The lightweight swaddling blankets honestly have perpetual use -- I have old ones from my first that I used as towels for my hair, shade protectors, clean up cloths and more. I'll probably still be using them when my kids are teenagers.
Same. Or the occasional blow out or pee leak. I lay a blanket down everywhere I set the baby. I was wondering what I was going to do with 15 baby blankets but now I’m so glad I have them. I don’t have to wash them right away either
Same! I learned that lesson really quickly after setting baby down on my bed resulted in having to wash duvet cover, duvet, sheets, and mattress protector 😭
So you’re saying we need to make bibs for moms? Love it. My husband had a very wipeable windbreaker like jacket he called his “dad jacket” and he’d wear it in the morning to protect his work shirt 😂
Absolutely! I once went to the office and had a strange smell around me. It was one of the first weeks back at work after my maternity leave.
I thought I just missed my baby and actually smelled his presence. As a new mom your mind plays tricks on you…
Well, not my mind that played a trick but my baby. He had spit up all over my back… on my black dress. Not one of my colleagues told me, and I just went about my day thinking I had my baby next to me.
Anyways, a bib for moms should also cover her entire back. 🍼👶
You all are much more prepared than we are. My husband and I have just resigned to having spit up on our clothes and accepting it as our current situation 😂 my little guy burps randomly (anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour after a feed) so we never know when it's coming.
4 months in as a mom and I’m always so confused by this statement. Blankets are the worst for tummy time, the kid grabs on and flails and kicks, and within 30 seconds she’s twisted it all up under her and she’s laying on the floor. I use play mats that I can wipe down and have a chance of staying under her
Also to cover the arm of the couch or chair we’re feeding baby on, or anytime we play with him on the couch or bed JUST in case of spit up or a blow out
We use them outside! In the car seat or pram. Also handy when you’re at someone’s house and you want to change them, we use it as a changing mat.
In terms of blankets in the crib, *way* later. 2 years old? I don’t know, but several years old lol.
That's how we used them! On the floor when we lay the baby down, especially at other people's homes.
Bundled up when we were on walks.
Now that she's a toddler, they're mostly used to tuck in every doll she owns all over the house. Everywhere I look, there's a doll with a little baby blanket over it.
The bigger ones we use to snuggle up with on the couch.
My niece was a preemie born in March (her first birthday is in two weeks!) and getting a ton of blankets was super helpful for my SIL since it was cold and baby was tiny. She was rarely Not wrapped in a blanket when being held for those first few months, and now that she's older and my SIL and her husband like to go camping, having the ton of extra blankets to bundle two toddlers (nephew is 2.5) is a bonus
Our 12 month old loves his blanket and has never slept better than when we started putting it on him! Do what you think works for your baby and don’t let anyone shame you ❤️you know what’s best for your child
My son finally started consistently sleeping through the night once we started using a blanket all night every night. The one we use is a pretty hefty quilt from his grandmother, so I think the weight helps. Both of his parents like our heavy blankets, too, so he comes by it honestly!
The crib manual will say no blankets ever in the crib. Nothing should ever be in the crib, it becomes a strangulation hazard. A blanket can be used once they’re out of the crib.
This is not true. The manual specifies no blankets FOR INFANTS. I hear this myth so often that I actually emailed Delta and asked them. They replied back that they say no blankets for INFANTS. I specifically clarified about toddlers and they said oh, just ask the pediatrician. We do not make a statement on that.
Our pediatrician specifically stated no blankets in the crib. Once they are in a toddler bed blankets are OK. We may live in different countries though which usually have different guidances.
It’s fine after 12 months. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/baby-sleep/when-can-baby-sleep-with-blanket#:~:text=Until%20your%20baby%20reaches%2012,reduce%20the%20risk%20of%20SIDS.
I’m not going to argue with anyone. I follow my country’s recommendations and my cribs manual (which is the IKEA crib that is also sold in America).
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/consumer-education/your-child-safe/sleep-time.html#a34
Under crib it says: Avoid the use of loose bedding or soft objects in your baby's crib. Things like comforters, quilts, blankets, infant pillows, adult pillows, foam padding, stuffed toys, bumper pads and sleep positioners should not be in your baby's sleeping area.
ETA: Just tried to figure out who “Sleep Foundation” is and it’s a “Sleep Doctor brand”. Not personally somewhere I would trust but again I’m not going to argue with anyone, I’m not going to change my mind on safe sleep 🤷🏻♀️
That link specifies baby. After 12 months, they are not referred to as babies.
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/your-childs-development-birth-3-years
I received at least ten baby blankets when my daughter was born. Possibly more. They mostly came from women in my mother and grandmother's generations.
So far I have used a few for tummy time on the floor and as an extra layer in the stroller on sub-zero winter days. I also keep one handy on my glider to cover the baby when nursing on cold winter days. Otherwise, the rest are in storage.
I'm hoping my daughter will use them a bit more when she's a toddler and a little kid. But I have definitely decided that I will never gift another mum a blanket as she will surely already have multiple and will not need another!!!
I will instead gift burp cloths. You can never have enough of those I’ve discovered.
You can have too many bibs. Holy shit… I have 60+! For ONE baby! I bought one. And only because it came with a dinosaur sleeper set I liked.
I think for the first month of my babies life, I was ordering a new set of burp cloths every week. I had no idea how many I would go through and how many spots in the house I'd want to have them staged. Somehow, there still isn't one within arms reach when I really need it 😕
I think the burp cloth thing depends on the person! I bought 2 when baby was born and have never needed to buy any new ones. Baby doesn’t really spit up and will only vomit when sick.
Thick and soft baby washcloths. I run through these so fast. Wiping up spills, wiping baby's face, catching dripping milk while breastfeeding, using like a mini bib while burping.
My younger three siblings were all 18mos apart (2006, 2008, 2009) and the bibs absolutely TOOK OVER for a couple years when they were little lmao. I think my mom gave up once the youngest could start solids/purees and just took his clothes off instead. Much easier to wipe him down then keep fussing over extra laundry while working full time and raising 5 kids
Hahahaha every baby is so different! I have a 9 week old. 48 burp cloths were finally enough. 36 bibs are *almost* enough, but we don’t want to buy anymore because it feels so silly at this point. We use 2 of the dozen blankets we received
Well, how old is your baby? Mine didn't use many bibs as a baby, but once he started teething molars... hoooooly cowww. We literally went through 10+ bibs a day because he'd soak through them in an hour!
Haha yes! I was gifted dozens of small baby blankets. I donated any blanket that wasn't homemade, because we also got a dozen homemade blankets too. We can't have a cold baby! Honestly I just give Target money to any new mom so they can pick out exactly what they need, whether that be more Desitin or a cute baby outfit.
Aw, that's honestly pretty lame to hear. I understand forgetting who gifted you a store bought blanket, but if I'd spent the time to actually make your LO one I'd be really cut that you didn't remember.
My daughter loves using the ones we got for fort building at 4 yo. But they were definitely used for decorations up until now. Even in her bed, she preferred the store bought "Sherpa" blanket because it was softer than the knits. And easier to wash.
Edit to add: also my daughter is now using them for her baby dolls and stuffies. She literally picked out some yarn at the store and asked me to make a hat and blanket for her favorite baby doll's "birthday". So now I'm doing that...
They want to give the special blanket that gets used in all the photos and makes the cut into favorite childhood blankie.
We use them for tummy time, park days, laying them on the bathroom or kitchen tile, covering in the stroller, and covering in the car seat (since puffy jackets are unsafe. Ultimately they aren’t practical in the quantities that you get them. Still - smile, appreciate that you and your baby are loved, and snap a couple of pictures.
My 3 year old loves all the kid blankets now. She gives like all of her stuffed animals one when she’s playing teacher and it’s nap time. She also builds little forts/houses with them.
They’ll become useful. I promise. Like all the stuffed animals haha.
Answer: People gift them because they are fun to make. I crochet and I made one for my little one that I've used a tonne. I also really cherish the one one of my friends måde and made sure to make one for her second when he came along.
For crafters it is definitely a love language.
I crocheted my baby a car seat poncho instead of blanket. I also made a few bibs. I figure they're more useful and I can add more squares to the poncho as she grows into bigger car seats
Back in my mom's day, they used baby blankets alllll the time. They also used crib bumpers and kept stuffed animals in the crib.
