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A good swaddle blanket is one of those things that new parents never even realize they need until they’re home from the hospital and trying to calm down a fussy baby.
And sure, you can use whatever baby blankets you were given when your baby was born or at your baby shower, but nothing quite compares to the feel of a top-notch swaddle blanket, at least where babies are concerned. While there are certainly dozens of brands and options to choose from, these are 7 of the best swaddle blankets out there right now and any one of them will likely fit your needs for calming and relaxing your baby.
What’s the Difference Between a Proper Swaddle Blanket And an Ordinary Blanket?
For those who don’t know, there is a big difference between simply wrapping your baby in a warm blanket and getting them snug and tight in the perfect swaddle blanket.
There are times when a newborn or young infant is asleep and they startle themselves awake at night. If they’re properly and safely swaddled, they can usually fall back asleep without wailing to alert you of the situation. For the most part, a swaddled baby feels the warmth and constricting environment that they might remember from the womb and that alone adds comfort for them. And one of these seven best swaddle blankets should do the trick.
Our Top 7 Swaddle Blankets
1. Summer Infant SwaddleMe Original Swaddle
Having a blanket for swaddling but with no fasteners or buttons can get complicated, which is probably why the Summer Infant SwaddleMe Original Swaddle is made with hook and loop closures to properly and securely snap the blanket closed once your baby is wrapped inside of it.
Once your baby has started to gain a little more mobility, you can even use the swaddle blanket with their arms out of it. There’s also a harness slit that fits most car seat belts so you can keep your baby in their swaddle blanket while safely buckling them into their car seat as well. Plus, you can use the easy leg opening for easy diaper changes without needing to take your baby completely out of the comfort of the swaddle.
Material: The swaddle is made from natural 100% cotton.
Sizing: The Summer Infant SwaddleMe Original Swaddle can be used for babies from 0-3 months of age and 7-14 pounds, or up to 26 inches long for the small/medium size. And for the large size, it is recommended that babies are 3-6 months old and 14-18 pounds, or up to 33 inches long.
Where To Buy: You can find the swaddle blanket on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon and in-store at Target and Babies ‘R Us.
The Best Part: You don’t have to know how to get the perfect folded swaddle since the blanket is already sewn in the right place with easy to secure fasteners.
The Not So Great: If you don’t keep the Velcro fasteners closed when washing, you risk other clothes sticking to them and they may gradually lose their strength.
2. Miracle Blanket Swaddle
Like the Summer Infant brand swaddle blankets, the Miracle Blanket Swaddle has a design that helps you wrap your baby in the perfect swaddle. But in this case, the blanket is simply cut to help you learn how to properly fold it over and under your baby’s shoulders.
Maybe it doesn’t do the work for you, but it does help you along the way, which is still a big help, especially for new parents. And according to the blanket’s website, since 2003, more than two million babies have been swaddled with the blanket without any recorded accidents along the way.
Material: The Miracle Blanket Swaddle is made from 100% cotton.
Sizing: The recommended usage should be from 0-14 weeks of age or until your little one starts to learn how to roll over.
Where To Buy: You can find the swaddle blanket on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon and in-store at Bed Bath & Beyond and Target.
The Best Part: You can unwrap your baby’s legs to give him or her a middle of the night diaper change without needing to unwrap their arms.
The Not So Great: Since there’s no way to fasten the swaddle blanket closed, as your baby grows bigger, it may be harder to tuck the flap under their back.
The miracle blanket is the secret to a happy, well-rested baby, as well as a well-rested mom and dad. It has been proven to extend sleep periods between feedings by preventing night movement and separation anxiety; thus allowing mom and dad a greater duration for sleep.
3. Ollie Swaddle
The Ollie Swaddle is actually one large blanket, but the kicker is that it has large patches of Velcro so you can fasten the blanket to them once you have the blanket wrapped securely in place.
This not only makes it easier to customize it to fit your own baby as he or she grows, but it also helps you learn how to properly swaddle. The fabric, which is stretchy and breathable, is also made of a moisture-wicking material to help keep your baby dry and prevent overheating while wrapped up.
Material: The Ollie Swaddle is made from 86% polyester and 14% spandex.
Sizing: There are no set sizes, but the blanket itself is 28 x 0.1 x 30.5 inches and as Velcro patches to customize it to fit your baby.
Where To Buy: You can find the swaddle blanket on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon.
The Best Part: The material has just enough stretch, but not too much to where you feel like there’s almost too much give to it.
The Not So Great: For some smaller babies, the blanket might be hard to properly secure them inside of it.
4. Aden + Anais Classic Muslin Swaddle
The Aden + Anais Classic Muslin Swaddle blankets are as simple as they come, mostly because they’re simply actual blankets, with no flaps, fasteners, or Velcro tabs.
