Babys First Year Blog
The Baby Blanket I Can’t Live Without
aden + anais jungle jam swaddle 2 pack
When we were in the hospital, one of our nurses (one that we really liked) told us she wasn’t a big fan of swaddling babies. At the time, everything she said made sense and we didn’t do much swaddling when we came home. If we did swaddle him we didn’t wrap his arms.
Tate was not sleeping well. He has a pretty strong startle reflex and was constantly waking himself up with involuntary movements.
After I posted about our sleep problems, a few of you commented that we should make sure to swaddle him. This is where my favorite baby blanket comes in.
A friend of mine gave me an Aden + Anais muslin swaddling wrap before I had Tate. At the time, I had never heard of these blankets, but have completely fallen for them.
There are a few reasons why I like these particular swaddlers.
1. They are super light weight
I don’t have to feel guilty about Tate overheating in the summer because the lightweight muslin allows air to circulate around his body, while still providing comfort and warmth.
2. Not Restrictive
Using the muslin blanket on the bias makes the fabric stretchy, and ideal for swaddling. The natural give allows the blanket to be tucked snuggly around a baby without being overly restrictive.
3. Multipurpose
They are large enough to be truly useful. You can use it as a stroller cover, nursing shield, tummy time blanket, or a burp cloth.
4. Helps Babies Sleep More Deeply
In 2002, the medical journal Pediatrics published a study that explained why babies who are swaddled sleep more peacefully by preventing spontaneous movements (called reflex motion) from waking them up continually during the night. The same year, the Journal of Applied Physiology wrote that swaddled infants stay in REM sleep (the most restorative, deepest sleep) longer than those who were not. (source)
You can buy your own here. They sell packs of 4 for $49.95, and 2 packs for $32.00.
Do any of you have one of these swaddlers? Do you have another baby blanket you love? I would love to hear about it.
You’re getting sleepy…With baby all swaddled up, why not check out one of these amazing mobiles for his crib?
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12 Comments
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The Baby Blanket I Can’t Live Without – Babble (blog) commented on Jun 22 11 at 2:46 amJenny commented on Jun 22 11 at 8:09 amI haven’t yet had my baby, but somehow I have ended up with 15 (15!) of these blankets. 5 packs of 3. One I bought myself, the rest presents from others, most of whom said they were lifesavers for their babies.
The really remarkable part? All different patterns.
Carrie commented on Jun 22 11 at 12:55 pm@Jenny – Ha! I give these as gifts all the time, they are my all time favorite baby item. All of my friends kept telling me how much they loved their psuedo-swaddle blankets, the ones with the velcro and such, but for my tiny Florida baby they didn’t fit right and were too warm. My 18 mo old still sleeps with one in her crib and one at daycare. I have 4 blankets, Jenny I think 15 might be overkill, they are quite expensive you might want to trade one set in for some other needed items :)
Kourtney commented on Jun 22 11 at 1:38 pmI was so excited to get a 4 pack of these at my shower this week! I can’t wait to try them out on our summer baby coming in July.
Shannon commented on Jun 22 11 at 1:57 pmThese blankets were a lifesaver for us! Our son needed swaddling until he was about 6 months old, so we had lots of opportunity to try different kinds of swaddle blankets. After a while the “regular” swaddle blankets were too small or the velcro wouldn’t stay. But these blankets are big enough to swaddle a toddler (ok, I’m exaggerating)! Plus my son, now 4, still sleeps with his.
Swissy commented on Jun 22 11 at 2:30 pmThese blankets were fantastic for swaddling our giant baby. Love them! The same brand makes nice sleepsacks as well.
Zoe commented on Jun 22 11 at 5:04 pmMy girls were swaddled with Aden & Anais blankets too. In fact, the baby loved it so much that she was swaddled until she was 7 months old, and now at 9 months, she snoozes away in an Aden & Anais sleep sack. Her 3 year old big sister still goes to sleep with one of her blankies every night as well. These blankets are also great sunshades. We tie one to the handles of the stroller and drape it over the hood/canopy when she sleeps on an outing. Best baby item ever!
Olivia commented on Jun 22 11 at 6:50 pmYou had a very ignorant nurse :-(
Nothing ended up keeping my kids sleeping through the night like putting them on their tummies though, which I felt fully comfortable with once they could roll over on their own…(shhhh…you didn’t read that)… : /
janell commented on Jun 23 11 at 12:53 amLOVE a+a blankets! Totally right on with the multipurpose statement… at 15 months, our current fave uses are tent over car seat, superhero cape, and baby doll sling :o)
Emily commented on Jun 24 11 at 3:55 pmWe loved the kiddopotamus swaddlers. They close with velcro around the arms and it’s like a little sack for the feet. :) Glad swaddling is working for you!
christa commented on Jun 26 11 at 1:15 ami love the kiddopotamus swaddle me too- it’s fool proof! even though i’ve been swaddling for years now, this makes it so easy, especially in the middle of the night after a feeding. i’ve noticed my son does sleep longer when he’s wrapped well too.
Jamie B. commented on Jul 01 11 at 11:03 pmJust linked to this post–coincidentally, just a few hours after buying a set of these. I’d bought my first one a few weeks ago, but I haven’t used it for swaddling–I’ve used it as a nursing cover, which it’s perfect for (much better than the Hooter Hider or whatever it’s called), a lightweight blanket, a sunshade. And my 3-month-old loves gnawing on it. TOTALLY worth every penny!
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