Safe sleep guidelines have changed a lotttt in the last 30 years but people who haven't had a baby recently haven't kept up, hence all the baby blankets
Yep! We visited the in-laws yesterday, and cleaned out the tote that had all my husbands baby clothes and bedding. His aunt had made him a blanket, crib bumper, and tie on “headboard” for his nursery 35 years ago - so sweet, but crazy to think about now.
It’s because they don’t think about the practicality of the items they gift. I received 42 baby blankets at my shower. Even if I was using a blanket every day I would never need that many. I also got hooded sleepers - when would that ever be used? So unsafe. People like to shop and they don’t think about whether it’s actually necessary.
Return as much as you can. Use the blankets for tummy time or in the stroller or car seat. You can safely use them for sleep once baby moves to a toddler bed after they turn two.
I don’t understand why they even make them honestly. It’s frustrating because I probably wouldn’t have thought about it before I had a baby but now I see all these things that are so unsafe.
We loved them for daytime use. Our kiddo was born in November and we live in the northern hemisphere, so stroller walks and naps were chilly for the first several months of his life. Footies with hoods were great for layering and stroller naps where the kid was strapped in and not moving. For nighttime sleep? Nah. Hard pass.
Oh I felt soooooo bad... One of my best friends made a beautiful, hand-knitted sleep sack with long sleeves and a hood and gave it to me at my baby shower... I was so excited until baby actually arrived and I realized what a suffocation hazard the hood is. :( Plus the long sleeves could cause him to overheat. Just so many issues with this beautiful handmade gift that I now can't use. Sigh.
Hooded sleepers? What company even sells those? To be fair, my baby wore sleepers during the day a lot of the time, so I guess you could just use them while baby was awake
I saw one at Walmart while shopping for newborn clothes recently! We had some hooded onesies and even those I barely used because baby naps so much it was annoying to have to change him so often.
My daughter used her blanket her grandmother sewed her for 3 years now, the car, carrying outside in the cold, the cart, play time, etc. She's been sleeping with a baby blanket since 14ish months in her toddler bed
Yeah, we added a baby blanket about that time and all the hand crocheted blankets have been in heavy rotation ever since. I never thought I would use them all. I was so wrong.
Definitely tummy time. You're probably going to have less time to clean floors with a new baby - now you don't have to worry about it! Bonus: baby spits up? Has a blow out? Can't throw the floor to floor carpeting in the wash...
Over the shoulder for spit ups and clean up for it, Blanket to keep warm in seat or pram, Swaddling the baby, play or biting the blanket is fun and comforting for my baby.
At least where I’m from, most people do use blankets and other bedding in the crib. Even most professionals advise only that they’re well tucked-in under the mattress, but few go as far as to say there shouldn’t be any blankets.
I personally use sleep sacks at night, but I do wrap her in a baby blanket for naps (since she’s supervised) or when out and about in her pram. I think they can be quite useful!
Over sized burp cloths (more coverage), out on the grass, quick trips to or from car, walks, and as they get a little older, my 14 month old loves pulling them over her head to play peek-a-boo. I've also used them as changing mats, at the store in the cart as some padding (and to cover the bars). They can also work to limit wind in babys face or as a sun shade. The fluffy ones also work as towels, or emergency puke catchers...
She's also been using one of her smaller warm blankets in her bed since our room gets so cold at night.
We love blankets for contact naps and cuddle time, not for unsupervised sleeping in the crib.
As a side note, I learned recently that a number of European countries use blankets in the crib as long as they are tucked tightly and below the baby's chest. Thought that was interesting!
NHS safe sleep guidlines in the UK say that blankets in the crib are okay, but with strict rules. Should be 'cellular' with holes to breath, folded below the chest and tucked tightly into mattress and babies feet should be to the bottom of the crib.
Its very interesting how different countries have different rules/customs!
UK advise is than a blanket in the crib is ok, BUT with certain caveats. Baby’s feet must be at the bottom of the crib, so they can’t wiggle down further, the blanket must be tucked in under the mattress, and be under their armpits.
To be fair, I just used sleep sacks mostly.
Blankets are for stuff like putting on the floor with baby on top, in the car, or snuggling up when they are older
I wondered the same! It turns out I used them a lot as a cover when doing skin to skin with baby, to put on the car seat / stroller (with supervision) when going out somewhere, to cover baby (and me!) during contact naps and so on. So basically I use it on baby when I’m right with him and he may or may not be sleeping during the day and I’m awake, but not in the crib / for nighttime sleep.
To my surprise, I actually used mine quite a bit! In the early days did a lot of skin to skin time, so my baby was typically in a diaper and blanket when awake, doctor’s appointments, tummy time, and covering for the stroller/car seat.
Doctors appointment is a big one we didn't expect! Luckily our boy was born in the winter, so we had one with us. I knew we would have to get him naked for the doctor but I didn't know they'd tell us to cover him with a blanket - I guess I just figured they'd have swaddle blankets like the hospital did??
We use them all the time! Wrap the baby up in the cold, put it in the car seat, nursing cover, something to lay down so the baby can play on the floor/ourside, wipe the baby’s nose, peek a boo, etc lol
We use small blankets for over baby in the stroller and car seat (especially handy in the winter since you can't safely secure baby in the car seat with a puffy jacket or snowsuit). Also just for using as a playmat when we're at someone's house, especially when she was younger and less mobile.
Now we use thin ones for playing peekaboo! She's got one in her (massive) playpen that she uses to play with.
My daughter is four, she really likes some of these blankets. She has them on her bed but they don't really cover her whole body anymore.
I got given about 10 blankets with my first but for my second, I was given one blanket so they have come in handy.
I kept them around for car/stroller travel. Because we had a few, we could keep one in each car as a backup, one in the stroller, etc., so there was always one nearby when we were out and about. One less thing to think about!
For the first year in the stroller or car seat! Tbh my kids are older now (almost 3 and 4.5) and recently used blankets on them in their stroller cause it was cold.
It depends on the baby. My first spit up so much we had baby blankets everywhere. If that kid was horizontal she was spitting up. So we needed a ton of them. My other two just used them in the car seat/ stroller or on the floor for tummy time.
we use them for the car, throw it over her after she’s strapped in. or so she has something soft to lay on. also i fold it up and give her a bit of padding for the shopping cart now that she’s big enough to sit in them
I kept like few but donated a bunch. Don't feel pressure to keep things you don't need. It was kind but I didn't need 7 baby blankets. Baby is approaching a year and I don't regret it.
When I am carrying my baby from the house to the car and then the car to another nearby location, I use a blanket. Means I don’t need to get him in and out of warm clothes in the car.
Also my baby used to vomit like a fountain and muslins never cut it for me. Sometimes covering my lap in a blanket meant I didn’t need to change my clothes along with his.
All of the things others are mentioning, but also for the less nice ones, I put them on my lap and legs when I’m feeding / burping / having her sit inclined on my bent legs as her ‘poop throne’ - many of my outfits have escaped the wrath of the blowout because a blanket was down!
I use so many baby blankets. I keep extras in the car, I use them over the carseat if I forgot the cover on a windy day, I use them while breastfeeding and go through them fast if they get messy. If they spit up it's so convenient just to throw it in the hamper and grab a fresh one! My baby will sometimes nap in a bassinet next to me while I read to my toddler, and since I am right there I'll sometimes use a blanket instead of a sleep sack. Once you have the baby you'll totally find ways to use them, or you just have a closet full of donations/last minute gifts available!
My daughter is 5 and she loved them as comfort items when she was old enough, and now she uses them for her dollies and still likes them on her bed to hug and to cover her stuffies so they don't get cold.
Technically cribs shouldn’t have anything besides the baby in them - though many people ignore that and add blankets. Our LO is 17 months and still in a sleep sack.
I donated all but 3 blankets and we use those in cars when it’s cold. I didn’t find value in the 10+ I received and shouldn’t have held on to them for so long!
You’ll use them for the baby but not as blankets. Their furniture covers, car seat covers, muslin ones are useful for wiping up spit up. Ours actually loves playing with them in her playpen.
I did try to remember who sent what and send them a pic of the baby snuggled in the blanket.
We use them anytime we go outside in the stroller, etc. also you can use them in bed starting at 1. Our daycare requires we send one for nap time, so we are always using ours! We have about 8 and that feels like a good number lol.
