The 10 Best Receiving Blankets
Special Honors
Little Me Ballet Bunny Receiving Blanket Great for bundling your tiny dancer, this snuggly blanket is made from 100% cotton and detailed with delicate stitching in one corner that features a dancing rabbit. It comes in a pleasing light pink color and measures 30 inches square. It’s suitable for machine washing and tumble drying. nordstrom.com
Barefoot Dreams Mickey Mouse Baby Blanket Wrap your little one in comfort with this reversible jacquard blanket that features an oversized Mickey Mouse with a hand-embroidered patch that reads “1928” to commemorate the year of the character’s movie debut. The other side is covered with an inverted design on a dark background. It measures 32-by-30 inches, and a matching Minnie Mouse blanket is sold separately. disney.com
Editor's Notes
June 15, 2020:
Receiving blankets are designed for wrapping up your bundle of joy at birth and to ensure newborns leave the hospital warm and comfortable. Our selection features a variety of sizes that include smaller choices more suitable for very young babies, such as the Zak and Zoey Lovable, as well as much larger ones that double well as swaddling blankets, such as the 30-by-40-inch Carter's Flannel. This highly rated set is from a well-known name in baby clothing and blankets, and you can choose from among several sets that feature fun and vibrant prints. They come in a package of four, and their all-cotton construction holds up well over time, so you can use them with multiple babies over the years. In today’s update, we replaced the relatively thick Aden + Anais Classic Dream with Aden by Aden + Anais Baby, which is a choice that’s more accurately described as receiving blankets. They’re made of lightweight, breathable muslin and come in a package of four, so you’re always likely to have one around when you need it. Like the Carter’s selection, these feature a generous size that makes them useful as on-the-go changing mats or as a privacy cover when nursing. For a high-quality, organic baby blanket, you can hardly go wrong with the newly added Burt’s Bees Cotton, which come in both a solid gray and a whimsical bee print. They stretch nicely, making them well suited for swaddling, and their smooth fabric has been combed and ring-spun, making it soft and comfortable, even for sensitive skin.
For a flannel set similar to the Carter’s one, yet lower in price, we added the Luvable Friends Unisex to the list. They're also sold in a set of four and come in striking and fun prints that feature friendly animals and geometric patterns, but note they’re significantly smaller than the Carter’s set, at 28 square inches in size. For some Instagram-worthy photos, you can’t go wrong with the Galabloomer Newborn, which consists of a blanket and a stretchy headband with a bow. It’s sold in eight elegant floral prints, each of which features vibrant colors. Finally, we added in two more breathable cotton choices, the Hudson Baby Cotton and the Zak and Zoey Lovable, both of which are soft on sensitive skin and are sold in a dozen or more attractive prints.
In this update, we also removed the Trend Lab Dr. Seuss, Trend Lab Imported, and Baby Starters Dot to make room for more lightweight, breathable choices better suited as receiving blankets. On a safety-related note, when using baby blankets for swaddling, read the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regarding swaddling and safe sleep. The AAP advises to stop swaddling when infants show signs of starting to roll over. Always create a tight swaddle that will not become loose and potentially cover the baby’s face. When using a blanket to cover a stroller or a baby carrier, experts advise against doing so on hot days, as heat can become trapped inside. Better alternatives include sun hats or the stroller’s canopy.