Product Spotlight: Blankets!

mrosek91

Hi all! Baby shower season will soon be upon us, and baby blankets are a super popular gift, so now's a great time to share some guidance about blankets which we may then pass on to our registry or gift-givers. (Note: for at least the first year of baby's life, blankets should not loosely cover baby or be put loosely in the crib for sleeping (per the American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep recommendations), but there are many uses for sweet baby blankets!)

What are some categories of blankets to think about? I think we've discussed swaddling elsewhere but it would be great to share again what our favorite swaddle blankets are (including NOT using blankets and choosing instead velcro or zip-up swaddles). Our babies will be born in the spring: what are some materials with different weights or warmth to consider? Favorite brands?

But there's more to blankets beyond swaddling: what are your favorite blankets for throwing on the floor for baby to roll around on? Which blankets do best to double as a stroller cover or nursing cover? Or a lovey blanket when they're a little older and need something to snuggle and drool on? Or a nice fuzzy thick blanket to wrap mom and baby in while nursing? Are there any extra special splurge-y blankets out there? Do you have any monogrammed blankets and if so where did those come from? Please share!

Prior and upcoming product spotlights

brynn_mamaof4

I really love the Aden+Anais muslin cloth swaddle blankets (I think that’s the brand). They aren’t Velcro or zip swaddles but Muslin is really light and breathable and they are big enough to burrito the baby! 

I also registered for a small and medium “love to dream” zip up swaddle but I will rely on Aden+anais muslin swaddles for most day to day. 

I love swaddling babies in a burrito 😆 🌯  it’s a talent haha. 

gusgus14

I love muslin blankets for snuggling newborns. They are super soft and breathable and depending on where you live probably perfect for a Spring baby (but again not in their crib/bassinet/while they're sleeping unless it's a tight swaddle).

We only swaddle for naps/bedtime and for that we use velcro swaddles because they're quick and easy and we both suck at swaddling with blankets! We didn't swaddle at all at first with DD and once we did it was a game changer; she slept so much better! We're stocking up on velcro swaddles this time because sometimes we end up having to switch out overnight if there's a blowout. 

For the floor we use an activity mat but have also been known to just toss down a soft blanket like a muslin quilt or a throw blanket.

We also have a quilt that my best friend's mom made for DD (I think she's making two more for the boys!) that we use in the glider for bedtime stories and that she now uses in her crib (we let her start sleeping with a blanket when she was around 2). 

Baby blankets are one of my weaknesses and between the ones from my childhood and the ones we bought for DD we have at least two huge baskets worth 

texas_t

@gusgus14 I'm a sucker for blankets, too, and I have an embarrassing amount. 

My favorite ones the the muslin blankets from Tula.  They are sooooo soft and breathable and the prints are on point! We keep it pretty chilly in our house, so I'll swaddle with a swaddle me or swaddle up and then second swaddle with a muslin blanket.  

mrosek91

Blankets is one of those things I have never bought, and somehow we still have a bijazillion.
None of my boys have ever liked being swaddled, so we never really bothered with those, but we've received a ton of blankets as gifts. The fleece ones are always the most popular, we'll have spring babies so we won't really need it for warmth, but something about the texture appeals to the babies.
For sleeping in the beginning we use sleep sacks over PJs, we have cotton and fleece, and just put on which one is weather appropriate.
We're probably on the less strict end when it comes to things in the crib. As soon as they are old enough to pull the blanket off themselves when playing peek-a-boo we start letting them have a blanket in there. and FFC we start letting them have a lovey even earlier. I didn't with my first two, but with my third, he slept so much better when he was holding it, so I let him for the sake of my sanity.
For the floor we usually used a playmat, or a receiving blanket, but a blanket worked too when that was what was closest.

mimser

Can a receiving blanket be a muslin blanket?

mkc3888

@mimser, yes.  Most receiving blankets are flannel, but they could be muslin.  I love bamboo muslin blankets.  Tula is a bit thicker than some others and are a favorite here.  They are so soft and breathable, but just heavy enough to not fly away when there is a breeze.  This has happened to some of our Aiden and Anais muslin blankets.  We still love them all though

asf0613

im thinking now that the muslin blankets i registered for with the intention of using to swaddle (and started receiving) are going to be deemed useless since i also bought velcro swaddles...maybe i'll find another use for them though! i also registered for 2 blankets because they were just so cute and went with my baby elephant/animals theme. i know my mom has a homemade blanket to pass on and DH's mom gave us one of his old ones from when he was a baby.  blankets galore already here!

gusgus14

@asf0613 I have a ton of muslin blankets that we've gotten a lot of use out of and didn't/don't use them to swaddle since we use velcro swaddles. 

yellingbanana

UO here.... I don’t like muslin blankets. They look so cute, but I personally hate how they feel. They just seem too rough and not warm to me. Sorry y’all!

We use blankets a LOT. Running around with older children that play sports and are involved in school things means blankets are a must. We live in the Seattle area, so not the hottest weather, gets relatively cold, but weather is unpredictable here. We use blankets during soccer games and tournaments, for shield, warmth, and protection from the sun. When DS was 1, I took all 3 kids to a tournament out of state... without my husband. I set baby up on a blanket in the grass and we hang out and watch a lot of games. 

I use the regular flannel receiving blankets as burp cloths. Once you have a squirmy baby who spits up all the time, it feels like you need a bigger space for them to do so. 

I LOVE Swaddle Designs blankets for swaddling. They come in flannel or muslin, but they are bigger than the standard ones and WAY easier to swaddle a baby. I also use Halo Swaddle Sacks for at night, because they are so good at containing even the best escape artist. When baby grows out of swaddling, usually around 4 months here, I use the Halo sleepsacks. Or any baby sleep sack, they’re generally the same. 

Like @mrosek91 we let baby have a blanket and stuffy once they can play peekaboo, pull a blanket off their face, and roll over on their own. So usually around 6 months or so. 

My firstborn had a favorite fuzzy blanket that she loved, it was a gender neutral one. She gave it to DS who is now obsessed with it, and it has lasted 14 years! Dd2 had one also, super fuzzy, still snuggles it every night after 9 years. Turns out they were the same brand- CoCaLo. I got them at Babies R Us, and I think when they went under, so did the CoCaLo brand. I wanted a special fuzzy one for the new baby, and thought it would be even more special if it matched the other kids blankets (they each have a monkey!) I ended up getting a new CoCaLo blanket from EBay, and I’m so happy I searched! If these blankets can last 14 and 9 years with pretty constant use, and a lot of washing, that is saying something. 

littlelibelula

@asf0613 The cotton receiving blankets worked ok for swaddles the first week or so, my DS was about 6lbs then. But it was much easier when we moved to the muslin. However, my husband never figured out how to get them tight enough, so that was my job. I will be aiming to get more Velcro swaddles specifically for that reason. 

I used the muslin blankets a lot, they were easy to tuck in my diaper bag. When my DS his grandma would tuck him in with blankets if he was in air conditioning. But after awhile he started to sleep with just a diaper, even now he won't take a blanket. 

For the floor we mostly used foam squares and once or twice I tried a blanket because we have so many cute ones, but mostly they just stay in the closet. I did pick up a couple of the mats that go under the tummy time gyms, I felt comfortable putting those directly on the floor and I found lots at the thrift store.