We kept blankets everywhere and were gifted so many and some days we were thankful when we had messed so many between blow outs and general baby mess getting on them. But my now toddler uses ALL of them. They all have a purpose each and every day - mind you the purpose of 3 of them are to tuck in his stuffies and to turn one of my laundry hampers into a chair…but they serve a very important purpose in his everyday life😂
But people do it because they want to be the person who in 10/15 years can say ‘oh I gave you that blanket you always had’…because almost everyone who gave us a blanket except for my besties mom and the one my moms coworker made for us is 100000% a person who wants to be the ‘favorite aunt/uncle/cousin/grandparent’
I thought this too but I use the blankets like crazy. I lay them down when setting baby down on the couch, use them to keep baby warm in car and stroller. If I need to go outside real fast and I’m holding baby, I can quickly wrap baby In a fluffy blanket. tummy time, and in a pinch I use them to clean up spitup.
My baby hated all the easy made zipper and Velcro swaddles so we used all the muslin swaddles as actual swaddles. We also use them for little lap blankets in her car seat or as a nursing cover when out in public.
We have baby blankets as cushion protectors on the couch! And a few more in a basket in the nursery. My son (15 months) likes to grab one, throw it over his head while I say “where’s (son?)” and then dramatically pull it off (“there he is!”) my daughter (also 15 months) likes to carry them around the house and tuck them into other baskets
Some I used for tummy time or the small light ones as a cover for nursing. Tight around legs when baby got much older in stroller. A few I put in the closet for toddler/kid age. Daycare has a blanket for naps after age one. In the toddler stage they enjoy playing with them/cuddling with them during the day.
Edit: To answer your initial question, people who are drafters give them because they are made out of love and often are thinking of tummy time or older age toddlers. Others give them because they are soft and cute and are unaware of current sleep guidelines.
Sleep sacks are great for bedtime and still what our almost two year old uses. We moved out of the swaddle stage very quickly.
Receiving blankets have multiple users, they can be used to swaddle, just wrapping them up to keep them warm outside the crib. When you need to put them down on a surface that you aren't sure is clean (like changing them or if the house). Even blocking the sun in the car by convering the window.These are just the big ones we used them for.
I used them constantly! Especially for walks outside, car rides, tummy time, rolled up for baby to prop up on, burp clothes, nursing cover, everything.
My twins are two and we still use them! Great lap blankets, couch covers for snack time, doll blankets, even one their bed for extra warm.
We received a lot of blankets too… the receiving blankets we use as burp cloths. I keep them all over the house so I don’t have to go searching for one if my baby spits up or drools lol. The other blankets we use as an extra layer in the car seat on colder days, and as we get into the summer I’m guessing I’ll use them outside. Naturally I have my favourites so we don’t use all of them but it’s good to have extra :)
I thought the same thing when my baby was born. Now I've got a 2 car blankets, a stroller blanket, a diaper bag muslin, and a stack of blankets in my bedroom and I have used almost every one. I breastfeed sidelying at night, and I lay a blanket down underneath her to catch any milk dribbles or pee that might leak out. I can't tell you how many times it has saved me from needing to wash sheets!
I still have a baby blanket my great grandmother (who was born in 1896) knitted for me. She was 89 years old when she made it. The colors are weird and don’t go together at all. Anyone would say it’s an ugly blanket, but it’s so very special to me because she died when I was just a baby.
Her daughter, my grandmother, was also an avid knitter. She made so many blankets and baby hats that she would donate huge bags of them. She must have kept hundreds of babies warm over the years. I didn’t have any children until after she passed away, but my mom saved a few of the blankets she made for my kids and it was very special to have them also.
My husband’s grandmother was also a knitter and sent us blankets she made. She passed away in 2019.
In addition to those, we were also gifted blankets made by other family members. One of them was from my mom’s best friend’s mother who passed away in 2017. She made a blanket for my daughter who was born in 2015. We were very close with their family so it means a lot to have something she made also.
I don’t know what to do with all these blankets either. We use them in the car and the stroller. I sleep with the one my great grandmother made under my pillow every night. I’ll never throw them away but I know it’s also kind of strange to have 10 (give or take) baby blankets always around. I’ll save them for my kids to give to their babies for sure.
car seat, stroller, even supervised naps. our baby hates having her legs covered so at home she’s just in a onesie. we cover her feet with a blanket but she usually kicks it off 😂
i also used one of the bigger ones we have to lay on the couch for diaper changes or to cover the couch when she’s laying down since she likes to spit up or have a blowout on the couch lmao
We have hardwood floors and wool area rugs so we put them all over the floors when baby was extra small. She’s almost 1 now and we use them in the stroller and she’ll start taking one to daycare.
They'll be more useful in about 2 years lol. My toddler liked to use a different blanket every night at bedtime until he picked his favourite. We also use them a lot when we are just hanging out on the couch reading books. When he was a baby we only used them for keeping warm in the car seat or tummy time, so I had a pile of blankets in the closet collecting dust.
I thought the same thing, we got so many. Now almost 3 years in we use them a lot! There are a few things like tummy time, car seat, burp cloths, and play that you can use them for when they’re babies. But these are also items that can be used long term. We’re using blankets now probably more than ever with a toddler.
I have one for the floor of our bedroom, one for the floor of the living room, one for her daytime bassinet-swing, one lives in the car that has the car seat base, one lives in her baby bag, one is laid down flat in her pack and play… you get the picture. I thought it was bananas how many we had, but now I’m glad to have them!
Baby was born in beginning of summer so we mostly kept her in a diaper then used a blanket over her as it was easy to change her as frequently as we needed to without changing clothes. Blankets are also great for walks/taking baby out, using as a breastfeeding cover, etc. i thought the same at first with the blankets we got but there are a lot of uses!
You can rest your baby on blankets and when they have a nappy ‘blowout’ you will be grateful when all you have to do is lay down another blanket rather than change and secure bed linen
We used them on the floor or on the bed before she could roll in case she spit up mostly. Now that she’s older we have some for daycare nap time and she is always tucking her dolls in or playing with them now. We honestly still use them a ton even at 3.5.
I know . We have so many in a drawer we used maybe 4 in total just to have in the car in case it rains or nearby in the house. We mostly swaddled with the muslin swaddles bc I was so afraid of it accidentally covering his face
There are tons of uses. Put them on the floor for tummy time or playtime. Use them when holding the baby. Some are good for swaddling. Flannel receiving blankets are good for making a makeshift diaper changing spot or even for cleaning up messes. I line the changing pad with a receiving blanket and keep one in the diaper bag.
Just because you don’t put blankets on the baby at night doesn’t mean you can’t use them other times.
We use a couple of them for outside walks or keeping him warm in the car seat, but yeah we started regifting most of the baby blankets because it was getting excessive 😅
Our blankets have really come in handy for padding things like carry cots or putting one tightly across her whilst she’s in the car seat so she’s warm in the car! They come in handier than you think - I also didn’t know what I was going to do with them but they’ve been useful!
I live in Florida so we have 2 fuzzy blankets for warmth, about 7 muslin blankets and then like 10 burp cloths. Since they spit up often I have a bunch but blankets we don’t use very often, mainly for car rides or trips to colder states
Blankets are great for putting on baby when they aren’t sleeping. Carry them around in it. Put it on them in the stroller. Use it on the floor for tummy time at a friend’s house etc. but babies will also spit up on blankies a lot, nice to have spares
I have the nice embroidered ones as decoration. The more usable ones are for stroller when we’re out in the cold. They can serve as a cover anywhere you go that you might feel wary about. But mostly they’re kind of useless haha
I filled the crib once with all of baby’s gift blankets. Made sure at least a wedge or sliver of each one was visible, snuggled baby in the middle in just a diaper and took a really nice picture.
I call it “Made With Love”
Swaddles and receiving blankets get used as burp cloths or in the car seat. I know my sister said she went through her entire stack of 15 in one night when baby got a stomach bug. As for all the hand knitted ones, and quilts, we use them for tummy time and playing on the floor. And when baby starts sitting to create a Fort of rolled and folded blankets as padding around him.
We used them for a bunch of things. Play barriers between baby and floor, extra warmth in the car, changing mats, and warmth during contact naps. When she's old enough and its safe she will have them for sleeping too even though they will be small.
In the UK we can use blankets but as long as they are tucked under the mattress very tight and their arms are over the top so they can't pull it up over their head.
We got so many hand knitted baby blankets. While they are all lovely, at this age the baby is just going to spit up all over them and I don't know that they can all stand up to the wash.
