I’m a huge believer in swaddling. I really believe it’s what helped both Haiden and Piper sleep through the night when they were each four weeks old!
Related: How to Make a Swaddle Sack: 7 free DIY patterns
James and I learned one method of swaddling when we took our “baby class” before having Haiden. It was the kind where you wrap the baby up snug with a big square or rectangular blanket. I think I could do that arm-lifting and blanket-tucking sequence blindfolded by now!
After I gave birth, an incredibly nice nurse (I still remember her name!) taught us another method that served us well for a few weeks.
After those first few weeks, the little Houdini was able to break free from any regular blanket swaddle either my husband or I attempted to wrap him up in.
He would startle himself awake several times throughout the night and through his naps. Plus, waking up to find a loose blanket in his bassinet did nothing for this paranoid first-time mom’s nerves!
Thankfully, Becoming-Mom recommended The Miracle Blanket (see all the available Miracle Blanket colors) at the exact same time plain blankets stopped working for swaddling.
I read about the Miracle Blanket, found a store in Minnesota that sold it, and we were out the door to get a Miracle Blanket for that night’s bedtime.
We used The Miracle Blanket and never looked for another alternative. It worked so well that Piper was in one for her first night at home after being born.
If you have kids that struggle with sleeping, get more information in this article about sleep problems in kids.
I hate to say it, but since I’m such a loyal fan of The Miracle Blanket, I really question the usefulness of any other swaddler.
Here are some other brands I’ve seen:
- Summer Infant SwaddleMe (from $10.99)
- Halo Sleepsack Swaddle (from $16)
- Woombie Baby Cocoon Swaddle ($22.95)
- Organic Woombie Swaddler (from $30)
- Aden + Anais Cotton Muslin Blanket/Swaddle Wrap (from $34 for 4)
The Woombie Organic Swaddle BlanketHALO SleepSack 100% Cotton SwaddleSummer Infant Swaddleme BlanketsWoombie Original Baby SwaddleMiracle Blanket Swaddle
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Looking over the list, I’d LOVE to hear readers sing the praises about alternatives to the Miracle Blanket!
While the $32 was some of the best money I ever spent (I feel like I paid less than $35 to help my baby sleep through the night!), it would be great to spend even less for the same results.
Readers: Do you use a special product or blanket to swaddle your baby? Please share it in the comments!
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Read the comments below to learn the top swaddle blanket brands real moms recommend!
Lindsay says
We used the summertime swaddle me brand with my son. It has velcro tabs on the side to make sure they are tucked in tight. It worked wonders with him and was cheap! They carry them in cotton and in fleece.
Leslie says
We use one of the Swaddle Designs “Ultimate Receiving Blankets”. Most regular size receiving blankets were too small to swaddle our son from the get-go because he was such a big baby. They’re extremely comfortable and come in LOTS of cute colors and designs. Plus, it’s large enough that he can actually use it to cover up with later on. They’re about $20 each, but they are worth EVERY penny!!!
Beth says
I just started reading your blog and am so glad you brought this up. All 3 of my kids have been great sleepers and everyone always asks me how I do it…SWADDLE! I never tried th miracle blanket but have heard good things from other people. I tried some other brand of a velcro “swaddle gimmick” blanket with my 1st son and always preferred a regular “waffle” blanket. When hestarted breaking out of it, I double wrapped him. By the time he could break out of the double, he was ready to sleep unswaddled. My 3rd child is 3 months old and we were given some of the Aden and anais blankets and I really like them. Right now we are double swaddling her with a waffle blanket first and the Aden and anais blanket second. It makes for a nice right swaddle and it works great for us! She’s been our best sleeper yet, 12 hours every night since 4 weeks old.
Colleen says
We’ve always used regular receiving blankets to swaddle. We did get a SwaddleMe as a gift, but both our kids weren’t long/big enough to fill it out, and it made for a very loose and ineffective swaddle on the lower half the way the velcro is set up.
