Best Swaddle Blankets: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

8. ErgoBaby Swaddling Blanket

ErgoBaby is known for their baby carriers, but they also make popular swaddling blankets. The ErgoBaby swaddle is made with 100%, ultra-soft cotton that won’t irritate the baby’s skin.

The design allows you to keep baby’s arms securely inside of the swaddle while also giving their legs plenty of room to wiggle around, decreasing the risk of any hip problems. The removable leg pouch allows for simple diaper changes and it’s machine-washable.

You can purchase the ErgoBaby Swaddling Blanket from their website or Amazon.

ErgoBaby Highlights

• Acknowledged as “hip-healthy” by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute.
• Removable leg pouch lets you change diapers easily.
• 100% soft cotton is hypoallergenic.

9. Aden & Anais Classic Swaddle

Aden & Anais makes high-quality muslin swaddle blankets in a variety of patterns and colors. They sell their swaddle blankets in packs of 4, 3, 2, or singles, so you can mix and match.

The Aden & Anais swaddle is the only traditional swaddle blanket on our list— it does not come with leg or arm pouches, fastening straps or Velcro, or wings for the arms. This blanket relies on the user to swaddle the baby correctly, so it’s not recommended for beginners.

Because this is a classic swaddling blanket, it’s multi-functional— you can use it as a burp rag, a nursing cover, or stroller cover to name a few. You can purchase the Aden & Anais swaddle blanket from their website or on Amazon.

Aden & Anais Highlights

• Made with 100% cotton muslin, stretchy, soft fabric perfect for swaddling.
• The multipurpose blanket can be used as a nursing cover, burp rag, and more.
• Comes in variety packs so you can choose from different colors and patterns.
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What is a Swaddle Blanket?

Swaddles are thin blankets used to wrap a baby tightly in a position that evokes the comfort of the womb. Swaddling has been around for hundreds of years— it can even be traced back to the paleolithic period! It rose in popularity in the early 1990s after research emerged showing babies should sleep on their backs to avoid SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Swaddles are typically used in the baby’s first three months but can be used beyond that to help with sleep training or just to ease the baby’s anxiety.

Swaddles can be as simple as a thin blanket, but these require a bit more skill to use since you have to do a lot of the wrapping and folding yourself. Some parents leave the hospital and forget how to do this amidst all the overwhelming things they have to do— and who can blame them?

Modern swaddles come with easy folds, velcro, zipper, or straps to make swaddling easy so you barely have to think about it. Swaddles should not be loose since that increases the risk for SIDS. Thankfully, modern-day swaddles come in a variety of sizes with customizable options to fit your baby perfectly, giving you one less thing to fret about.

Benefits of a Swaddle

A swaddle is an effective way to keep your baby sleeping safely on its back. It also prevents the baby from being startled easily and waking up constantly in the night, depriving it and its parents of much-needed sleep.

Temperature Regulation
While one risk of swaddling is that the baby can get overheated, a thin, breathable swaddle can regulate a baby’s temperature in a way that keeps parents’ worries at bay. Newborns are especially vulnerable to temperature changes, so a swaddle is a great way to keep them warm without the risk of suffocation.

Safety
We mentioned before that a swaddle keeps a baby flat on its back (unless you’ve got a little Houdini on your hands). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the back is the safest sleeping position for babies to prevent the risk of SIDS, which causes more infant deaths in the baby’s first year of life than anything else.

If you’re worried about the baby’s head flattening in this position, you can invest in a baby pillow specifically made to keep the head round. Still, many experts recommend not giving a baby a pillow until they reach the age of two.

Prevents Startle Reflex
Babies twitch a lot when they’re sleeping— after all, they’re not used to all the ambient sounds and noises in your home you’ve probably tuned out by now. As a result, they often startle themselves awake, disrupting their fragile sleep patterns and yours, too.

A swaddle keeps baby’s arms tightly placed at their sides, helping them feel safe and secure while avoiding that reflex to jumpstart themselves out of REM whenever they hear a sound. Most babies grow out of this reflex after 4-6 months.

Soothes Anxiety
The swaddle simulates the comfortable security of the womb. Some people call the first three months after the baby is born “the fourth trimester,” since it’s a time of considerable adjustment for both the parents and child.

Swaddles help ease fourth-trimester anxiety by using DPS, or deep pressure stimulation therapy, which involves applying gentle pressure to the body to release dopamine and serotonin. If mom or dad can’t snuggle the baby at all times of the day, a swaddle is a convenient and comfortable way to provide this relief.

The release of serotonin also stimulates sleep, so swaddles can even out the baby’s sleep cycle while also making it more tranquil.

Types of Swaddles

The original swaddle was just a thin blanket— in fact, “swaddle” used to simply refer to the action of wrapping your baby in a specific way. Now there are lots of different swaddle designs to suit your baby’s different needs.

Blankets: Blankets are the simplest form of swaddle— these are usually made with soft cotton muslin, a thinner fabric that lends itself well to stretching and wrapping. Using a blanket to swaddle your baby can take a bit more practice since there is no Velcro or zipper to keep your baby securely in the swaddle. You have to become very adept at folding tightly and correctly to ensure the swaddle is effective.

Swaddle suit: A swaddle suit looks a little bit confining, but don’t worry— it safely keeps your baby nestled within the suit, which has individual holes for the arms and legs (most swaddles don’t have individual holes for the limbs). Lots of parents use these if they live in colder climates or are worried about their baby staying warm. A swaddle suit is specifically designed for babies sleeping in a crib— not for co-sleeping.