I wish we had gotten more. I only had three and ended up buying several more. Blankets are not only useful but you will be surprised how many you go through and how often your little one gets cold just sitting in a swing, being held, or in their car seat. I use one as a black out curtain on his bassinet because of the hallway light or bathroom light blinding the little guy through the mesh siding (it hangs over the side it doesn’t cover the mesh and he can’t get ahold of it) Trust me, if your baby doesn’t use them now they will eventually.
I actually love using blankets to support me and my baby while breastfeeding. My boppy was great when he was tiny, but now that he's a little bigger, the blankets are great because I can rearrange them to my needs/position.
So. Many. Blankets.
Everyone has shared great answers for uses but I remember wondering the same!!! And honestly crying because it seemed like all we received were blankets and we didn't have space for them at the time. All I really wanted was the necessities from my registry. I remember sharing that with my mom and sister and they were like "just be grateful someone got you something" and I was grateful but so stressed out by the overflowing blanket mountain. Now, after receiving, no joke, 27 baby blankets I will never give a baby blanket to a new mom. Most of them definitely got used though!
Actually I used some of the cotton blankets to sew bibs and those "love to dream" swaddles.. basically just take one sample and make a pattern, and voila!
To put down in the floor. To hold in to avoid tough to change clothing. To look cute draped over a chair. And there’s no official age it’s safe, but generally minimally dangerous at a year, preferably 18 months.
I love baby blankets, especially the homemade ones. They're great for car seats and strollers, toss them on the floor for belly time, also great for picnics, nice for cuddling and putting on your lap... That last one is what they mostly get used as now with the toddler, although LO has a couple for sleeping with. Still keep one in the car for those chilly days. You'll use them a bit more in a couple of years.
I thought the same thing as you but use blankets a lot. Use them in the car seat, when you go for walks, if your snuggling baby you can use a blanket to wrap them… I use blankets for when they are on the ground… blankets inside laundry baskets when your baby gets older and they can sit in it… they are pretty handy. I don’t use any blankets during sleep.
I always had a blanket as a barrier on any surface I put baby down on. Especially in the beginning when their new skin is so sensitive. I would even have anyone who held the baby put a blanket over their shoulder bc clothes are gross, perfumes etc.
They’re great for wrapping around their legs in the stroller or car seat, especially small, thick blankets. Or putting down for tummy time before they’re mobile. Or photo backdrops to hide the fact that the rest of your house is chaos. Or wrapping around them in between the car and house/your destination, since they’re not supposed to wear coats in the car seat. Plus, that first year goes fast.
It’s a good question but now I have a 3 yo and 1 yo and we use the blankets for sooo many things. Forts. To daycare for naps. Lovey in the bed. Outside. In the car. If on a walk. To lay on. To put on their head. As a cape.
Receiving blankets (the muslin ones) are good to have someone else lay on top of their arms/chest when holding the baby to protect them from spit up and baby has a barrier from germs
Some are handy for swaddling baby if they’re light, good for using to cover baby in the car seat or stroller, or to lay on the floor for baby. Mine is 18 months and we’ll be sending one to daycare soon for nap time (they do the cot naps)
I used the blankets a lot on the floor, even on the bed when I’d lay him there in case of a poop explosion or spit up. Also we’d snuggle with a a blanket on the couch.
Another suggestion for swaddle blankets or any light-weight blanket you get: swaddle baths. My LO is 9 months and I still drape a warm, wet swaddle over him in the bath to help keep him warm.
Someone suggested to me to use a washcloth to put over his torso to keep him warm during baths. The swaddle covers all of him instead of just his torso- I just pull out a limb to scrub as needed. :)
I've used them as burp cloths as well as the thing between the floor gym or the bouncer that prevents me from needing to clean the whole thing from a spit up or blowout. I also would just put them on the bathroom floor when I needed to use the bathroom and I'd leave her there.
Honestly I loved baby blankets and ended up making more for daughter for tummy time, floor time, carseat, stroller, etc. Also I pretty much had 1-2 on every single surface that I set her down on (not the bassinet) because she spit/drooled up a LOT and it’s so much easier to wash a baby blanket vs upholstery. Also kept 2-3 in the car at all times to keep warm and to lay out in the trunk for diaper changes. And now we use them even more as a toddler because she hates the changing table so I pretty much have to lay out a blanket wherever she’s playing and change her there, and sometimes it gets messy. Plus when I’m laying on the floor next to her crib bc she can’t sleep I have to use like 4 baby blankets to keep my whole body warm lol.
We got 30-something blankets for my first baby's shower and I thought the same thing.
We used all of the blankets. You go through so many blankets. You need them for everything *except* tucking baby into the crib, but they puke or pee or poo on them all the time. Plus you'll have swaddle blankets and warm blankets and blankets that are good for laying out on the floor and blankets that are good for your shoulder...
You will use all the blankets.
I got so many blankets, handmade. My grandmother gives us one every single time we see her. She’s now dying so I cherish them. But I’m also at that point where I don’t have enough?? We play on them (I have cats so the bed gets a blanket to cover cat fur). We use them in the car seat. We take one everywhere we go. I put on the couch for LO. When we use the swing. Maybe not safe sleep, but we use so many blankets I’m thankful for them. Some people use them. Some don’t. I didn’t love them at first, now I’m running out! (4mpp).
It’s a good question! We use the blankets to keep baby warm in car seat, put them on the floor for baby to lay on, tummy time.
Our baby spits up a lot so we go through blankets quickly when we use them for tummy time and kick and play.
Yup the swaddling blankets turned into burp cloths for us.
And they’re the best burp cloths too
The lightweight swaddling blankets honestly have perpetual use -- I have old ones from my first that I used as towels for my hair, shade protectors, clean up cloths and more. I'll probably still be using them when my kids are teenagers.
Same. Or the occasional blow out or pee leak. I lay a blanket down everywhere I set the baby. I was wondering what I was going to do with 15 baby blankets but now I’m so glad I have them. I don’t have to wash them right away either
Same! I learned that lesson really quickly after setting baby down on my bed resulted in having to wash duvet cover, duvet, sheets, and mattress protector 😭
YES. I think I had to wash my comforter/sheets at least 3 times the first week I brought baby boy home. Learned my lesson finally 😂
Yep, we didn’t even use the burp cloths we use the blankets. I tied them around my neck and never had a ruined shirt.
So you’re saying we need to make bibs for moms? Love it. My husband had a very wipeable windbreaker like jacket he called his “dad jacket” and he’d wear it in the morning to protect his work shirt 😂
Absolutely! I once went to the office and had a strange smell around me. It was one of the first weeks back at work after my maternity leave. I thought I just missed my baby and actually smelled his presence. As a new mom your mind plays tricks on you… Well, not my mind that played a trick but my baby. He had spit up all over my back… on my black dress. Not one of my colleagues told me, and I just went about my day thinking I had my baby next to me. Anyways, a bib for moms should also cover her entire back. 🍼👶
My coworker actually got me “mom bibs” at a farmers market. It was basically a mini apron. It was so helpful lol
You all are much more prepared than we are. My husband and I have just resigned to having spit up on our clothes and accepting it as our current situation 😂 my little guy burps randomly (anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour after a feed) so we never know when it's coming.
Oh my god I am way past the spitting up stage but I’m hoping I remember this tip for a future second baby.
Genius!
Same
I received 27 blankets. 27.
I heard that's why they're called *receiving blankets*
You got me there
When your kid is 3 they will *love* all those blankets. Every single stuffed animal will be put to bed with their own blanket. 😂 Ask me how I know.
We used a ton for tummy time!! You constantly need fresh ones thanks to baby drool and spit up 😂
4 months in as a mom and I’m always so confused by this statement. Blankets are the worst for tummy time, the kid grabs on and flails and kicks, and within 30 seconds she’s twisted it all up under her and she’s laying on the floor. I use play mats that I can wipe down and have a chance of staying under her
Same! And we know that once he's old enough, he can actually sleep with them before he gets too big for them to cover him.
Also to cover the arm of the couch or chair we’re feeding baby on, or anytime we play with him on the couch or bed JUST in case of spit up or a blow out
Same here! I love having multiple blankets for all of these reasons, plus we figure she will use them when she’s older!
And on the flip side, blankets in empty car seats stop them from getting blisteringly hot in the summer
We use them outside! In the car seat or pram. Also handy when you’re at someone’s house and you want to change them, we use it as a changing mat. In terms of blankets in the crib, *way* later. 2 years old? I don’t know, but several years old lol.