Jessica says
I swaddled our son until 4 months and he was a great sleeper too! The only thing that worked for us was the kiddopotamus brand. He was and still is extremely strong but this was the only one we found that would hold him nice and securely without letting him break out of it. He wasn’t long enough to fill it out but I think it’s mainly making the core part of the body feel snug and secure and this did just that. I only used the fleece one kind in the brand.
Laura says
I use the kiddopotamus sometimes and the halo sleepsack swaddle when it’s really cold outside. It works wonders! However, my daughter is 16 weeks and still not sleeping through the night, so let me know if you have another suggestion! (Nothing that we did with my son is working…)
Kristin F. says
I used the SwaddleMe blankets with both of my girls and LOVED them. I had tiny babies, so mine were a little big on the bottom for the first several weeks. We just pulled the lower pocket up a little higher and secured it with a diaper pin. In a few weeks, they were plenty long enough and the velcro tabs were a perfect fit. We had one in fleece and one in cotton knit. I never found the need to try an alternative. By the time they were too big for the blanket, they were too big to be swaddled. Both of my girls were sleeping through the night (10+ hours) by four weeks and I absolutely attribute that to the swaddle!
Camille B. says
I swaddled both of my babies with the SwaddleMe until about 8 months old. When I became concerned that they would roll over in bed while swaddled, I just wrapped them up in the SwaddleMe with their arms out. They have always been outstanding sleepers, sleeping through the night by 8 weeks and 12 hours a night by 4-5 months. My son was so trained by his swaddling blanket that he would start rolling his eyes to sleep as I was tightening it on.
Jackie says
We use the Aden + Anais muslin swaddle blankets and LOVE them. Our son was too big for most of our swaddling blankets by the time he was 2 months old and the ones that velcro shut couldn’t even keep his arms and legs contained at 1 month – he was too strong. He’s 3 months now and sometimes can still get his arms out of the swaddle but by that time that happens, he’s sound asleep and his flailing arms don’t wake him up. He’s loves to suck on his hands to soothe himself so if he manages to get one of his hands up near his face but not out of his swaddle, he can suck on it without getting fuzzies in his mouth. They’re lightweight enough so he doesn’t overheat and even though they are huge (44×44 in) they fold and smash up small enough to fit easily in his diaper bag.
Laura M says
I’ve used several Velcro swaddlers and large regular blankets, but never tried the Miracle Blanket. I wish I had one, though, because my son outgrew the velcro swaddlers at eight weeks, and was too strong for a regular blanket then as well. He’s twelve weeks now. Every once in a while I’ll have success swaddling him in a large flannel blanket really tightly, then tucking him under a blankets that’s tucked tightly into the sides of the crib. But he usually can get out of that, too.
What I do like about the velcro swaddlers is that they had the slot in the back for a buckle (like in a car seat or a swing). I know you’re not supposed to use them in the car, but…I did. I thought it was a great way to keep him feeling secure in the car seat (which he hated) and keep him warm.
Erin R says
With my daughter we just used receiving blankets. I particularly loved the waffle knit ones. I could get her super cozy with the stretchy fabric.
My son is a different story. He was in special care the first 4 days of his life because of a minor heart issue (that THANKFULLY was completely cleared up by the time we left the hospital). So, in the nursery, he was left unswaddled (in fact, completely naked other than his diaper) under the heat lamp. I tried swaddling him multiple times the first night in the first hour. He got so ticked about. So, he got his way, no swaddling. He likes to be free. Sleeps spread-eagle! If you try and confine him in anyway he lets you know that’s not ok!
That being said, I passed all my halo sleepers w/ swaddling attachments that we had bought for him on to my sister for her new baby….
Lynn says
I’ve used the Summer Swaddle Me as well as some home-made versions of swaddle blankets and regular blankets as well. I wish I would have seen the Miracle Blanket when my boys were little. Looks like a godsend for new moms!
Marybeth Hamilton says
I’m SO happy that there are so many alternatives to the expensive Miracle Blanket! Thanks for all the input…keep those comments coming!
