Product Spotlight: Blankets

m6agua · January 2020

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Blankets, sleep sacks and swaddles!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

AAP guidelines say nothing in the crib (including blankets and stuffed animals) until 1 year of age.

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)?
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather?
What did you use to keep baby warm at night?

To view the upcoming PSS schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XX4aUSPsDbdyEEK5HIzMzwH2ztOVOnNCehSgMAc5w6U/edit?usp=sharing
Next up: Health & Safety

adventuresawait2 · January 2020

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)? Used the miracle blanket. Super easy to use - velcro! Highly recommend.
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather? Like the Aden and Anais Muslim blankets for everything - tummy time, catching spit up, covering up to keep sun off little legs in the summer, covering up when breastfeeding, etc. We didn’t have a car at the time, but did use a JJ cole cover in winter for the car seat that we used with an attachment on the stroller.
What did you use to keep baby warm at night? Sleep sacks - recommend the Halo ones with the double zipper so you can zip top to bottom or bottom to top. IKEA also has some more affordable ones. You can get fleece for winter or lighter weight for other times of year.

catem07 · January 2020

We ended up swaddling old school with blankets. It’s not that hard! We also did arms out after about a week.

Second the Aden and anais muslin blankets. They sell a cheaper version on amazon (Aden by Aden and anais I think?)—don’t get those. Much less soft. The bamboo ones are the best but a little more expensive than the regular.

For car seats, make sure the cover you get (also jj cole here) is the “shower cap” style and not the kid where the cover goes between baby’s back and the car seat. Knit stroller blankets are nice to add warmth too.

For sleep sacks, I loooooove the woolino. It’s pricey but it lasts 2m-2y and you don’t have to have a bunch because it’s antimicrobial so you don’t want it often (you have to air dry it so it is a bit of a pain to wash). We didn’t start with the woolino until closer to 1, though. I’d probably hold off on it until baby stops regularly pooping overnight to limit the potential for explosions.

mamaj1220 · January 2020

I loved our halo sleep sack. When he was on the floor he was usually on his gym but I put a large fleece one under that because winter in upstate NY is cold. Honestly I just used regular receiving blankets for him or his fleece one that with his name. I like the cotton ones because of the thickness. For car seat we had a big old pain in the butt cover because again winter in NY, in the seat I did keep his fleece blanket too but to be honest warming up the car helps a lot.

rox7777 · January 2020

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)? Mostly Muslin swaddle blankets. Get the bamboo ones. They’re longer and stretch better. We had a few of the Velcro ones, but I could never get them snug enough to keep my babies happy.
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather? For tummy time we used an old comforter folded over and would usually throw a regular baby blanket on top. Mostly used Muslin blankets in the car seat.
What did you use to keep baby warm at night? We went straight to fleece footies after swaddling. In the colder months I’d add a onesie underneath. We had a few sleep sacks but both of mine were early pull uppers/walkers, so those never lasted long.

soprano19 · January 2020

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)? We tried swaddling with muslin blankets, but DD would just break out of them. The Halo sleep sack was our go-to.
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather? Not particularly. We just used whatever was on top of the blanket drawer. It doesn’t get that cold in the Bay Area, so we didn’t use anything special for the car.
What did you use to keep baby warm at night? Sleep sack (arms out once she could roll over) layered over warm pajamas.

ruby696 · January 2020

This thread costs me so much money! TTM and just bought a three pack of Aden and Anais bamboo swaddle blankets - thank you @catem07 and @rox7777!

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)? We tried to swaddle with those cotton swaddle blankets and they didn't work for us at all. We ended up going with the velcro swaddled, but both our kids could break out easily. We did have a couple hand knit blankets that were super stretchy that worked great when baby was sleeping on us during the day, but not safe for nighttime sleep. Hoping the bamboo swaddle blankets i just bought are similar/magical.
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather? This is kind of basic, but I LOVE Pottery Barn stroller blankets for in the car/stroller. They are the perfect size and come in various thicknesses. And it's the only item we monogram. Now that the kids are older, they love their blankets with their name on them. For tummy time, we just put whatever blanket we had handy down. I wasn't picky, as long as it wasn't too fluffy.
What did you use to keep baby warm at night? Appropriate pjs, plus a swaddle. Once babies could roll over we put them in Zippidee Zips, which are kind of expensive, BUT WORTH EVERY PENNY. Seriously, they're awesome. My kids started sleeping great once they had their zippies on. And they come im different materials, depending on the season. They're awesome and you should get one. I love them so much, I usually gift them at baby showers.

rox7777 · January 2020

@ruby696 They’re seriously my favorite. I have 8, I think. I couldn’t swaddle worth a crap when I had DS1. I just taught MH’s cousin how to swaddle using these blankets a few weeks ago. Her daughter went from sleeping an hour at a time unswaddled to 5-6 hours swaddled. They’re huge and easy to wrap. I’ve recently started tying off the extra material at the bottom in a knot. Game changer.

I’m debating trying the silky ones for new baby. I felt them in the store and they’re sooooo silky/soft. And I need some girl colors. 🤷🏻‍♀️

ruby696 · January 2020

@rox7777 I am so excited to hear that! I bought a 3 pack for girls and I have asked to be notified when the 3 pack of the boy print I want is back in stock. 5 hours of sleep sounds like a dream. I'm going to have to YouTube how to swaddle. It's been a long time since I've tried. Luckily MH is really good at it. I need to step up my game.