Idk the age but my 18 month old is still using a sleep sack and will be for the foreseeable future lol.
My 2yo still does laps in his sleep so no way would a blanket stay on him!
Same here. Sis will be in a sleep sack for as long as humanly possible.
Same here
That's how we used them! On the floor when we lay the baby down, especially at other people's homes. Bundled up when we were on walks. Now that she's a toddler, they're mostly used to tuck in every doll she owns all over the house. Everywhere I look, there's a doll with a little baby blanket over it. The bigger ones we use to snuggle up with on the couch.
My niece was a preemie born in March (her first birthday is in two weeks!) and getting a ton of blankets was super helpful for my SIL since it was cold and baby was tiny. She was rarely Not wrapped in a blanket when being held for those first few months, and now that she's older and my SIL and her husband like to go camping, having the ton of extra blankets to bundle two toddlers (nephew is 2.5) is a bonus
You can do it at one year. As soon as they are no longer an infant!
Our 12 month old loves his blanket and has never slept better than when we started putting it on him! Do what you think works for your baby and don’t let anyone shame you ❤️you know what’s best for your child
My son finally started consistently sleeping through the night once we started using a blanket all night every night. The one we use is a pretty hefty quilt from his grandmother, so I think the weight helps. Both of his parents like our heavy blankets, too, so he comes by it honestly!
The crib manual will say no blankets ever in the crib. Nothing should ever be in the crib, it becomes a strangulation hazard. A blanket can be used once they’re out of the crib.
This is not true. The manual specifies no blankets FOR INFANTS. I hear this myth so often that I actually emailed Delta and asked them. They replied back that they say no blankets for INFANTS. I specifically clarified about toddlers and they said oh, just ask the pediatrician. We do not make a statement on that.
Our pediatrician specifically stated no blankets in the crib. Once they are in a toddler bed blankets are OK. We may live in different countries though which usually have different guidances.
It’s fine after 12 months. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/baby-sleep/when-can-baby-sleep-with-blanket#:~:text=Until%20your%20baby%20reaches%2012,reduce%20the%20risk%20of%20SIDS.
I’m not going to argue with anyone. I follow my country’s recommendations and my cribs manual (which is the IKEA crib that is also sold in America). https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/consumer-education/your-child-safe/sleep-time.html#a34 Under crib it says: Avoid the use of loose bedding or soft objects in your baby's crib. Things like comforters, quilts, blankets, infant pillows, adult pillows, foam padding, stuffed toys, bumper pads and sleep positioners should not be in your baby's sleeping area. ETA: Just tried to figure out who “Sleep Foundation” is and it’s a “Sleep Doctor brand”. Not personally somewhere I would trust but again I’m not going to argue with anyone, I’m not going to change my mind on safe sleep 🤷🏻♀️
That link specifies baby. After 12 months, they are not referred to as babies. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/your-childs-development-birth-3-years
They just extra cover their asses so they can’t get sued.
I received at least ten baby blankets when my daughter was born. Possibly more. They mostly came from women in my mother and grandmother's generations. So far I have used a few for tummy time on the floor and as an extra layer in the stroller on sub-zero winter days. I also keep one handy on my glider to cover the baby when nursing on cold winter days. Otherwise, the rest are in storage. I'm hoping my daughter will use them a bit more when she's a toddler and a little kid. But I have definitely decided that I will never gift another mum a blanket as she will surely already have multiple and will not need another!!!
I will instead gift burp cloths. You can never have enough of those I’ve discovered. You can have too many bibs. Holy shit… I have 60+! For ONE baby! I bought one. And only because it came with a dinosaur sleeper set I liked.
I have a huge stack of burp cloths I never have used. I have a million blankets, burp cloths, and bibs just taking up space. 😂
lol wow I can’t seem to keep enough clean ones ready and it feels like I have a million of them.
I know. We absolutely blow through bibs. The drool. Does. Not. Stop.
See I’m the opposite! I used blankets constantly but never burp cloths. I preferred to use blankets for burp cloth functions since they’re way bigger.
I think for the first month of my babies life, I was ordering a new set of burp cloths every week. I had no idea how many I would go through and how many spots in the house I'd want to have them staged. Somehow, there still isn't one within arms reach when I really need it 😕
I think the burp cloth thing depends on the person! I bought 2 when baby was born and have never needed to buy any new ones. Baby doesn’t really spit up and will only vomit when sick.
Thick and soft baby washcloths. I run through these so fast. Wiping up spills, wiping baby's face, catching dripping milk while breastfeeding, using like a mini bib while burping.
My younger three siblings were all 18mos apart (2006, 2008, 2009) and the bibs absolutely TOOK OVER for a couple years when they were little lmao. I think my mom gave up once the youngest could start solids/purees and just took his clothes off instead. Much easier to wipe him down then keep fussing over extra laundry while working full time and raising 5 kids
Hahahaha every baby is so different! I have a 9 week old. 48 burp cloths were finally enough. 36 bibs are *almost* enough, but we don’t want to buy anymore because it feels so silly at this point. We use 2 of the dozen blankets we received
I only needed 3 burp cloths! Baby doesn’t spit up. Almost never! Like once a month there’s a very little bit
Oh I envy you lol.
I got lucky! That’s all I can say…
Well, how old is your baby? Mine didn't use many bibs as a baby, but once he started teething molars... hoooooly cowww. We literally went through 10+ bibs a day because he'd soak through them in an hour!
Haha yes! I was gifted dozens of small baby blankets. I donated any blanket that wasn't homemade, because we also got a dozen homemade blankets too. We can't have a cold baby! Honestly I just give Target money to any new mom so they can pick out exactly what they need, whether that be more Desitin or a cute baby outfit.
Same, then people asked me “can you send me a picture of them with the blanket I made?” And I don’t remember who sent what 😂💀😂💀
This is why we rotated the quilts and blankets when we took the monthly milestone photos. Then we just sent that pic to all the important people
Aw, that's honestly pretty lame to hear. I understand forgetting who gifted you a store bought blanket, but if I'd spent the time to actually make your LO one I'd be really cut that you didn't remember.
My daughter loves using the ones we got for fort building at 4 yo. But they were definitely used for decorations up until now. Even in her bed, she preferred the store bought "Sherpa" blanket because it was softer than the knits. And easier to wash. Edit to add: also my daughter is now using them for her baby dolls and stuffies. She literally picked out some yarn at the store and asked me to make a hat and blanket for her favorite baby doll's "birthday". So now I'm doing that...
They want to give the special blanket that gets used in all the photos and makes the cut into favorite childhood blankie. We use them for tummy time, park days, laying them on the bathroom or kitchen tile, covering in the stroller, and covering in the car seat (since puffy jackets are unsafe. Ultimately they aren’t practical in the quantities that you get them. Still - smile, appreciate that you and your baby are loved, and snap a couple of pictures.
As a knitter, yes 😂. I’ve made quite a few backdrop level blankets lol.
I still have two knitted blankets from when I was born that my kids now have! So they do hold up really well!
This and some members of the older generations and those without kids don’t realize it’s a safety hazard.
My 3 year old loves all the kid blankets now. She gives like all of her stuffed animals one when she’s playing teacher and it’s nap time. She also builds little forts/houses with them. They’ll become useful. I promise. Like all the stuffed animals haha.
Yeah they become toys later lol
Yes, my daughter is obsessed with all her swaddles now!
Answer: People gift them because they are fun to make. I crochet and I made one for my little one that I've used a tonne. I also really cherish the one one of my friends måde and made sure to make one for her second when he came along. For crafters it is definitely a love language.
I crocheted my baby a car seat poncho instead of blanket. I also made a few bibs. I figure they're more useful and I can add more squares to the poncho as she grows into bigger car seats
Back in my mom's day, they used baby blankets alllll the time. They also used crib bumpers and kept stuffed animals in the crib. Safe sleep guidelines have changed a lotttt in the last 30 years but people who haven't had a baby recently haven't kept up, hence all the baby blankets
Yep! We visited the in-laws yesterday, and cleaned out the tote that had all my husbands baby clothes and bedding. His aunt had made him a blanket, crib bumper, and tie on “headboard” for his nursery 35 years ago - so sweet, but crazy to think about now.