Maria says
My 9 month old slept in a Woombie up until she was 6 months old! I love the Woombie!
Lisa says
My son used the Summer SwaddleMe until he was 9 months old. He loved it, slept well, and it calmed him down even when we were somewhere that he didn’t go to sleep (like church or noisy events). With my 3 week old daughter I bought a Woombie from babyhalfoff.com and I am so glad I found it because she LOVES to have her hands up by her face. The SwaddleMe works okay for her but I can tell she gets frustrated trying to get her hands up there. The Woombie lets her have her hands near her face but not out so she can’t startle/scratch herself. As much as I love it though I need another one (they are hang dry only 🙁 ) and can’t bear to bring myself to pay the full price for one. Kiddopotamus also makes a swaddler that zips similiar to the Woombie but it is not tight enough and her hands come out.
Heather Ratliff says
I use the SwaddleMe and love them. I can get it on quickly which is good with a kiddo who has reflux! I used one with my first daughter and knew I needed to have two with my second. I just love them!
Christy says
I absolutely love the Aden + Anais swaddling blankets! They are such a breathable, stretchy material and they are so easy to use! I highly recommend these!
Anu says
My daughter is now 8 weeks I use summertime swaddler. She sleeps very well in that and fits proper.
Jenn @ Coolest Family on the Block says
I used the Summer Infant swaddlers (the knit, not the fleece) with my daughter until she was 4 months old and they worked great. We could never get a normal blanket to work and she was way to big for regular receiving blankets (8lb6o 21.5′ at birth). The knits are roomier than the fleece, I think, and I’m pretty sure they even make an extra small or preemie size for those who have tiny babies. We have two of them and I think I’ll get two more the next time we have a baby. I loved it. Check out the reviews on amazon for more opinions 🙂
Sara says
I just want to thank Marybeth for this posting and all the wonderful comments. My two older children (2 and 4) didn’t sleep thru the night until they were after 1. Lots of sleepless nights. I was convinced that everyone we spoke to who said their baby sleep thru the night, was lying!!! Ok that’s a little harsh but it drove me crazy. I didn ‘t swaddle them. I didn’t get the point and no one ever explained it to me like this. I swaddled my 5 week old as soon as I got done reading the post and have since!! I’m happy to say that sleep 8 hours last night!! I could NEVER say that about the other two at this age or anywhere near it! I will be trying out the miracle blanket after reading this and watching the videos on their website. Thanks again to everyone.
Sara
Jenny F says
The swaddle from Miracle Blanket has been a game changer in my sons sleep. My son averages about two extra hours of sleep per night, and he is not as fussy when he has it own. It truly soothes him and he cries a lot less because he simply does not startle as much anymore. This used to interrupt his sleep cycle but thankfully not anymore!
CynCynTia says
These swaddle option are great! When my son began breaking out of his swaddle we began using the Zipadee-Zip and it has been a game changer in my sons sleep. My son averages about two extra hours of sleep per night, and he is not as fussy when he wears it and it has greatly reduced his startle reflex.
Kira K says
We love the Summer Infant SwaddleMe. It’s great that they’re so affordable, too! Not only is 2 for $20 a great price, having an extra one is a godsend after a midnight mess 🙂
Lexie Cook says
We used the Halo swaddles with our daughter. We tried the Summer ones but they were such a pain during all those middle of the night diaper changes, you have to take the whole thing off every time. I liked that with the Halo it unzips from the bottom. Towards the end of her swaddling I found the Woombie and loved that also. My daughter loved to keep her hands by her face.
Marybeth Hamilton says
Oh, I forgot that Halo products unzip from the bottom. That’s a great feature!
Lindsay says
Our little girl was born six weeks early. The hospital stressed to us that swaddling her was very important. That she would need the security a swaddle would provide. They gave us 2 halo swaddle blankets when we took her home. I swear by these things. My daughter sleeps through the night with them. They are hands down our favorite blankets.