Best Swaddle Blankets

You want to set your newborn baby to sleep but under the given conditions, they become restless, uncomfortable, and fussy. The result is interrupted sleep cycles, late-night crying, and no rest for anyone. This is an all too familiar situation for many new parents who don’t know how exactly to keep their baby asleep.

Parents want the best for their baby and comfort and safety are a top priority, especially at that age. A well-known and effective way to help you and your newborn well-rested is by swaddling them, providing that warmth and familiarity of the womb with the right blanket.

Rank	Product
#1	Halo SleepSack Swaddle check price
#2	Hudson Baby Muslin swaddle blankets check price
#3	Love To Dream Swaddle UP Blanket check price
#4	Aiden + Anais Muslin Blankets check price
#5	The Ollie Swaddle check price
#6	SwaddleMe Original Swaddle check price

Best Swaddle Blankets Buying Guide

Before deciding on your baby’s next swaddle blanket, there are a few things to know about swaddles, so you know exactly what to look for. The guide below covers the basics of swaddles and what matters when choosing one for your child.

Swaddling Basics and the Benefits of Swaddling Your Baby

Swaddling is essentially wrapping your newborn baby up tightly to help them sleep, so they don’t move too much and squirm their way out. There are special wearable blankets for this, but regular old-fashioned blankets work too.

It may seem strange to tie up your baby to the point where they can’t move their arms, but this is a common and old practice that can make your newborn more comfortable and sleep better, potentially putting your mind at ease.

How Does Swaddling Help?

Newborn babies feel calmer and more comfortable in that familiar womb-like embrace. Swaddling helps them gradually adjust to the outside world until they can finally break out of this habit.

Any sudden reflexes of the arms that may wake up the baby in the middle of the night will be prevented. If they’re properly swaddled, they’ll be too tightly wound up to flinch their arms and therefore less likely to interrupt their sleep.

Proper swaddling is a much safer way for your baby to stay warm than loose blankets. By getting rid of loose sheets, you’re getting rid of any potential suffocation hazards.

You may also want to read: The Best Baby Blankets

Types of Swaddle Blankets

There are two types of swaddles available on the market. You could consider ease of use for yourself but should prioritize your baby’s preference first.

Traditional swaddle wraps are your old-fashioned blankets usually made up of thin cotton or muslin fabric. Using these types of blankets requires the familiar burrito-style wrapping technique that you’d find in hospitals. This style does require a bit of a learning curve, but your baby could use this style of blanket well after they’ve grown out of the swaddling phase.

Swaddle suits (or sacks, pouches, pods,) go by many names but are all designed for the sole use of swaddling your baby and making the job easier for you. Newer parents might prefer opting for this type thanks to the Velcro, zippers, buttons, or hook-and-loop fasteners that take the guesswork out of traditional swaddling.

When and How to Use Swaddle Blankets

Swaddling is not required but highly recommended. Newborn babies will enjoy being swaddled straight from the hospital and for the next couple of months following.

Your baby should be swaddled until they’re about two months old, the age where they start rolling over, reaching around and exploring things around them. Restricting their movement would begin to make them fussy, so a transition period would take place. Swaddling baby with one arm out, then both arms out for a few weeks until they start falling asleep without it totally will do the trick.

Note: If your baby has already begun to roll over, it’s time to transition the swaddle completely for reducing the risk of suffocation when facedown with loose blankets.

What to Look for in Swaddle Blankets

The decisions in swaddle features will vary based on your baby’s sleeping habits and the environment they’re sleeping in.

One important thing to consider is the size of your baby. You’ll have to choose the sizes accordingly to ensure optimal snugness. Wraps will vary in sizes depending on the brand and are measured in the area ranging from 80×80 cm to 150×150 cm. Swaddle suit brands categorize their sizes by weight, which is pretty standard (0-3 months, 3-6 months, and so on).

The longer the swaddle or the larger the blanket, the longer you’ll be able to use it before your baby grows out of the swaddling phase.

Consider the temperature of the room your baby will be sleeping in, as well as the season they’ll need the swaddle in. You want your baby to be at a comfortable temperature, and that can be maintained by using the right fabric.

