Wrap your baby up in the lap of luxury with a baby blanket that is as soft and snuggly as can be. A good baby blanket not only helps a newborn feel secure while swaddled, but also can serve as a security blanket for years to come. Go girlie with all-out pink, pick soothing blues, or select something neutral if you're keeping babe's gender a secret until delivery. Along with being perfect for babies, our favorite snugglies stand the test of time, staying supersoft through toddlerhood and beyond!
Wrap them up! The swaddling world was taken by storm when Raegan Moya-Jones brought her muslin blankets to the US in 2004. In a few short years, Aden and Anais's 100 percent cotton, stretchy, breathable wraps became the standard by which all blankets were compared. Their ability to maintain warmth without overheating a newborn (not to mention their large size) has made them a favorite of moms around the world — especially celebrity moms.
When Jessica Alba was spotted pushing baby Haven outside last week, she became the latest in a long line of Hollywood moms to use the versatile blankets to do everything from swaddle to protect their babies from the paparazzi's prying eyes. Take a look at 10 other celebs who have chosen the Australian brand to comfort their tots!
What's with the standard-issue pink and blue striped baby blankets? Throughout much of the country, the large, white flannelized blankets featuring bright pink and blue stripes are the first thing a newborn is wrapped in. They're not the softest, most luxurious, or even organic, but whether babies are born in hospitals in New York, San Francisco, or cities in between, I've seen hundreds of photos of just-born babies all tightly swaddled in the ubiquitous wraps. They've even won a cult following among moms hard-pressed to find another large, soft, and lightweight blanket that conforms to a swaddle so easily.
Now baby's first blanket will be immortalized by none other than NPR. The network has launched a campaign seeking out photos of newborns wrapped in the pink and blue striped blankies, asking listeners to share their own photographs on its site for a salute to the requisite wrap.
Do you have one of these blankets in your stash?
Source: Flickr User juhansonin
Be proud of your roots! Mom and dad picked their home for a reason. Now celebrate it! Today's talented designers are customizing blankets, clothes, and more to show off your tot's hometown. Perfect for baby gifts and and birthday presents, the kid-friendly designs will have lil ones learning their way around a map long before they ever have a driver's license! Check them out!
My first go-to gift for any new mother is always a plush, organic, baby blanket. Regardless of how many blankets she's already been gifted, another baby blanket can never go amiss. When a blanket is organic, the cotton used to make it is free from pesticides, so it is nontoxic and safe for your little one. What's great about all of these luxurious blankets is that they can be used to swaddle your baby, to keep your him warm in his crib, and to cover your lil one while running errands. Here are a few of my favorite organic blankets!
Source: Thinkstock
David Holdridge is helping impoverished children, one blanket at a time. After seeing his younger sisters have tea parties with their baby blankies and stuffed animals, the then 7-year-old Clevelander came up with an idea to combine them into a product that would make kids happy. From there, Happy Blankie (ranging from $32 - $128), a line of adorable, oversized throws was born. With help from his mom, the "one to love, one to give" idea of giving matching blankets to charities was born. I recently spoke with the precocious entrepreneur about his endeavor.
LilSugar: The one-to-love, one-to-give philosophy is inspiring. How did it come about?
David Holdridge: I just thought it was a good idea and Tom's shoes was a good inspiration for us, because they have the buy a pair of shoes, give one pair away program. I thought it would help me make babies happy around the world.
LS: What is the best part of having founded Happy Blankie?
DH: I know that I am the one who puts the smiles on the children’s faces.
LS: What would you say to other kids who are looking to help others?
DH: I think they could start with simple things like picking up litter or cleaning up trash (in their communities).
To read about what's next for the busy kid, read more
Who says you can't go home? Lil ones learning their way around town can easily take in a 10,000 foot view with Baby Soft-Map Quilts from Haptic Lab (starting at $95). The custom-printed, hand-knotted blankets are available for major cities in the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe, with neighborhood-specific designs available for New Yorkers. Large enough to serve as a tummy time mat or a picnic blanket, each quilt features the selected city's famed parks, gardens, and landmarks and can be customized with a tot's name, birth date, and favorite locations. They also make great wall pieces.
When choosing a baby blanket, mamas look for something soft, warm, and functional. One that can help swaddle your tot into a tight burrito and also fend off a chill as they relax in their swing. When choosing our six favorite baby blankets, LilSugar readers echoed our love for Aden and Anais' cotton muslin blankets.
The 100 percent cotton wraps, which are stretchy, breathable, and versatile enough to use for swaddling or draping over a stroller when a baby is resting, have become a must-have item on many mama-to-be's baby registries. Their growing popularity has spurred a number of new companies to enter the muslin blanket market, each with their own unique patterns and designs to appeal to every mom out there. Here are some of the new ones we have seen on store shelves.
Tiny tots love to snuggle up with blankets and drag them wherever they go. While blankies often provide wee ones a sense of security, they can also help youngsters muscle through teething and sleeping issues. Aware of the dangers blankets pose, there are some smaller and lighter options that can keep children happy and safe.
Your days as a groupie for a big hair band may be behind you, but you can still impart your rock and roll style on your lil one. Rock a Bib Baby has an adorable line of baby blankets and bibs inspired by its founder's frustration with the typical cutesy bibs and blankets that were covering the fashionable clothes she handpicked for her newborn. The company's extra-large Headliner Blankets ($48) feature fun, cotton, music-inspired fabric backed with soft white polyester minky fabric and make rad accessories for stroller rides or even laid out on the floor. Their smaller Roadie Blankets ($28) feature the same designs, but can easily be carried around. If you are looking to deck your darling out like a cool kid, Kingston Rossdale, consider this line your best option!