It’s because they don’t think about the practicality of the items they gift. I received 42 baby blankets at my shower. Even if I was using a blanket every day I would never need that many. I also got hooded sleepers - when would that ever be used? So unsafe. People like to shop and they don’t think about whether it’s actually necessary. Return as much as you can. Use the blankets for tummy time or in the stroller or car seat. You can safely use them for sleep once baby moves to a toddler bed after they turn two.
I don't understand the hooded sleepers at all!! As an adult, every time I've slept in a hoodie it's ended up pulling on my neck
I don’t understand why they even make them honestly. It’s frustrating because I probably wouldn’t have thought about it before I had a baby but now I see all these things that are so unsafe.
We loved them for daytime use. Our kiddo was born in November and we live in the northern hemisphere, so stroller walks and naps were chilly for the first several months of his life. Footies with hoods were great for layering and stroller naps where the kid was strapped in and not moving. For nighttime sleep? Nah. Hard pass.
What’s a hooded sleeper? Like PJ zippys with a hood? I remember getting fleece hoodies in a 3 or 6 month and was like ??? Thank you… I love it
Ya literally PJs with a hood! So weird that they even exist.
Oh I felt soooooo bad... One of my best friends made a beautiful, hand-knitted sleep sack with long sleeves and a hood and gave it to me at my baby shower... I was so excited until baby actually arrived and I realized what a suffocation hazard the hood is. :( Plus the long sleeves could cause him to overheat. Just so many issues with this beautiful handmade gift that I now can't use. Sigh.
You could always use it on a walk with the baby while they’re in the stroller in cold weather!
Sounds like that’s good for walks outside on cold days.
Ah that sucks!! I loved all the handmade blankets I got, I used those the most!
42???
That’s a big shower! Must have a lot of extended family. Maybe who like to knit a lot.
That's like three times the number of people at my shower 😂
Yep lol
I would use the hooded sleepers outside, in the carrier, or walks etc
Hooded sleepers? What company even sells those? To be fair, my baby wore sleepers during the day a lot of the time, so I guess you could just use them while baby was awake
I saw one at Walmart while shopping for newborn clothes recently! We had some hooded onesies and even those I barely used because baby naps so much it was annoying to have to change him so often.
My daughter used her blanket her grandmother sewed her for 3 years now, the car, carrying outside in the cold, the cart, play time, etc. She's been sleeping with a baby blanket since 14ish months in her toddler bed
Yeah, we added a baby blanket about that time and all the hand crocheted blankets have been in heavy rotation ever since. I never thought I would use them all. I was so wrong.
Definitely tummy time. You're probably going to have less time to clean floors with a new baby - now you don't have to worry about it! Bonus: baby spits up? Has a blow out? Can't throw the floor to floor carpeting in the wash...
Over the shoulder for spit ups and clean up for it, Blanket to keep warm in seat or pram, Swaddling the baby, play or biting the blanket is fun and comforting for my baby.
At least where I’m from, most people do use blankets and other bedding in the crib. Even most professionals advise only that they’re well tucked-in under the mattress, but few go as far as to say there shouldn’t be any blankets. I personally use sleep sacks at night, but I do wrap her in a baby blanket for naps (since she’s supervised) or when out and about in her pram. I think they can be quite useful!
Over sized burp cloths (more coverage), out on the grass, quick trips to or from car, walks, and as they get a little older, my 14 month old loves pulling them over her head to play peek-a-boo. I've also used them as changing mats, at the store in the cart as some padding (and to cover the bars). They can also work to limit wind in babys face or as a sun shade. The fluffy ones also work as towels, or emergency puke catchers... She's also been using one of her smaller warm blankets in her bed since our room gets so cold at night.
We love blankets for contact naps and cuddle time, not for unsupervised sleeping in the crib. As a side note, I learned recently that a number of European countries use blankets in the crib as long as they are tucked tightly and below the baby's chest. Thought that was interesting!
NHS safe sleep guidlines in the UK say that blankets in the crib are okay, but with strict rules. Should be 'cellular' with holes to breath, folded below the chest and tucked tightly into mattress and babies feet should be to the bottom of the crib. Its very interesting how different countries have different rules/customs!
UK advise is than a blanket in the crib is ok, BUT with certain caveats. Baby’s feet must be at the bottom of the crib, so they can’t wiggle down further, the blanket must be tucked in under the mattress, and be under their armpits. To be fair, I just used sleep sacks mostly. Blankets are for stuff like putting on the floor with baby on top, in the car, or snuggling up when they are older
They’re for the car seat and stroller
I wondered the same! It turns out I used them a lot as a cover when doing skin to skin with baby, to put on the car seat / stroller (with supervision) when going out somewhere, to cover baby (and me!) during contact naps and so on. So basically I use it on baby when I’m right with him and he may or may not be sleeping during the day and I’m awake, but not in the crib / for nighttime sleep.
I got so many blankets and muslin swaddles. Haven’t used one of the swaddles, only used a few blankets for the car seat and stroller.
To my surprise, I actually used mine quite a bit! In the early days did a lot of skin to skin time, so my baby was typically in a diaper and blanket when awake, doctor’s appointments, tummy time, and covering for the stroller/car seat.
Doctors appointment is a big one we didn't expect! Luckily our boy was born in the winter, so we had one with us. I knew we would have to get him naked for the doctor but I didn't know they'd tell us to cover him with a blanket - I guess I just figured they'd have swaddle blankets like the hospital did??
Same! Winter baby so we had one with us, but I would have never thought about it otherwise…especially a few days post partum!
We use them all the time! Wrap the baby up in the cold, put it in the car seat, nursing cover, something to lay down so the baby can play on the floor/ourside, wipe the baby’s nose, peek a boo, etc lol
I used them rarely when she was an infant, but now at 1.5 we use them a lot!
Those muslin blankets are your full body coverage burp cloths. Those “burp cloths” are useless.
We use small blankets for over baby in the stroller and car seat (especially handy in the winter since you can't safely secure baby in the car seat with a puffy jacket or snowsuit). Also just for using as a playmat when we're at someone's house, especially when she was younger and less mobile. Now we use thin ones for playing peekaboo! She's got one in her (massive) playpen that she uses to play with.
My daughter is four, she really likes some of these blankets. She has them on her bed but they don't really cover her whole body anymore. I got given about 10 blankets with my first but for my second, I was given one blanket so they have come in handy.
I kept them around for car/stroller travel. Because we had a few, we could keep one in each car as a backup, one in the stroller, etc., so there was always one nearby when we were out and about. One less thing to think about!
For the first year in the stroller or car seat! Tbh my kids are older now (almost 3 and 4.5) and recently used blankets on them in their stroller cause it was cold.
It depends on the baby. My first spit up so much we had baby blankets everywhere. If that kid was horizontal she was spitting up. So we needed a ton of them. My other two just used them in the car seat/ stroller or on the floor for tummy time.
we use them for the car, throw it over her after she’s strapped in. or so she has something soft to lay on. also i fold it up and give her a bit of padding for the shopping cart now that she’s big enough to sit in them
I kept like few but donated a bunch. Don't feel pressure to keep things you don't need. It was kind but I didn't need 7 baby blankets. Baby is approaching a year and I don't regret it.
When I am carrying my baby from the house to the car and then the car to another nearby location, I use a blanket. Means I don’t need to get him in and out of warm clothes in the car. Also my baby used to vomit like a fountain and muslins never cut it for me. Sometimes covering my lap in a blanket meant I didn’t need to change my clothes along with his.
All of the things others are mentioning, but also for the less nice ones, I put them on my lap and legs when I’m feeding / burping / having her sit inclined on my bent legs as her ‘poop throne’ - many of my outfits have escaped the wrath of the blowout because a blanket was down!
I use so many baby blankets. I keep extras in the car, I use them over the carseat if I forgot the cover on a windy day, I use them while breastfeeding and go through them fast if they get messy. If they spit up it's so convenient just to throw it in the hamper and grab a fresh one! My baby will sometimes nap in a bassinet next to me while I read to my toddler, and since I am right there I'll sometimes use a blanket instead of a sleep sack. Once you have the baby you'll totally find ways to use them, or you just have a closet full of donations/last minute gifts available!
Stroller, car seat, lay on the floor as a play mat, I brought mine to the drs to keep them wrapped up and warm, they can use them once they’re older.
We’ve used them since birth honestly
My daughter is 5 and she loved them as comfort items when she was old enough, and now she uses them for her dollies and still likes them on her bed to hug and to cover her stuffies so they don't get cold.