Here is the girl print:

And the boy:

ETA: spoilers

rox7777 · January 2020

@ruby696 I wanted the dream blanket for when DS2 got older, but we literally have 3 totes of boy themed blankets so I never got it. I have one in my cart for baby girl this time. It’s a deep trap to get caught in. 😂

I really don’t need blankets. BUT I keep using the excuse that I need some girl ones.

pourmeanothermocktail · January 2020

My kids both disliked being swaddled, we tried blankets, Velcro, etc, they cried louder with them. So I'm no help there.

We did love the muslin blankets for so much. Great for spit up geysers (we never could use a burp rag, it was a full flat cloth diaper or a blanket. Great for sun protection, bug protection, room darkening when napping at friend's houses, etc.

For the car seat, we don't use the bucket seats, but keep a thick fleece or wool blanket around. I do use heat in the car and put fleece jackets and warm clothes on kiddos. I only warm up the car when it's below 10 outside. Fleece and wool blankets, or any fuzzy ones, don't feel as cold to touch.

We love the stroller bundles that go under kid, and expand as kiddo grows. But reiterating do not use this type in a car seat!

Fleece pajamas, with cotton shirt under when super cold. We have gone through a period of using a halo sleep sack for a bit. The zipper goes the correct direction, they wash nicely.

adventuresawait2 · January 2020

@ruby696 A friend got as a monogrammed Pottery Barn blanket for DD and I love it. So cute with polka dots. If I don’t get another as a gift, def want to buy one for this little one. Glad to hear that your kiddos like them.

bananapanda · January 2020

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)? We used the newborn halo sleepsacks with the velcro swaddle or Aden & Anais Muslin blankets, but she really wasn't a huge fan of being swaddled.
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather? Another vote for Aden & Anais blankets. We also have a few of their dream blankets which are great for tummy time or when it's extra cold.
What did you use to keep baby warm at night? Halo sleepsacks - cotton in the summer and microfleece in the winter.

I also just ordered this for DD2 because it's adorable and I can't help it. I feel bad because I was underprepared on some things for DD1 like cute personalized items, so I may be going overboard this time oops
https://www.etsy.com/listing/583632241/custom-baby-blanket-personalized-floral?ref=hp_rf-1&frs=1

m6agua · January 2020

For swaddling I liked the velcro "SwaddleMe", "Halo" or other similar brands. I was terrible at swaddling with a regular blanket.

Tummy time we used the mat or whatever blanket we had around. I am going to say I'm a +1 for the A&A or other similar brand muslin blankets! They are so good for multi-use, burping, light blanket, sun shade, blanket for the ground, and so much more. For the car seat, I live in WI and DD was born in November, I used the shower cap style cover from Cozy Cover, I think I tried one from JJ Cole too, as other said make sure it is the shower cap style! When it was a little warmer, but still cold I used the Car Seat Canopy (original style) and I really liked that. I found all of my covers second hand.

For blankets at night we used the swaddles and halo swaddles when she was younger, eventually switched to just sleep sacks. I think we started using blankets at 2+ years old.

We have a wide variety of blankets in general for DD. We have one specifically for daycare and several for at home/in the car. They vary in size and material, DD now 3 loves to play with them and cover up her stuffed animals. We also have a small taggy blanket I got at a garage sale. Its just two peices of material (like the tie blankets) sewn together with ribbon tags sticking out of the sides randomly. It is maybe 10"x10". She loves playing with that one a lot.

mokay19 · January 2020

“AAP guidelines say nothing in the crib (including blankets and stuffed animals) until 1 year of age.” << I copied this just to reiterate it.

What did you use swaddle baby (if baby liked to be swaddled)? My DD HATED being swaddled. Even with arms out it was a big “no thanks” from her. She loooooved the Merlin Sleepsuit which we call the “marshmallow suit” haha. You can get a breathable one or a warm one. Also, we didn’t use this until she was about 4 months old. Until that we tried lots if swaddling and non-swaddling combos and just ended up with sleep sacks. However, she slept 100% better once we started the marshmallow suit.
Did you have a favorite blanket for tummy time or tucked into the car seat for cold weather? No. We got several handmade ones and use those the most.
What did you use to keep baby warm at night? Fleece pajamas and sleep sacks. As I stated above, the Merlin Sleepsuit has a warmer option if needed, too.

jhysmath · January 2020

My kiddo loved being swaddled. I was pretty good with the Aden and anis muslin blankets, target makes some similar that are larger and those worked pretty well too.

My absolute favorite though was bumblito they're like a sister company to smart bottoms cloth diapers. I have one of their stretch swaddles to match a newborn diaper I have and I love it. They're (to me) insanely priced for a blanket $35 but they're super soft and stretchy so they allow you to get a great wrap on the swaddle. They're my go to babyshower gift, they come with a matching newborn beanie. I also have one of their regular muslin swaddles and they're really soft and bigger than the a&a ones.

As dd was also a may baby the muslin light blankets were great in the car and stroller.

We had the halo swaddles and sleep sacks, but I did blanket swaddling more for ease. Once she was moving we had the a&a muslin sleep sack and then fleece ones come fall. Shortly after that she just ended up in our bed so I could get some sleep because I had to function for work and we didn't use sleep sacks because she'd over heat.

On the floor we just used whatever was clean to have her play on, though she'd prefer being held 24/7.

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