love how big the swaddles are I can imagine kiddos loving them just as a regular blanket when they are older. 

angbaby83

We used the swaddle me swaddles with Velcro. My daughter didn’t like having her arms swaddled and would always break free so we never swaddled her arms. We occasionally used regular blankets to swaddle but with diaper changes the Velcro ones were easier.  We used sleep sacks after she was able to roll over. I’m with @jennifer_louise I loved the aiden +Anais blankets. We used them for all sorts of things including throwing them over the car seat to shade her or lay out for tummy time. 

beaandthebabes

I love those light muslin swaddle blankets so much that I bought myself a queen sized one lol We have a ton from when my son was a baby. I don’t remember any of the brands because I honestly just bought ones that I liked the feel of or the pattern on and mostly from Home Goods and TJ Max. 

My guy hated to be swaddled but I used them for tummy time or to keep the sun off of him or thrown over his little legs in the stroller. They make great backdrops for photos.

He still loves all of his blankets he regularly drags them all out to put his toys down for naps or to make little forts and nests to curl up in with his books. 

Both of his grandmas made him nice traditional quilts, his aunt made him 2 soft warm flannel quilts, and I made him one out of DH’s old band shirts (that ended up being big enough for a twin bed lol) he is covered for blankets for childhood basically. He’ll be the only toddler I know with a Nine Inch Nails quilt lol

momofmiracles31889

We also had muslin blankets that we used for wrapping DS during the day, laying him on the floor, spit up, covering car seat etc. they’re super nice and I know some people use them for nursing too! They also always have super cute prints!  For sleep swaddling we did the Velcro swaddle mes too and loved them because they’re way easier and also DS would’ve busted right through a wrapped blanket haha. Once he was rolling we actually stopped any kind of wearable blanket bc he was always a warmer baby and did fine in just a onesie and footie pj! I saw the swaddle mes now have an edition with a zipper at the bottom for diaper changes I want to get one of those for this baby! 

Oh and we used gifted knit blankets or fluffy blankets for over his legs in the car seat in the winter and gifted quilts for tummy/floor play time or to drape over recliner! 

swizzlemalarkey

I was looking on targets website and it looks like they have 3 packs of the cloud island Muslin swaddles for $22 which isn’t bad!! And cute prints too 

megsmcp

We had a lot of the Anden & Anis (is that what they're called?) swaddles initially, but my son always broke free! We had a few of the velcro swaddles as well so we attempted those, but he hated them.
We stopped swaddling a few weeks in, but then when I began sleep training at 3 months I watched my son startle himself awake so many times I had to do something. I bought the LTD arms up swaddles and they are the best!! He absolutely loved them. When we transitioned him out of swaddles about 2 months later, we used the LTD transition swaddle which allows then to keep their arms up but you can zip off the "wings". One wing zipped off and a few days later the  next, and he wasn't even phased. Moved to sleep sacks from there.
The LTD swaddles are a bit pricey but incredibly worth it, especially if you plan on having more than one child.

robinj716

For my son I had HALO sleep sack swaddles and he loved them. 

I also liked the carters brand receiving blankets and swaddled with those during the day. 

I had an off brand Muslin blanket from wal-mart that we loved too! 

This time I’m buying a cloud island muslin set to try, along with using my old sleep sack and other blankets! 

We had Gerber brand receiving blankets that I did not like at all. They were sooo small and not really a blanket. 

Edit to add: i would like to try a nested bean sack ! 

robyn2201

Love the Aden & Anais swaddling blankets for daytime swaddling, throwing in diaper bag, using in the car during the summer because the air conditioning car make their little toes cold. 

For night time I like the swaddle me swaddles with Velcro. Would love to try a Love to dream swaddle up but never did. 

rosesintherain

@robinj716 I tried the nested bean sack when my son was in a hard sleep regression.  It didn’t work and he seemed hot from it. He’s a regular sleep sack sleeper (2.5 and is in an xl) i ended up selling the nested bean sack to another mom. 

robinj716

@ktholysz that is good to know about nested bean. My son was a super hot sleeper and needed all cotton and minimal clothes, so Maybe I’ll hold off on the nested bean sack and see if this baby tends to be hot too. I had tons of fleece PJs for my son that were never worn because he would wake up drenched. He is still a hot boy to this day and sweats like crazy!

swizzlemalarkey

@robinj716 that’s a good reminder about the fleece vs cotton because my H always runs hot so I’m not sure if this baby will too. I should probably not get any fleece then? 

robinj716

@greyl since these babies will be born in September, in my area it’s still pretty warm that time of year, so If it were me I would skip anything fleece for now. You can always buy it in the colder months if your baby tends to run cold, But it won’t be a waste if your baby ends up running hot. 

My son was born in February winter so I bought alllll the fleece and dressed him in a onesie with fleece pajama zip up and he wouldn’t stop crying until I picked him up and he was soaked. I then switched to cotton stuff and only a zip up pj footie and he was like a whole new kid! 

balletnerd

I liked the Aden and anis ones- we still use them for DD as a light blanket. Between a few of those and the 6 or 7 thicker blankets the hospital sent us home with we are probably all set for baby 2. 

Louise_Belcher

I didn't think about blankets much honestly. We used what we received and I bought based on cuteness. I have a few of those thin ones you all mentioned and they were good summer blankets. I did think about sleep comfort a good deal so things like swaddles (Velcro was a must) and sleep sacks (we have every thickness). It is cold here at night usually starting in Sept and lasting through May. And despite my first being an exceptionally sweaty person (like seriously poor kid is drenched after a bike ride) his room is cold and he got cold at night without a wearable blanket. My second lucked out and isn't a sweatball. This will basically be a winter baby so fleece will be necessary nearly right away. The sleep sacks/wearable blankets we used after swaddling are below. For swaddles I think we have mostly swaddle me, but I cannot remember. There are many very similar options. 

Baby Merlin's Magic Sleep Suit
0-6mo (ours is a little different because it is 5yrs old)
12-18mo 3.5 Tog (started using at 7mo in the dead of winter for my second)
18-24mo 2.5 Tog
24-36mo 2.5 Tog