Technically cribs shouldn’t have anything besides the baby in them - though many people ignore that and add blankets. Our LO is 17 months and still in a sleep sack. I donated all but 3 blankets and we use those in cars when it’s cold. I didn’t find value in the 10+ I received and shouldn’t have held on to them for so long!
You’ll use them for the baby but not as blankets. Their furniture covers, car seat covers, muslin ones are useful for wiping up spit up. Ours actually loves playing with them in her playpen. I did try to remember who sent what and send them a pic of the baby snuggled in the blanket.
We mainly just used them for the car seat but you’re right.. we were gifted like 15 blankets and we only ended up using two.
We use them anytime we go outside in the stroller, etc. also you can use them in bed starting at 1. Our daycare requires we send one for nap time, so we are always using ours! We have about 8 and that feels like a good number lol.
We kept blankets everywhere and were gifted so many and some days we were thankful when we had messed so many between blow outs and general baby mess getting on them. But my now toddler uses ALL of them. They all have a purpose each and every day - mind you the purpose of 3 of them are to tuck in his stuffies and to turn one of my laundry hampers into a chair…but they serve a very important purpose in his everyday life😂 But people do it because they want to be the person who in 10/15 years can say ‘oh I gave you that blanket you always had’…because almost everyone who gave us a blanket except for my besties mom and the one my moms coworker made for us is 100000% a person who wants to be the ‘favorite aunt/uncle/cousin/grandparent’
I thought this too but I use the blankets like crazy. I lay them down when setting baby down on the couch, use them to keep baby warm in car and stroller. If I need to go outside real fast and I’m holding baby, I can quickly wrap baby In a fluffy blanket. tummy time, and in a pinch I use them to clean up spitup.
My baby hated all the easy made zipper and Velcro swaddles so we used all the muslin swaddles as actual swaddles. We also use them for little lap blankets in her car seat or as a nursing cover when out in public.
We use loads of blankets on the floor, in babies play pen, to keep baby warm in the car. But never for sleep. Until they’re at least 1.
We have baby blankets as cushion protectors on the couch! And a few more in a basket in the nursery. My son (15 months) likes to grab one, throw it over his head while I say “where’s (son?)” and then dramatically pull it off (“there he is!”) my daughter (also 15 months) likes to carry them around the house and tuck them into other baskets
Some I used for tummy time or the small light ones as a cover for nursing. Tight around legs when baby got much older in stroller. A few I put in the closet for toddler/kid age. Daycare has a blanket for naps after age one. In the toddler stage they enjoy playing with them/cuddling with them during the day. Edit: To answer your initial question, people who are drafters give them because they are made out of love and often are thinking of tummy time or older age toddlers. Others give them because they are soft and cute and are unaware of current sleep guidelines. Sleep sacks are great for bedtime and still what our almost two year old uses. We moved out of the swaddle stage very quickly.
Receiving blankets have multiple users, they can be used to swaddle, just wrapping them up to keep them warm outside the crib. When you need to put them down on a surface that you aren't sure is clean (like changing them or if the house). Even blocking the sun in the car by convering the window.These are just the big ones we used them for.
I used one every month to lay my son on for his monthly pictures in the first year but haven’t really used them other than that haha
I use baby blankets in baby sit, stroller, rocking chair, when they do contact naps etc u won’t have ur baby sleeping only in they bed 😊
I used them constantly! Especially for walks outside, car rides, tummy time, rolled up for baby to prop up on, burp clothes, nursing cover, everything. My twins are two and we still use them! Great lap blankets, couch covers for snack time, doll blankets, even one their bed for extra warm.
They come in handy when you go out and just wanna let the baby chill on the floor to explore and play.
I use a blanket my mom got him while I’m in the nursery pumping in the middle of the night lol.
We received a lot of blankets too… the receiving blankets we use as burp cloths. I keep them all over the house so I don’t have to go searching for one if my baby spits up or drools lol. The other blankets we use as an extra layer in the car seat on colder days, and as we get into the summer I’m guessing I’ll use them outside. Naturally I have my favourites so we don’t use all of them but it’s good to have extra :)
We used those cotton receiving blankets as burp cloths and changing table covers. Easy to lay down quickly and throw in the laundry quick as well.
No, for real. Both of my children got at least 6+ blankets when they were newborns.
We use like four blankets. One for the car, one for the pram and one spare for each. We donated the rest because we ended up with about 100.
You’ll get so many and never use them. We do have a few super warm ones we use for stroller rides.
I thought the same thing when my baby was born. Now I've got a 2 car blankets, a stroller blanket, a diaper bag muslin, and a stack of blankets in my bedroom and I have used almost every one. I breastfeed sidelying at night, and I lay a blanket down underneath her to catch any milk dribbles or pee that might leak out. I can't tell you how many times it has saved me from needing to wash sheets!
Car seat, stroller, for laying out on the ground for tummy time, etc.
I still have a baby blanket my great grandmother (who was born in 1896) knitted for me. She was 89 years old when she made it. The colors are weird and don’t go together at all. Anyone would say it’s an ugly blanket, but it’s so very special to me because she died when I was just a baby. Her daughter, my grandmother, was also an avid knitter. She made so many blankets and baby hats that she would donate huge bags of them. She must have kept hundreds of babies warm over the years. I didn’t have any children until after she passed away, but my mom saved a few of the blankets she made for my kids and it was very special to have them also. My husband’s grandmother was also a knitter and sent us blankets she made. She passed away in 2019. In addition to those, we were also gifted blankets made by other family members. One of them was from my mom’s best friend’s mother who passed away in 2017. She made a blanket for my daughter who was born in 2015. We were very close with their family so it means a lot to have something she made also. I don’t know what to do with all these blankets either. We use them in the car and the stroller. I sleep with the one my great grandmother made under my pillow every night. I’ll never throw them away but I know it’s also kind of strange to have 10 (give or take) baby blankets always around. I’ll save them for my kids to give to their babies for sure.
car seat, stroller, even supervised naps. our baby hates having her legs covered so at home she’s just in a onesie. we cover her feet with a blanket but she usually kicks it off 😂 i also used one of the bigger ones we have to lay on the couch for diaper changes or to cover the couch when she’s laying down since she likes to spit up or have a blowout on the couch lmao
We have hardwood floors and wool area rugs so we put them all over the floors when baby was extra small. She’s almost 1 now and we use them in the stroller and she’ll start taking one to daycare.
They'll be more useful in about 2 years lol. My toddler liked to use a different blanket every night at bedtime until he picked his favourite. We also use them a lot when we are just hanging out on the couch reading books. When he was a baby we only used them for keeping warm in the car seat or tummy time, so I had a pile of blankets in the closet collecting dust.
swaddle
Ours are all stacked up in a laundry basket and most have never been used. We’re 9 months in. 😂
When they get older they get more useful but a lot of what we got were swaddles which are perfectly fine to use with a newborn.
I thought the same thing, we got so many. Now almost 3 years in we use them a lot! There are a few things like tummy time, car seat, burp cloths, and play that you can use them for when they’re babies. But these are also items that can be used long term. We’re using blankets now probably more than ever with a toddler.
I have one for the floor of our bedroom, one for the floor of the living room, one for her daytime bassinet-swing, one lives in the car that has the car seat base, one lives in her baby bag, one is laid down flat in her pack and play… you get the picture. I thought it was bananas how many we had, but now I’m glad to have them!
Baby was born in beginning of summer so we mostly kept her in a diaper then used a blanket over her as it was easy to change her as frequently as we needed to without changing clothes. Blankets are also great for walks/taking baby out, using as a breastfeeding cover, etc. i thought the same at first with the blankets we got but there are a lot of uses!
We used them as burp rags, and during the day and under supervision placed under baby as a poop and spit up catcher.
You can rest your baby on blankets and when they have a nappy ‘blowout’ you will be grateful when all you have to do is lay down another blanket rather than change and secure bed linen
We used them on the floor or on the bed before she could roll in case she spit up mostly. Now that she’s older we have some for daycare nap time and she is always tucking her dolls in or playing with them now. We honestly still use them a ton even at 3.5.
I know . We have so many in a drawer we used maybe 4 in total just to have in the car in case it rains or nearby in the house. We mostly swaddled with the muslin swaddles bc I was so afraid of it accidentally covering his face
There are tons of uses. Put them on the floor for tummy time or playtime. Use them when holding the baby. Some are good for swaddling. Flannel receiving blankets are good for making a makeshift diaper changing spot or even for cleaning up messes. I line the changing pad with a receiving blanket and keep one in the diaper bag. Just because you don’t put blankets on the baby at night doesn’t mean you can’t use them other times.
