For first time moms (and second time moms, too – let’s be honest), deciding what baby gear you really need can be overwhelming.  There is so much baby gear on the market and all of it claims to be essential and life changing.  And how are you supposed to know?  I recently posted all the newborn essentials that we’ve been using in the first three months since bring home baby, but today I’m digging a little deeper to talk about one of the most versatile baby products – swaddle blankets.  We’ve been using less things this time around and in my effort to simplify this year, I’ve been intentional about baby gear that is multi-functional.

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10 Uses For Swaddle Blankets

Below are the ways that we have used our swaddle blankets with our boys.  They really are so versatile.  In fact, I’m sure you can find about a thousand other things to do with your own swaddle blankets if you want, these are just the ways that we actually use them in our family these days.  Of course I might add to this later if we discover new ways that we like to use them.

Uses for Swaddle Blankets for Newborns

You can start using swaddle blankets from day 1 with your newborn.  Below are the ways we’ve used them with our babies.

Swaddling Your Baby

Okay, let’s just go ahead and get the obvious out of the way.  When done correctly, swaddling your little babies can be really helpful in allowing them to sleep better since it keeps them nice and snug.  Babies are also less likely to wake up from their startle reflex when they are swaddled.

That said, we were never very good at swaddling for the sake of sleeping when it came to our kids – they always got out and I never felt safe enough to let them sleep with the blankets while I was sleeping.  So, we only used swaddle blankets for sleeping during the day for the first few weeks while baby would nap in the same room as me so I could keep my eyes on them.

But, I know people that are great at swaddling – and if that’s you – that’s awesome.

 

Car Seat Cover

We’ve got a car seat canopy cover, which I really like, but when it’s warmer outside, it’s nice to have something lightweight to throw over the car seat for a cover.  This is one of the reasons I love the Baby K’tan Swaddle Blankets – they are made out of breathable, mesh cotton so they are great for keeping the sun out of baby’s eyes and skin when we go for walks in the warm weather.

Stroller Blanket

We also just use swaddle blankets as a blanket to keep baby (or toddler) warmer in the car seat and/or stroller.  They are the perfect size to keep them nice and cozy, without being too bulky and catching on the wheels of the stroller or bunching up around their face.  One thing I would add about covering the stroller or car seat with any blanket is to be sure that you still leave a little bit of an opening to make sure that air is still freely flowing and it doesn’t get so stuffy.

Tummy Time Mat / Clean Play Space for Your Little One

Swaddle blankets are also really great to keep in your diaper bag for an on-the-go play mat for your child.  We use these at the library for baby story-time most often, but you can use them anywhere and they are so easy to simply toss in your bag.  They make a great, clean surface to allow your baby to play on when you are out and about.

Truth be told, we use our swaddle blankets on the floor at home too.  Especially as a back-up when we need to wash the play mat of our activity gym.

Burp Cloth

You really can never have too many burp cloths around with a newborn.  Because spit up happens.  Our oldest went through a stage when he was between 4 and 5 months old where he spit up almost each time he ate.  He was a “happy spitter” they called it – he wasn’t upset or uncomfortable.  He was just spitting up.  I love to use tri-fold cloth diapers if I have them on hand, but because you never fully predict when spit will happen, swaddle blankets make a GREAT back up.  I cannot tell you how many times I’ve grabbed the swaddle blanket to protect baby’s outfit and car seat just as we are getting ready to walk out of the door.

Nursing Cover

Another great way to use your swaddle blankets are as nursing covers.  I’ve actually become a lot more confident nursing in public or around others in general with our youngest, but I still like to have a nursing cover whenever possible.  We love our Baby K’tan Swaddle Blankets for this, too.  They are big enough to go over my shoulder quickly and provide plenty of coverage while I nurse.  And the breathable fabric helps keep him cooler than some of the traditional nursing covers that we have – especially during these warmer months.

Uses for Swaddle Blankets Past the Newborn Stage

One of the toughest things about baby gear, in my opinion is just how quickly babies grow out of so much of it.  Much of the time, you spend a lot of money on the latest “must-have” product only to find out that your baby uses it for about 3 months.  (And any parent will tell you that those three months go by in the blink of an eye.)  Now, I’m not saying that you definitely should skip those products – we have our fair share and love them – I’m just saying it’s a breath of fresh air when you are able to use something from the newborn stage for years to come.

That’s one of the reasons I think every new mom needs swaddle blankets on their list.  We haven’t stopped using our swaddle blankets that we got with our oldest.  It’s awesome to have something that both boys can still use.

Here are some of the ways we use swaddle blankets well past the newborn stage.

Toddler Blanket

Little uses our Baby K’tan Swaddle Blankets even now when we go for walks in the morning in the stroller and I like knowing that he has a little something to cover up with, but that I don’t have to worry about it hanging down and getting caught up in the stroller’s wheels or just dragging the ground as we walk.  He also uses it for long road trips when he’s napping in his car seat, and even as a lightweight blanket for naps in the spring and summer months.

Building Forts

Have you ever tried to build a fort with a heavy blanket?  It’s not easy.  One of the keys to a successful living room fort, is lightweight blankets.  They are easier to manipulate and don’t weigh themselves down as easily when they’re stretched between the couches and chairs.  Swaddle blankets are perfect for this.  Tie the corners together to make your fort even bigger.

Family Picnic Blanket

When it’s nice out, we try to get outdoors whenever we can – lots of times this means having a picnic.  There’s something about moving meals from the table to the outdoors that automatically makes it feel fun and specials.  We have used our swaddle blankets for quick picnics at our local parks or even in our backyard when we’re feeling up for a special family fun night.  Because I almost always have a swaddle blanket in the diaper bag or in my car, I can easily throw it down on the ground for a clean surface to have a picnic.  (Of course, this isn’t recommended if you just used it as a burp rag…)

Pretend Play

Super hero cape anyone?  Swaddle blanket for your teddy bears who need to take a nap with you?  Children love to play pretend and swaddle blankets are a fun tool for that.  Remember the picnic blanket idea?  It doesn’t have to just be for people.  Have a picnic for your stuffed animals, or in our case, a pretend pasture for your farm animals (or ocean for your sea animals).  The possibilities are endless.

What are some of your favorite multi-functional baby products?  Or  do you have any other ideas to use your swaddle blankets?  I’d love to hear in the comments below!

For more information about Baby K’tan Swaddle Blankets, see here.