Swaddle pods: Swaddle pods are similar to sleep sacks, but they are extremely low-maintenance. You simply place the baby inside of one and zip it up. Pods are usually made with spandex cotton, making them stretchy and comfortable for the baby.

Swaddle sacks: Swaddle sacks or sleep sacks come with a zippered front, like swaddle pods, but they also have “wings” sewn to the sides to keep the baby’s arms close. Swaddle sacks often include adjustable hooks and loops as well, allowing you to use them as baby grows.

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Things to Look for in a Swaddle

Wrapping your baby in a swaddle comes with lots of benefits, but not all swaddles are created equal. To make certain your swaddle is the most effective it can be, look for these things:

Adequate leg space: The baby should have enough room in the swaddle for their legs, ensuring proper hip development. Swaddling the baby’s legs too tightly can increase the risk of hip dysplasia. When the baby was in the womb, their legs were in the fetal position, bent upwards. Straightening the baby’s legs too fast can loosen the joints and damage the soft cartilage of the socket.

Most swaddles are made with a roomier portion for the legs, but if you’re swaddling your baby using a simple swaddle blanket (one without wings, zippers, or Velcro), you’ll need to make sure you don’t swaddle improperly. The legs should be able to bend up and out at the hips when the baby is in the blanket.

Breathability: Your swaddle should be made with natural fibers to help with temperature regulation. You can change up the swaddle depending on the season, but most are made with cotton muslin for warm weather and fleece for winter.

Ease of use: If you’re a beginner, try a swaddle sleep sack or swaddle pod, since these take all the guesswork out of swaddling.

Lifespan: Like most things you buy for your baby, swaddles eventually become too small. If you want to use the swaddle for longer than a few months, consider one with adjustable components.

Potential Downsides to Using a Swaddle

You may be ready to dive into the world of swaddles, but keep a few things in mind before you do:

Learning curve: If you want to start with the basic swaddle blanket, there is a bit of a learning curve. However, you don’t need to give yourself more work— sleep sacks and pods make swaddling easy.

Risks of improper swaddling: If you swaddle your baby too loosely, you risk suffocation. And if you swaddle too tightly, especially in the leg area, the baby could develop hip dysplasia. This is why you should buy swaddles in the right size for your baby with plenty of legroom to spare.

Overheating: There is a slight risk baby can become overheated in a swaddle, but as long as you choose fabrics appropriate to the season and climate, this shouldn’t be an issue. If you are really worried about it, swaddle the baby in their diaper only or with their feet sticking out of the bottom.

Too much sleep: If you swaddle the baby outside of their normal sleep cycle, you can risk them sleeping too deeply for too long, which can lead to reduced milk supply.

When to Stop Swaddling

Your baby will signal you when they are ready to be released from the burrito stage. Babies outgrow the startle reflex (also known as the “Moro reflex”) somewhere between 4-6 months old, so in this sense, swaddling becomes unnecessary.

If your baby starts taking their arms out of the swaddle or if they are starting to roll over during tummy time, that means they’re ready to be done swaddling.

At this point, you can transition the baby to loose blankets, which the AAP does not recommend until the baby is over 12 months old.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a receiving blanket or a swaddle?

Sometimes a receiving blanket is used to swaddle a baby, but the two are not the same thing. A receiving blanket has a square or rectangular shape and can be multipurpose. A swaddling blanket is smaller with winged sides that are designed only for swaddling.

Swaddling blankets are recommended over other types of blankets because they are designed resist coming loose. A loose blanket can be hazardous for a newborn.

How many swaddle blankets do you need?

It depends on how often you do laundry, which may become less frequent while caring for a newborn. You are the best judge on how many blankets is too many. At the very least, you’ll probably want at least two swaddling blankets, so you’ll have a clean one ready while you wash the other one.

Is it OK to not swaddle a newborn?

It’s perfectly fine to decide against swaddling your baby. While swaddling babies is a long-standing practice, there are recent concerns about hip problems and SIDS. If your baby is healthy and happy without being swaddled, you probably don’t need a swaddling blanket. You can talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of swaddling, if you would like to learn more and make an informed decision.

What age should you swaddle a baby until?

It’s recommended that you stop swaddling an infant when they’re three to six months old. Your baby is probably ready to leave their swaddling blanket behind when they grow active and strong enough to resist swaddling, if they wake up frequently when previously they slept through the night, or they’ve started rolling over because of increased neck and arm strength. To make the transition away from the swaddling blanket easier, you might want to consider a swaddling sack or a weighted sleeping bag for infants.

How many hours can you swaddle a baby?

The general rule of thumb is that a newborn can spend most of the day swaddled, but you want to decrease swaddling time as your baby grows more active. You want to get to a point where swaddling is reserved for sleeping at night and nap time, before slowly transitioning away from swaddling all together. Speaking with your doctor can help you devise a swaddling plan specifically for your baby.

Did You Find the Right Swaddle for Your Baby?

You’re probably reading this article as part of your late-night baby research (isn’t that what all pregnant women with insomnia do?). It’s overwhelming trying to find all the right products for your baby, but hopefully, after reading this, you’ve found a few good options for your needs.

Remember: the best swaddle will give your baby plenty of legroom, be easy to use, and keep the baby from startling easily.