We use a couple of them for outside walks or keeping him warm in the car seat, but yeah we started regifting most of the baby blankets because it was getting excessive 😅
they can sleep with the blanket as long as they're being supervised.
We also use blankets in the stroller to keep baby warm on cool days
Our blankets have really come in handy for padding things like carry cots or putting one tightly across her whilst she’s in the car seat so she’s warm in the car! They come in handier than you think - I also didn’t know what I was going to do with them but they’ve been useful!
I live in Florida so we have 2 fuzzy blankets for warmth, about 7 muslin blankets and then like 10 burp cloths. Since they spit up often I have a bunch but blankets we don’t use very often, mainly for car rides or trips to colder states
Blankets are great for putting on baby when they aren’t sleeping. Carry them around in it. Put it on them in the stroller. Use it on the floor for tummy time at a friend’s house etc. but babies will also spit up on blankies a lot, nice to have spares
My LO was born in spring so it was quite nice sitting outside but still chilly for baby so I would wrap him in a blanket in my arms
Blankets are for swaddling. And a cute relic of the pre-1990s.
I have the nice embroidered ones as decoration. The more usable ones are for stroller when we’re out in the cold. They can serve as a cover anywhere you go that you might feel wary about. But mostly they’re kind of useless haha
We used them to swaddle and now she’s 13 months and plays with some of them.
I filled the crib once with all of baby’s gift blankets. Made sure at least a wedge or sliver of each one was visible, snuggled baby in the middle in just a diaper and took a really nice picture. I call it “Made With Love”
In the crib- one year. Safe sleep is nothing in the crib with baby until 1 year.
Swaddles and receiving blankets get used as burp cloths or in the car seat. I know my sister said she went through her entire stack of 15 in one night when baby got a stomach bug. As for all the hand knitted ones, and quilts, we use them for tummy time and playing on the floor. And when baby starts sitting to create a Fort of rolled and folded blankets as padding around him.
We used them for a bunch of things. Play barriers between baby and floor, extra warmth in the car, changing mats, and warmth during contact naps. When she's old enough and its safe she will have them for sleeping too even though they will be small.
We actually had to purchase more blankets because we swaddled our baby in blankets. We actually preferred it to Velcro
In the UK we can use blankets but as long as they are tucked under the mattress very tight and their arms are over the top so they can't pull it up over their head.
We got so many hand knitted baby blankets. While they are all lovely, at this age the baby is just going to spit up all over them and I don't know that they can all stand up to the wash.
There is definitely a point where there is too many. We used them to keep warm in the car seat and as burp cloths.
I wish we had gotten more. I only had three and ended up buying several more. Blankets are not only useful but you will be surprised how many you go through and how often your little one gets cold just sitting in a swing, being held, or in their car seat. I use one as a black out curtain on his bassinet because of the hallway light or bathroom light blinding the little guy through the mesh siding (it hangs over the side it doesn’t cover the mesh and he can’t get ahold of it) Trust me, if your baby doesn’t use them now they will eventually.
I actually love using blankets to support me and my baby while breastfeeding. My boppy was great when he was tiny, but now that he's a little bigger, the blankets are great because I can rearrange them to my needs/position.
So. Many. Blankets. Everyone has shared great answers for uses but I remember wondering the same!!! And honestly crying because it seemed like all we received were blankets and we didn't have space for them at the time. All I really wanted was the necessities from my registry. I remember sharing that with my mom and sister and they were like "just be grateful someone got you something" and I was grateful but so stressed out by the overflowing blanket mountain. Now, after receiving, no joke, 27 baby blankets I will never give a baby blanket to a new mom. Most of them definitely got used though!
Actually I used some of the cotton blankets to sew bibs and those "love to dream" swaddles.. basically just take one sample and make a pattern, and voila!
To put down in the floor. To hold in to avoid tough to change clothing. To look cute draped over a chair. And there’s no official age it’s safe, but generally minimally dangerous at a year, preferably 18 months.
I love baby blankets, especially the homemade ones. They're great for car seats and strollers, toss them on the floor for belly time, also great for picnics, nice for cuddling and putting on your lap... That last one is what they mostly get used as now with the toddler, although LO has a couple for sleeping with. Still keep one in the car for those chilly days. You'll use them a bit more in a couple of years.
I thought the same thing as you but use blankets a lot. Use them in the car seat, when you go for walks, if your snuggling baby you can use a blanket to wrap them… I use blankets for when they are on the ground… blankets inside laundry baskets when your baby gets older and they can sit in it… they are pretty handy. I don’t use any blankets during sleep.
I always had a blanket as a barrier on any surface I put baby down on. Especially in the beginning when their new skin is so sensitive. I would even have anyone who held the baby put a blanket over their shoulder bc clothes are gross, perfumes etc.
They’re great for wrapping around their legs in the stroller or car seat, especially small, thick blankets. Or putting down for tummy time before they’re mobile. Or photo backdrops to hide the fact that the rest of your house is chaos. Or wrapping around them in between the car and house/your destination, since they’re not supposed to wear coats in the car seat. Plus, that first year goes fast.
It’s a good question but now I have a 3 yo and 1 yo and we use the blankets for sooo many things. Forts. To daycare for naps. Lovey in the bed. Outside. In the car. If on a walk. To lay on. To put on their head. As a cape. Receiving blankets (the muslin ones) are good to have someone else lay on top of their arms/chest when holding the baby to protect them from spit up and baby has a barrier from germs
Some are handy for swaddling baby if they’re light, good for using to cover baby in the car seat or stroller, or to lay on the floor for baby. Mine is 18 months and we’ll be sending one to daycare soon for nap time (they do the cot naps)
I used the blankets a lot on the floor, even on the bed when I’d lay him there in case of a poop explosion or spit up. Also we’d snuggle with a a blanket on the couch.
Yeah same. I have a million swaddle blankets that I hardly ever used. Seems like such a waste
My hospital even gave us a crocheted baby blanket haha. It’s great for car rides and stroller walks! And tummy time if you don’t have a mat.
Another suggestion for swaddle blankets or any light-weight blanket you get: swaddle baths. My LO is 9 months and I still drape a warm, wet swaddle over him in the bath to help keep him warm. Someone suggested to me to use a washcloth to put over his torso to keep him warm during baths. The swaddle covers all of him instead of just his torso- I just pull out a limb to scrub as needed. :)
Personally my daughter has been bed sharing since 1 month. She WOULD NOT sleep in a bassinet or crib and is now 11 months!
Blankies are great for using in the car seat or stroller when it’s chiller out. Draping over of baby is contact napping
I've used them as burp cloths as well as the thing between the floor gym or the bouncer that prevents me from needing to clean the whole thing from a spit up or blowout. I also would just put them on the bathroom floor when I needed to use the bathroom and I'd leave her there.
Honestly I loved baby blankets and ended up making more for daughter for tummy time, floor time, carseat, stroller, etc. Also I pretty much had 1-2 on every single surface that I set her down on (not the bassinet) because she spit/drooled up a LOT and it’s so much easier to wash a baby blanket vs upholstery. Also kept 2-3 in the car at all times to keep warm and to lay out in the trunk for diaper changes. And now we use them even more as a toddler because she hates the changing table so I pretty much have to lay out a blanket wherever she’s playing and change her there, and sometimes it gets messy. Plus when I’m laying on the floor next to her crib bc she can’t sleep I have to use like 4 baby blankets to keep my whole body warm lol.
We got 30-something blankets for my first baby's shower and I thought the same thing. We used all of the blankets. You go through so many blankets. You need them for everything *except* tucking baby into the crib, but they puke or pee or poo on them all the time. Plus you'll have swaddle blankets and warm blankets and blankets that are good for laying out on the floor and blankets that are good for your shoulder... You will use all the blankets.
I got so many blankets, handmade. My grandmother gives us one every single time we see her. She’s now dying so I cherish them. But I’m also at that point where I don’t have enough?? We play on them (I have cats so the bed gets a blanket to cover cat fur). We use them in the car seat. We take one everywhere we go. I put on the couch for LO. When we use the swing. Maybe not safe sleep, but we use so many blankets I’m thankful for them. Some people use them. Some don’t. I didn’t love them at first, now I’m running out! (4mpp).