While nothing can replace the warmth of the mother’s body, swaddling blankets can help you mimic that. When your baby is sleep-deprived, they struggle to grow well, both mentally and physically. These blankets can help maintain their sleeping patterns, and being swaddled allows your baby to feel comfortable and relaxed. We understand that some babies are skilled at wiggling their way out of even the best swaddle blankets, which is why we included a range of designs and features in our list. These include Velcro closures, leg pouches for hassle-free diaper changes, and special arm pockets to keep the baby securely swaddled.
Its simple zippered design makes using it a breeze, and since the zipper operates from both ends, you can even change your baby’s diaper without disturbing their sleep! This is perfect for middle-of-the-night diaper changes or cold environments, where unwrapping the baby can cause them to get chilled — and cranky. A two-in-one swaddle has elements of a swaddle, typically with wings that can be wrapped around a baby’s arms, but has a looser leg area that mimics a sleep sack. The American Academy of Pediatrics has excellent swaddling instructions and guidelines, as does this video.
Between sheer exhaustion, worry that you’re doing it wrong and a charge that may or may not be screaming in your face as you try, swaddling is a skill. Lightweight, cotton blanket wrapped securely around the baby to simulate the security of the womb. Their versatility and cuteness make these one of our favorite swaddle blankets! The Love to Dream Swaddle UP is unique in its design because it allows you to securely and easily swaddle your young baby with their arms bent and hands up by their face. They have tons of cute prints and are some of the more affordable sleep sacks.
Since my baby is very small, the swaddle was a lot looser than the Woombie or the Miracle Blanket. Since Harlow is a fussy sleeper, she needs the snugness of a tighter swaddle to help her stay asleep. There is a velcro wrap around the top of the swaddle that affixes in the back. While this makes it harder for a baby to get her arms free, since the weight of her body is resting on the closure, it also makes it a little awkward to get off.
All products recommended on MomJunction are independently selected by our editorial team. If you make a purchase through any of these links, we may receive a commission. Women’s Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Check your baby’s temperature regularly to make sure they don’t get too hot. Lay baby on their back face up on the blanket, with their head over the top of the folded corner.
Its extra-quiet Velcro helps even the lightest of sleepers stay asleep during night time nappy changes. It also has a double zip, making nappy changes when you’re half-asleep that little bit easier. MFM home tester Aarti, mum of 1 boy loved the “”double zip and wide design”” which she said, “”really helped with nappy changes at night””.
Sometimes, I will even lay the Zen over Harlow while she is in another swaddle in hopes the feeling of touch gets her to sleep even sounder. SwaddleDesigns swaddle blanket is known as the gold standard when it comes to blankets for swaddling babies. We use high quality fabrics custom woven for us, European inks and AZO free dyes. Every component is selected with care and thoughtfulness with special little ones in mind.