Choosing a blanket for a newborn

To provide a comfortable life for a newborn, you need to take care of many things. One of them is healthy sleep, which is impossible without the right baby blanket. This article explains in detail how to make the right choice of a blanket for newborns.

General requirements for newborn blankets. How to choose?

Newborns are sensitive - so you need to approach the choice with full responsibility. To create safe conditions for the baby, you need to make sure that the blanket meets certain requirements.

1. Temperature. The warmth of the product should correspond to the temperature regime - the baby should not freeze or overheat. If the child is born in the summer, a light option is enough during the first months. If in the winter - buy two options. Light for indoors, warm for walks.
2. Size. Don't choose one that's too small - it won't cover the baby completely. Don't choose one that's too big - it will prevent the baby from moving.

   

3. Weight: If the product is too heavy, it can interfere with the baby's breathing and lead to many problems.
4. Softness: Hard materials can cause irritation to the baby.
5. Hypoallergenic.
6. Air exchange. The blanket should warm, but at the same time allow the skin to breathe.
7. Moisture exchange. The material must quickly absorb moisture and evaporate it.
8. Eco-friendly. Avoid harmful toxic materials.
9. Easy to care for. When buying, consult with the seller, ask him about care. Children's bed linen needs constant washing, so refuse options where it will be a big problem.

When choosing a blanket for a newborn, pay close attention to whether the child has any allergic reactions. Then you should refuse down, wool, fur products, so as not to accidentally harm the child. Do not buy cheap market products, it is better to buy it in a brand store, necessarily with a quality certificate. If the seller refuses to show one, find another, do not risk the health of your child. Remember that one option is not enough - you need at least two. One - to use at home, the other - when walking. Even if your baby was born in the summer, he will most likely need a warm outdoor blanket in the fall and winter. Buy blankets for the next season slightly larger in size, since the baby will grow during this time. It is also better to buy two products for home - a warm one and a lighter one. Do not buy blankets with large, easily falling pile, a lot of toxic dyes or large parts that the newborn may like. Choose warm, sunny colors, avoid aggressive ones. Cold colors can make your child capricious, too bright ones can scare, and calm and warm ones, on the contrary, will please the child.

Which materials are better?

The most popular materials are: down, wool, linen, synthetics, flannel, fleece, wadding. Let's look at each of the options.

1. Down. A very warm material, suitable for winter use. Soft, retains heat well, but has some disadvantages. Firstly, down quickly absorbs moisture, but slowly gets rid of it. Secondly, feather mites live in it, causing allergies. Finally, it is extremely difficult to care for. It cannot be washed, otherwise it will roll up and lose all its properties. You have to use dry cleaning services. In addition, you need to constantly clean the product with a steamer to exterminate mites. Constant drying is also necessary. Down blankets for children are lightweight, quilted, consist of a filler and a fabric cover. It is good to walk with them in winter weather. At home, under the down filling, the child will be hot.

   

2. Wool. Wool retains dry heat, has good moisture exchange and air permeability, and useful properties. Babies do not get steamed under it, and the product is also lightweight. Wool blankets are divided into quilted - consisting of a fabric cover and filler, woven - they are tucked into a duvet cover and used in autumn or winter, knitted - they are well suited for cool summer weather, but they cannot be used by very small children. Of the minuses - wool requires special care, ticks and moths love it, it can cause severe allergies.

   

3. Linen. Lightweight, hygroscopic blankets used in the summer season.

   

4. Flannel. Cotton, pleasant material. Breathable, protects the child from excess sweat. Easy to care for – dries quickly, retains shape. Suitable for summer walks.

   

5. Synthetic fillers. Cheap material that does not cause allergies. Light, soft, slightly less warm than natural analogues. Ticks, mold, and fungus do not survive in it. It is easy to wash, and retains its original appearance for a long time. The only downside is a slight greenhouse effect.

   

6. Fleece. Light, breathable, hypoallergenic soft material. Ideal for walking in the summer.

   

7. Cotton wool. Warm filling. Does not cause allergies, breathable. But it dries poorly, clumps together, losing its shape and all its useful qualities. Too heavy for newborns.

