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The Lowdown on Receiving Blankets: The Key to Infant Sleep (Giveaway!)

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swaddling blankets for babies

(Image from Target.com)

Before I had a child, I thought that receiving blankets (or swaddling blankets for babies) just like the ones shown to the right made the perfect gift for new parents. After all, babies like to be swaddled, right? So a receiving blanket would be an extremely useful gift!
Only now do I realize how very wrong I was. I shudder to think about how many receiving blankets I’ve given at baby showers.

You may be very confused right now. Am I saying that babies don’t like to be swaddled, and therefore, don’t need blankets? Absolutely not! Most newborns absolutely love to be swaddled, and really NEED to be swaddled to help them feel secure, especially during the first 3 months of life (my little one is days away from being 4 months old, and she is still all about the swaddle). The blankets pictured above, along with the vast majority of receiving blankets you will find in stores, are simply WAY WAY WAY too small (the ones above are 30 x 30)! Darah was a smallish baby when she was born, and when we got her home we found that her receiving blankets could not contain her 6 pound 9 ounce little body. We received a homemade receiving blanket at a shower, and it was HUGE. We couldn’t imagine that we needed something that big, but in fact, it became our saving grace at nap time. Our traditional receiving blankets are sitting in her closet gathering dust while her homemade blankets are working overtime.

I haven’t really seen receiving blankets in any national chain stores that are truly big enough (edited to add, since writing this post, Amazon has started to carry some larger ones…always check the size!). But I have found a store on Etsy that makes exactly what you really need. Let me introduce you to Ahmelie. This shop carries a large selection of swaddling blankets that can actually get the job done (they measure 44 inches square for the large blankets). I was blown away by the beautiful patterns she offers. The price is outstanding, as well, starting at $11.00 per blanket. If you are expecting, I am begging you to get a large swaddling blanket like the ones at Ahmelie. If you are going to a baby shower any time soon, this would be a gift that the parents will thank you endlessly for once their bundle arrives (I promise!).

swaddling blanket for babies
Buy it!
Ahmelie has swaddling blankets with a designer look, but without the designer pricetag. Head on over and stock up for yourselves or for your friends and family who have babies on the way! All orders come with a blank hand sewn card. BONUS: Anyone who places an order and mentions this post in their note to the seller will receive a free bib/nusring clip, which can be used to turn napkins and burp cloths into bibs or to secure a blanket in place so it can be used as a nursing cover!

Win it!
TWO lucky readers are going to win 2 swaddling blankets each of your choice from Ahmelie! Oh how I envy you! The contest will run until Sunday, December 12th at 7:59pm CST, when the winners will be chosen at random and emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Ahmelie’s swaddling blankets. Come back here and tell me which two you would pick if you won!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Become a fan of Ahmelie on facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Ahmelie (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)

Disclosure: I received no product or compensation for this review and giveaway.

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Comments

  29. I would choose the "Safari Animals Baby Blanket Swaddler" and the "Chocolate Party Dot Baby Blanket Swaddler."

    clctaube @ yahoo.com

    Reply

  34. i love the Flower Stripes Baby Blanket Swaddler–LARGE and the Flowers in the Mud Baby Blanket Swaddler–LARGE

    Reply

  44. I would love to win these for my little girl who's due in Feb! My favorites are the Irresistible Love Swaddler Baby Blanket and the Chocolate Strawberry Baby Blanket Swaddler.
    lisalmg25 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  48. I would choose the Chocolate Strawberry Baby Blanket Swaddler and the Oops-a-Daisy Cow Swaddler Baby Blanket.
    Thanks for the chance!
    hawkgirl_16{at}hotmail{dot}com

    Reply

  50. My favorites are the Urban Flannel Chick Swaddler Baby Blanket in Olive and Chocolate – Large and the Tweety Tweet Bird Baby Blanket Swaddler.

    Reply

  51. I like the Sweet Stars Baby Blanket Swaddler–LARGE and Urban Flannel Chick Swaddler Baby Blanket in Olive and Chocolate–LARGE

    Reply

  61. Urban Flannel Chick Baby Blanket Swaddler Olive Chocolate–LARGE

    and

    Mandarin Chocolate Mod Flower Baby Blanket Swaddler

    are adorable! It's so hard to find blankets to swaddle beyond the first few weeks

    fidgetblogs at gmail.com

    Reply

  69. I would love the Beach Strip or the Safari Animals. I totally agree with you – before I had my baby I bought a large receiving blanket. i was thinking, why is this so big – now I know! It's the only blanket that works – i need a couple of more!

    Reply

  70. If I won I would pick the Green with Envy Turtle Swaddler and the Urban Flannel Chick Swaddler Baby Blanket in Olive and Chocolate

    Tarah
    tarah716[at]ymail.com

    Reply

  78. Thanks for this! Our 8 day old is loving the swaddle and our receiving blankets just don't cut it!
    I liked the Amy Butler Happy Stripe
    inalak at msn dot com

    Reply

  82. Ooh these are lovely! I really like the Valerie Wells designer chic print in mandarin orange and the hippie hoot print! They look kinda vintage and I am loving it!

    iloveyouhecried at gmail dot com

    Reply

  83. I think I'll be receiving blankets on my baby shower soon… hehe. So I think I won't buy blankets till after the baby shower. 😉

    Reply

  84. I'd choose the Mushroom Candy in Olive Baby Blanket Swaddler–LARGE and the Safari Animals Baby Blanket Swaddler–LARGE

    brn2lisn(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply

  91. I love the Mandarin Chocolate and the Flower stripes!

    ps you are so right about those recieving blankets. I did use them in my diapr bag though for putting on changing tables!

    email is mommywords@gmail.com

    Reply

  97. My 1st grandchild is due within weeks & I know she'll love to be swaddled! I like the green marble & the safari giraffe.

    Reply

  101. I would choose the Green with Envy Turtle Swaddler Baby Blanket and the Green Marble Baby Blanket Swaddler!!

    choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply

  106. thank you for posting this! My little one loooves to be swaddled but he is so long he doesn't fit in the reg blankets! i love these–the ice cream dots and the mandarin olive chick are my two favs!

    Reply

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