How Do You Choose a Baby Blanket?
Choosing the right baby blanket for your little one can be difficult. If you’ve found something super cute and want to know if it’s worth spending your money on, what do you do? We asked a leading blanket manufacturer for their top tips on how to pick only the best baby blanket for your precious little one. Read on to learn more.
It’s not all about price
It’s very tempting to assume a high price tag automatically translates to great quality, but this is unfortunately not the case. While you should always be prepared to pay for good, respectable work, simply buying the item with the largest price won’t guarantee the best quality.
If you want blankets to swaddle your baby with, you need ‘receiving’ blankets. These are very light and thin, and specifically designed for this purpose. Fleece blankets are great for the cold winter months. A sleep sack design can be a great alternative to a traditional baby blanket. Designed with a head and arm holes, it’s worn almost like a shirt, but is enclosed at the bottom to ensure the baby stays warm without any risk or danger of tangling.
Finely crocheted blankets can be used on your baby, but for the most part, quilts and loop crochet blanket designs are better off kept as decor or momentos. If you’re looking for a cute and sassy valentine’s gift or mother’s day gift for a mom you love, a sentimental, special baby blanket can be a great choice.
Look at the materials
Materials for a good baby blanket should always be durable, soft and breathable on a baby’s sensitive skin. You can test a material for breathability by holding it to a fan; you should be able to feel some air movement, even on a cozy winter blankie. This is imperative to lessen the risk of suffocation. It’s better to opt for specially designed ‘cell’ or thermal blankets that breathe, rather than risk suffocation in a thick blanket or quilt.
There should always be a skin-friendly layer of fabric next to the baby. Cotton and other organic fabrics like bamboo will be the best choice. Remember that blankets need to match the season- a lighter blanket in summer to prevent overheating, and a heavier, snuggly one for chilly winter nights.
Safety first
Safety must always be the first consideration. Fringes, tassels, and ribbons have no place on a young infant blanket. Fur and faux fur can easily loosen and irritate your baby’s airways. Be wary of designs that can snag or entrap your infant. You should also size your blanket appropriately; the blanket should overlap your baby, but should not be so overwhelming it engulfs them. Blankets for wrapping, like these stretchy baby blankets for your little ones, need to be bigger than a blanket for the cot. Avoid hooded blankets, as they risk entrapping the baby, even if you don’t use the hood.
Don’t be afraid to get something engaging and sentimental when purchasing a blanket for your baby. However, it’s important that you always put safety and practicality first. Remember, those glorious and cute designs can always be used while you two are together, reading a nighttime story, or in the nursery as decor, even if they’re not quite right for overnight use.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