   

8. Bamboo. Such products are rather expensive. But at the same time they are soft, durable, silky, pleasant to the body, and retain heat well. They are not the most difficult to care for. They have an antiseptic effect, ventilate well, quickly absorb and evaporate excess moisture. Before use, leave it spread out for two hours inside a well-ventilated room so that it becomes more lush. Once a year or six months, air it for seven hours, vacuum it. It does not need any other cleaning.

   

Most materials require separate duvet covers. It is better to choose them from natural cotton or linen soft fabrics. Knitted blankets are not suitable for babies - they are too hard and not warm enough.

How to care?

Blanket care depends entirely on the material. Read the cleaning instructions for the material you plan to use online, on the label, or from the seller. Knowing some simple rules will help you avoid accidentally ruining your baby blanket. Try not to buy complex materials – you will only waste money. General requirements: avoid high temperatures, carefully straighten the filling when drying, and periodically air out the product to remove excess odors.

The warmth of a blanket

The heat level can be determined by reading the label. There are several points indicated, from one to five. Determine by their number.

• One point. Lightweight option, suitable only for warm summer weather.
• Two dots. A regular lightweight blanket. Can be used for a walk on cool summer days or at home.
• Three dots. Option for warm autumn or spring weather. Medium option for average temperatures.
• Four dots. Warm option. Suitable for late autumn, early spring, late-early winter. Warms well, but in severe frosts it is not enough.
• Five dots. The warmest option. Will keep your child warm in cold weather, preventing him from catching a cold and getting sick.

Transformer blanket

A convenient, practical thing. It combines a blanket and a newborn envelope. You can transform the first into the second in different ways - with a zipper, buttons, snaps, ribbons. This option is ideal for outdoor walks in cold weather.

The outer layer of the products is usually made of waterproof materials, and the inner layer is made of soft, pleasant to the body. The baby will be dry and warm in such a product.

With basic sewing skills, you can sew a transforming blanket with your own hands. It can be used as a classic blanket, as an envelope for discharge and for walks, or as a play mat or mattress pad. The requirements for such products are the same as for others.

Blanket-envelope for discharge

Some people buy separate fancy envelopes for discharge. But this is irrational - you won't be able to use a blanket with bows and frills for long, and cleaning it will be a real hassle. It is much easier to buy an envelope and buy or make accessories for it yourself, which can be removed after the celebration.

Examples of such accessories.

1. Ribbons. With their help, you can "belt" the envelope, giving it a neat, beautiful look.

   

2. Bows. Round, fluffy bows will decorate the envelope no less than ribbons.

   

3. Belt bows. A unique mix is ​​a bow with a ribbon that can be tied around an envelope, giving it a doubly pompous look.

   

4. Duvet cover. A practical accessory that can instantly make your look neat and beautiful.

   

In addition to beauty, choose a hypoallergenic blanket-envelope for a newborn baby and eliminate any dangers for the child.

Blanket sizes

The choice should depend on the size of the baby and the crib. Blankets for the following seasons are usually bought one or two sizes larger, since the child will grow noticeably in a few months. The smallest option is 60 by 120 centimeters. It is not very practical - you cannot wrap the baby in it for a walk, and in a few months it will be too small for sleeping. The most common options are 135x100 cm, 105x115 cm, 90x120 cm, 100x80 cm. It is better to buy a size for growth, and not exactly the right size - at the beginning of their life, children grow very quickly, and the purchased blanket may become too small in just two months. The largest option is 110x140 cm, it can last even for a couple of years. But you can make such a choice only if you have a large enough crib or if your baby is large - such a large product will only bring discomfort to miniature children.

When choosing a blanket for a newborn, you choose how comfortable he will feel most of the time. But don't be afraid - thanks to this article, you can easily choose the perfect option for your baby.

Video: Sewing a baby blanket with your own hands – it’s easy

50 photos of beautiful light and warm blankets with different fillings for your baby: