I have a really big family, so it’s really rare for us to go even a full calendar year without adding a new baby. Sometimes it’s a niece, sometimes a nephew, sometimes a cousin and now I am even getting second cousins and great nieces and nephews – but there’s almost always a pregnant belly and a baby around, it seems. I couldn’t even guess how many times I’ve been at the hospital, or a birthday party or holiday around a new baby when someone asks for help with re-swaddling the baby. I think that once you’ve been around a baby that loves being swaddled for a long time, you learn it “really well” once and then you’ve got it. But for new parents, or for people who haven’t been around swaddle-loving babies, its easy to forget.

SwaddleDesigns is a brand that makes swaddling blankets, and is aware that its hard to remember how to swaddle, sometimes! So they have included a tag right on their blankets that gives you a little 3 step tutorial that shows you how to swaddle! These are great for new parents, as well as babysitters and relatives who might not always remember off the top of their head how to swaddle. I thought that SwaddleDesigns tag idea was cool before, but they recently added yet another cool tag to their blankets. This time it is a QR code that you can scan with your smart phone that gives you access to what they refer to as the SwaddleClub. The SwaddleClub gives you access to resources such as white noise, baby care videos and tips for parents on how to calm and soothe their baby.

My niece Kelsie is 12 months, so she’s beyond the swaddling age but she just loves blankets of all kinds. She was only a couple of months old (if that?) when I realized she was a blankie-baby. Her whole body would relax when a blanket was wrapped around her – she’d move her arms, hand or cheek back and forth across the surface of blankets within reach. She recently turned 1, and when she gets tired she grabs onto blankets or will sit rubbing on a corner of one – or lay flipping the blankets silky tag through her fingers. The fact that SwaddleDesigns blankets have 3 tags was a bonus for her, more tags to rub on!

We were given the Goodnight Starshine Muslin Swaddle Blanket Set which includes a plain white blanket, a blanket with light green polka dots, another with gray stars and one with yellow and gray stars and moons. The entire set is really cute and gender neutral so you can pass them on down to the next baby when the time comes.

Even in the winter, Kelsie sleeps really warm. Even when she is dressed in very light pajamas or even just a diaper, she often wakes up sweaty or “clammy” feeling. The SwaddleDesigns blankets that we were sent are cotton muslin which is a material that I’d heard a lot of moms raving about. It’s a very thin feeling material that gets softer each time you put it through the washer and dryer. The blankets were not at all rough when they first arrived, but not overly soft, either. Kelsie liked the blankets straight out of the package so I let her use them that way but they did seem softer after the first wash, and they will continue to soften more with additional trips through the washer. I also noticed that the blankets felt a bit “fuller” or more textured feeling after being washed, where as they were really flat originally (photo above shows their texture after being washed). Cotton Muslin is thin but very breathable which makes them a great swaddling material so that your baby won’t overheat, but it also makes them great for older children like Kelsie to use  as “blankies” during the summer. It gives her the option of having the blanket to sleep with for comfort reasons without having to use a heavy blanket that would make her overheat.

The blankets are generously sized at 46 by 46 inches. This makes them big enough for tummy time or for laying even a BIG toddler on to create a barrier for a diaper change. You can see how much room Kelsie has left when laying down. They fold up to about the size of a can of vegetables, so they are perfect for carrying in a diaper bag or even a medium to large purse. They would also fit over an infant car seat or stroller to provide shade from the sun.

Connect: You can connect with SwaddleDesigns on Facebook and Twitter.

Buy it: You can purchase from SwaddleDesigns online. If you’re a deal seeker like me, sign up for their newsletter – they email me about their sales often and they are usually great deals!

Win it: Your choice of 4 pack of Boutique Quality Muslin Swaddles OR 2 Cotton Flannel Ultimate Swaddle™ Blankets from the NEW Sunwashed Pastel Collection.

To enter: Fill out the GT form below by 4/27/2014 at 11:59pm EST. Giveaway is open to the US & Canada.

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