If you often think about what is a receiving blanket vs swaddle, it’s natural to be confused because both are types of baby blankets. This article offers a complete comparison between the two to help you decide which one you should have for your baby. And if you’re also confused between a muslin blanket and a receiving blanket, you can find their side-by-side comparison here as well.
What Is The Difference Between A Receiving Blanket And A Swaddle Blanket?
The main difference between a receiving blanket and a swaddle blanket is a feature used to secure the blanket after wrapping it around the baby. If you put receiving blanket vs swaddle blanket side by side, you can quickly determine the swaddle blanket as the one with Velcro, zippers, or even winged sides. On the contrary, a receiving blanket is only a rectangular or square material without these extra features and is generally more prominent in size.
What is a receiving blanket?
A receiving blanket is a blanket you can use to receive a newborn after birth from the name itself. You can typically get a package of receiving blankets with four inside, and the blankets themselves are made from soft and lightweight fabrics like cotton, flannel, and muslin. Receiving blankets can be thin or thick, depending on the material.
Some are even plush to touch, and others are slightly stretchable. These characteristics are ideal for comfortably wrapping the baby and soothing him/her during the first years and beyond.
What is a swaddle blanket?
A swaddle blanket is a blanket you can use to swaddle your baby. What is swaddling? It is a practice of wrapping your baby to calm him/her.
Despite being smaller than a receiving blanket, swaddle blankets will securely wrap your baby because of their extra features. Some have winged sides, while others have closures to secure the sides of the blanket. To get the proper dimensions of a swaddle blanket for your little one, check the blanket sizes according to your baby’s age and weight.
Can You Swaddle With A Receiving Blanket?
Since swaddling is a practice of wrapping a baby in a blanket, one might ask if you can use a receiving blanket to swaddle. It is possible, and it’s even familiar for parents to use a receiving blanket for multiple tasks, including swaddling. However, please follow these guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to swaddle a baby safely.
- Spread the blanket flat and fold one corner down
- Lay your baby face-up on the blanket so that his/her head is above the corner you folded
- Wrap the left blanket corner over the baby’s body with her left arm straightened
- Tuck the blanket between his/her body and arm on the right side
- Fold the right blanket corner over your baby’s body into the left side with his/her right arm dow
- Fold the bottom of the blanket and tuck it under one side of the baby’s body
- Check for the blanket’s tightness so that you have enough space for three fingers between the blanket and the baby’s chest
What Is A Receiving Blanket Vs Muslin?
Another common blanket that gets compared with a receiving blanket is the muslin blanket. The difference between a receiving blanket and a muslin blanket is that you can consider the muslin as a swaddle blanket. However, muslin can either be a muslin swaddle or a muslin square.
A muslin swaddle is a large and breathable blanket made of cotton or bamboo, and because of its size, you can also use it as covers during nursing or as a sunshade. On the other hand, muslin squares are smaller materials that are lightweight and thin, making them quicker to dry. This makes muslin squares versatile for spills and messes for everyday baby tasks.
Do I Need Swaddle Blankets And Receiving Blankets?
Every parent must have baby blankets ready for their little one. But do you need both swaddle and receiving blankets? The answer is no because you can use a receiving blanket for swaddling, so you don’t need to buy a separate swaddle blanket.
Furthermore, any breathable, soft, lightweight, and easy-to-wash blanket will help wrap babies. And as your child grows up, you can repurpose these blankets for other tasks. Additionally, swaddling is unnecessary unless you see a significant difference in your baby with this practice.
How many swaddle blankets do I need?
If you choose to get a separate swaddle blanket, you can prepare anywhere from three to five blankets. Remember that you can expect to clean the blanket often because babies can be messy. But if you don’t want to buy multiple blankets, you can always learn how to make a swaddling blanket at home.
How many receiving blankets do I need?
Receiving blankets is typically needed by newborns. Therefore, you can pack at least two blankets on your trip to the hospital. Some hospitals also provide the receiving blanket, and you might even be able to take it home.
Conclusion
There are many baby blankets that you can use to wrap a baby. But do you know what is a receiving blanket vs swaddle? You can quickly compare the two by checking for features like Velcro or winged sides, and whichever has them, it is the swaddling blanket.
Nonetheless, both blankets come in different sizes, and you can also use the receiving blanket for swaddling.