• Cotton is a common fabric you’d find swaddles made from. It’s soft and breathable, meaning it can be used at any time of the year.
• Muslin is also very common for swaddle blankets. It’s lightweight and stretchy, making it an ideal fabric for the job. Swaddles for the summer will usually be made of muslin due to its cooling properties.
• Flannelette is a thicker fabric more appropriate for colder months of the year. It’s best used in the winter.
• Merino is a very good stretchy fabric for regulating body temperature and can be used all year round.

Best Swaddle Blanket Reviews

Halo SleepSack Swaddle

Best Overall

The Halo SleepSack is a swaddle blanket not made to work exactly like your traditional swaddle blanket. Featuring an intuitive design that makes wrapping your baby like one up less of a challenge, it’s no wonder parents and reviewers love it.

With armholes, zippers, and Velcro fasteners, you can be sure an uncomfortable baby won’t be able to wriggle their way through the SleepSack. By removing any potentially loose cloth from traditional wraps not properly wrapped, the SleepSack creates a safer environment to sleep in.

The zippers also make for much quicker and more convenient diaper changes without having to remove the swaddle, which would come in handy in the middle of the night.

The SleepSack even features 3 ways to fit your baby’s arms: arms-in, hands-to-face, and arms-out all for an easier transition from swaddling.

The SleepSack comes in a variety of sizes and prints, so you can get a style that fits your baby best. The cotton fabric makes the SleepSack swaddle comfortable for any season and can be easily layered over if it gets too cold.

Pros:

• Unique design allows for easy wearing and removal
• 3-way adjustability for easy transitioning
• Made to be as safe as possible
• Works comfortably year-round

Cons:

• Cloth may stretch out

Who Should Buy This?

The Halo SleepSack is definitely worth a look for parents who aren’t familiar with traditional swaddling and parents who just want a good quality swaddle alike. Its design is simple enough for any new parent to figure out, meaning they can easily and properly swaddle their baby.

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Hudson Baby Muslin swaddle blankets

Budget Pick

These popular blankets from Hudson Baby are all the super-soft comfort you could hope for in a swaddle blanket. Made from super breathable cotton, these swaddle blankets will be gentle on your newborn’s skin and last them a while thanks to their extra-large size.

With plenty of blanket space to wrap your baby with, you’ll find that they won’t likely grow out of it as long as they need swaddling. Larger newborns and babies can use this blanket, and once they’re done with it, the blanket can be put to other uses.

Many parents enjoy using these blankets as covers as well, removing the need for buying extra blankets. As your baby grows older, the blankets can follow them to the car seat, the stroller, and even as protection from the sun outdoors.

Not matter what time of the year your baby needs a swaddling blanket, the Hudson Baby blanket will be suitable thanks to its breathable cotton buildup that keeps your young one comfortable, even when tightly wrapped.

Being a part of a set, you can enjoy the convenience of always having a swaddle blanket on hand if the others are being used or require cleaning.

Pros:

• Great value 3-pack set
• Comes in one extra-large size
• Good for everyday use
• Suitable for any season
• Wide choice of thematically colored sets.

Cons:

•  May not hold up after many washes

Who Should Buy This?

This well-valued blanket is popular among parents for good reason. They’re at a great value, super soft to the touch, and work well for longer/taller babies as they provide ample space regardless of your newborn’s size.

Parents who want more than one swaddle blanket can easily afford this 3-pack set and always have a blanket on hand when necessary.

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Love To Dream Swaddle UP Blanket

Best Fitting

The popular Swaddle UP suit was made with one thing in mind: the perfect fit. This quality suit is not only much easier to put on for you, but the position the suit allows for is the most comfortable for most babies.

For swaddling, one often has to force the baby’s arms to their sides or over their chest, then wrap them tightly, which isn’t necessarily a newborn’s natural sleep position. What the Swaddle UP does is provide enough wide space in the upper half for the arms to be placed upward by their head, all within the suit. This is their natural sleep position, allowing them to self-soothe and calm down by interacting between their hands and feet.

As comfortable as it is for the baby, parents can enjoy how easy it is to swaddle their baby up: just slip the baby in and zip up.

Available in three sizes, you can easily find a Swaddle UP that fits your baby snugly, yet comfortably. The 93% cotton fabric is trans-seasonal and stretchy enough to contain the baby’s startle reflex while allowing for self-soothing arm movement.

There’s no worry about overheating with the Swaddle UP’s breathable single layer fabric free of harmful chemicals. No fabric is wasted to be a loose suffocation hazard.