But before you go running for the hills, these blankets are meant to use for swaddling, so they’re big enough to wrap and tuck as you swaddle your growing baby and they aren’t stiff, which can often be the downfall for parents when they try to use a standard baby blanket for swaddling purposes.
Plus, you can also use the blankets as oversized burp cloths or nursing covers and with the many fun designs, you’ll probably want to.
Material: The Aden + Anais Classic Muslin Swaddle is made from 100% cotton.
Sizing: There isn’t strict sizing for this one, but the blanket itself is 47 x 47 inches.
Where To Buy: You can buy the swaddle blanket on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon and in-store at Buy Buy Baby.
The Best Part: You can use the blankets for other baby-related things, such as covering your baby’s car seat or nursing.
The Not So Great: After a few washes, you might notice some loose strings starting to appear around the fabric.
5. Modern Burlap Organic Cotton Muslin Swaddle
All of the options in the Modern Burlap Organic Cotton Muslin Swaddle line are black and white with simple designs or phrases across the blankets, which make them gender-neutral and simple enough to pick out, without any headache-inducing swirls or an overabundance of bright pinks or blues.
The high contrast black and white designs are also said to enhance babies’ vision and stimulate brain development. It’s made of lightweight organic cotton that is also breathable and is certified to be free of any harsh chemicals or dyes that could otherwise be harmful to babies.
Material: The Modern Burlap Organic Cotton Muslin Swaddle is made from 100% organic cotton muslin.
Sizing: The actual size of the blanket is 47 x 47 inches.
Where To Buy: You can buy the swaddle blanket on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon.
The Best Part: The simple designed are a nice change from the typical baby blankets you’d find at the store or receive as gifts.
The Not So Great: Unfortunately, you can only find the blanket online, which can be a deterrent for some parents who would prefer to feel the blanket in person before purchasing it.
6. Baby Bare Essentials Bamboo Swaddle Blanket
With the Baby Bare Essentials Bamboo Swaddle Blanket, you’re getting a swaddler that’s already been pre-washed. However, it can be machine washed again and again and only retain more softness than when you first started out with it.
The brand also offers a 30-day money back guarantee just in case you find that it’s not the right swaddle blanket for your family or if your little one decides that for him or herself. It’s also very durable, while still remaining soft and breathable against your baby’s body.
Material: The Baby Bare Essentials Bamboo Swaddle Blanket is made from 100% soft bamboo.
Sizing: Since it’s one large blanket meant for swaddling, it is the standard 47 x 47 inches.
Where To Buy: You can find the Baby Bare Essentials Bamboo Swaddle Blanket on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon.
The Best Part: Not only are the blankets soft, but they’re also so lightweight.
The Not So Great: Since it’s not something you can first check out in-store, the cost makes it a bit of a gamble, even with the money back guarantee.
7. Woombie Original One-Step Baby Swaddle
The Woombie Original One-Step Baby Swaddle is, very likely, the easiest swaddle blanket you’ll find, hands down.
All you have to do is carefully secure your baby inside the blanket and zip up the front of it to keep his or her legs and arms comfortably in place. The resulting fit is snug enough to swaddle your baby, but also stretchy enough to allow them to move a little bit if they need to. There are also a variety of different sizes to fit your baby at different stages and even a preemie size, which can be rare with sized swaddle blankets.
Material: It’s not clear what the Woombie Original One-Step Baby Swaddle is made from exactly, but it’s a four-way stretch fabric that’s both soft and breathable.
Sizing: The preemie size is 3-6 pounds, a newborn is 5-13 pounds, “big baby” is 14-19 pounds, and “mega” is 20-25 pounds.
Where To Buy: You can get the Woombie Original One-Step Baby Swaddle on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon and in-store at Walmart.
The Best Part: It’s probably the easiest kind of swaddle blanket there is, in terms of learning how to secure your baby in it.
The Not So Great: Since the swaddle blanket allows babies to be able to move around a little inside of it, some babies may become restless being able to move their arms and hands, but not see them.
Final Thoughts
If your baby happens to be one of the many who prefers to be swaddled, then consider yourself very lucky indeed.
Of course, you may have to learn some of the techniques from some of these waddle blankets, but having a baby who enjoys being swaddled can be the difference between waiting several months to have a baby who sleeps through the night and simply waiting several weeks for a full night’s sleep.
Since you can still cuddle and bond with your baby while they’re swaddled, these types of blankets certainly don’t take that away from you. Instead, they add a certain extra comfort to your little one. And since all of these solid swaddle blankets are so different from each other, there’s bound to be one that works best for your baby.
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