The Benefits of a Swaddling Baby Blanket
WHAT MOTHERS SAY THEY LIKE ABOUT THEM
The manufacturers of swaddling baby blankets are making some lofty claims for their products. Some have gone so far as to tout their products as capable of calming fussy babies, helping them to sleep faster, more efficiently, and longer, reducing incidences of colic, aiding breastfeeding, and reducing the likelihood that baby will accidentally scratch its own face or cause eye injuries. Some manufacturers, like Miracle Blanket, even claim that their products, and swaddling in general, reduce the likelihood of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) by helping baby sleep on its back.
FLYING OFF THE SHELVES
Although company claims about the benefits of swaddling baby blankets may sound grand even by Madison Avenue standards, many moms apparently corroborate the promotional literature. Parents who try them for their babies frequently report they have fallen instantly in love with baby blankets that allow them to swaddle. One major retailer of more than twelve thousand baby products reports that two out of their top six selling items are swaddling baby blankets.
Below is a sampling of what moms have reported about their experiences. Only those parents who included their actual names with their reviews are quoted.
STRAIGHT FROM THE PARENTS' MOUTH
One mother in Germany, Metia Tigler, recommends one of the many available swaddling baby blankets that allow for quick diaper checking. Corrina Milito, of Indianapolis, says with her SwaddleMe product she "can change her [daughter's] diaper without unwrapping her arms, helping her stay relaxed and sleepy in the evenings."
Over and over, moms are reporting their babies sleep better when swaddled. E. Demskis, a Pennsylvania mom, says she credits her swaddling baby blanket for her son's "sleeping soundly through the night (8 hours) since he was 6 weeks old." F. Koscho, of Mentor, OH, says her 5-week-old son was easily over-stimulated and slept for no more than 2 to 3 hours at a stretch. Then she tried a swaddling blanket and everything changed. "He smiled and cooed instead of screamed and cried!" she reported. "Then we put him in [the swaddling blanket] when it was time for bed and he fell right asleep and slept for 6 hours!"
One mother from Rochester, NY, Christina Turcotte, summed up the sentiments of many reviewers towards swaddling baby blankets. She wrote: "I bought one of these [the SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Fleece Wrap] while pregnant w/our five-day-old daughter, and I never had anything like it w/our first two daughters. Let me just say, this one simple product renders ANY OTHER [baby blankets] obsolete. It's soft, pretty, cozy, easy to use (I was always lousy at swaddling w/regular receiving blankets!), impossible to get out of, and she loves it. I'm going out tomorrow to buy five more."