Pros:

• Fitted to encourage a more natural sleep position
• Promotes healthy sleep habits
• Comfortable for any season
• Easy to put on and remove

Cons:

• One the pricier side

Who Should Buy This?

New parents who don’t want the trouble of learning to wrap their baby traditional burrito-style will love the ease of use that comes with the Swaddle UP, and babies will enjoy the comfort this swaddle suit has to give.

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Aiden + Anais Muslin Blankets

Most Versatile

These high-quality traditional swaddle blankets are a favorite among parents for their quality and versatility beyond wrapping your baby up like a burrito. These cozy cotton swaddles can work as a changing cover, burp cloth, car seat or stroller cover, an outdoor playmat, or whatever else you can come up with.

It’s the versatility after the swaddling phase that makes this set of blankets such a good value. They’ve got good quality, too. Their high-quality extra soft muslin material promises to provide the best possible comfort. It’s extra breathable yet durable enough to last you beyond the swaddling phase, and Aden + Anais promises this through their satisfaction guarantee.

The excellent extra-large sizing ensures that you have more than enough space to swaddle your baby without the fear that they’ll outgrow it anytime too soon.

The 1-layer breathability makes this comfortable to wrap around no matter the temperature, so you can go to sleep without the fear of your baby feeling overheated at night.

The swaddles included are all pre-washed, so they begin soft, and as time goes by, they only get softer with every wash.

Pros:

• Versatile purpose
• High-quality
• Available in set of 4

Cons:

•  Requires a learning curve for swaddling
• Pricey

Who Should Buy This?

The parent who enjoys saving with multipurpose products will love these blankets. They have plenty of applicable purposes in swaddling and beyond, making them well worth their price. They’re good at every purpose they serve, as well.

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The Ollie Swaddle

Best for Hot Weather

The Ollie Swaddle is a more premium pick for its high-end quality and design, made specifically with the idea of preventing overheating in mind. Everything from the fabric choice to the unique way it fits onto your baby was designed to ensure your baby sleeps cool at night in warmer temperatures.

The lightweight and moisture-wicking polyester/spandex blend help greatly to reduce the risk of overheating. It’s nice and breathable yet secure enough to prevent any escape attempts.

The way the Ollie fits is unique: the top of the swaddle is meant to fit around the shoulders for developmental aid and safety. Just as the development of the hips is important, the shoulders are as well. In order to accommodate for any length of baby, the bottom is open and is secured by tying or using a rubber band, so the Ollie essentially grows as the baby does.

The swaddle easily allows for multiple arm positions so when the time finally comes to transition out of it, the Ollie Swaddle will make it a cinch.

The Ollie Swaddle comes with its own delicates’ laundry bag for proper cleaning.

Pros:

• Effectively reduces chances of overheating
• One size fits all
• Allows for multiple arm positions for easy transition
• Easy diaper changing

Cons:

• Very pricey

Who Should Buy This?

If you’ll need to swaddle your baby during the hotter summer months, you’ll benefit greatly from buying a more breathable, moisture-wicking fabric for a swaddle. The Ollie Swaddle is just that, sure to keep your baby safely cool in even the hottest of weather.

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SwaddleMe Original Swaddle

Value Pick

The SwaddleMe Original swaddle comes in a set of two soothing and secure swaddles your little escape artist won’t want to break out of. With soothing natural cotton, a snug, breathable fit, and the power of Velcro, your baby will feel relaxed and comfortable in these swaddles.

The set of 2 is helpful for always being prepared: in case of a mess, you’ll always have one extra on hand.

Parents love how well these swaddles fit on their kids, and how fairly easily they can be put together. The fabric wings and hook and loop attachments help you better customize your fit to the size of your baby with little effort.

Pros:

• Easy fit
• Harder for baby to escape
• Set of 2
• Very affordable pricing

Cons:

• Needs to be completely undone for a diaper change

Who Should Buy This?

Looking for multiple high-quality swaddles at a good value? The SwaddleMe might just be the right one for the job. If your baby is a natural at escaping your other swaddles, this one is sure to keep them in place.

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Conclusion

The right swaddle for your baby will be comfortable and safe for your child. Researching and looking for the best one doesn’t have to be a challenge. With this buying guide we’ve told you swaddling basics and what to look for in swaddle blankets for your baby. Keep it in mind when getting a new swaddle and happy swaddling!