What are receiving blankets used for?

Question

I don't want to sound like an idiot, but I'm really curious about the different uses for receiving blankets. I've asked two mothers and they both said, "everything." Can anyone be more specific?

Answer 1

i use them mostly for catching milk when my baby spits up, you can also use them for a light blanket to keep them warm, you can use them to lay on something to change them, you can use them to cover their faces if its really bright. there are lots of uses for them, and you can NEVER have to many of them because babies spit up ALOT.

Answer 2

Usually swaddling babies is what they're used for. I was very lucky because my husband's grandmother made all my receiving blankets, and they're perfect! Most of the ones I received as gifts (store bought) were shaped all wrong, and too small.

Anyway, you can use them for swaddling your baby after you bring him/her home from the hospital, covering the baby up at night (yes, I realize the "experts" suggest not doing that, but my older son was born in March in Michigan...I'm sorry, it's friggin cold outside, and I don't care if he is dressed warmly...I don't like (or feel right) sleeping without a sheet or blanket!), spreading down on the floor to set your baby on when it's time to practice "tummy time", wiping up spitup spills (in a pinch!), hrm...what else. They're just awesome. You'll need sevreal of them, so my advice is to buy ones that come loosely packaged, and unwrap them. The good ones are perfectly square, thin material (very thin flannel is best) and about 4 feet square.

Answer 3

--wrap them up in them to put them to sleep
--use them as a blanket when holding them if they seem chilly
--use them as a burp cloth if one isn't accessible
--they can become the baby's "blankie"
--spread them on the floor for baby floor play time

they are pretty much everywhere laying around and when you need something, you use them....
all kinds of uses!

take care!

EDIT:
oh someone said about cover while nursing in public...that's an awesome idea! i saw a woman the other day use one at the pool for that very purpose! she tied it around her shoulder and put the baby in the blanket, so you saw the baby in the blanket, but the shole situation was concealed...it was the coolest technique i ever saw!
someone also said about changing pads..that's a good one too!

Answer 4

'Everything' is just about right. You can use them to:

swaddle the baby
cover the baby for warmth
burp cloths
keeping baby head straight in the carseat
privacy while nursing
cover from the sun in the car
keeping baby on its side while asleep

Many many more things I've neglected to mention, I'm sure.

Answer 5

Swaddling a newborn. It's when you lay a baby in the middle of the blanket then wrap him up really tight so he feels like he's being held, or in the womb.

Answer 6

We used them initially to swaddle the baby. Early on, we rolled them up for bumpers to keep the baby on his side. Now, they are used primarily as changing table pads. They are also good makeshipt bibs. If it is cold, I will throw one over the baby between changing him from pajamas to his clothing. And I did use one once to shine my shoes (I did not put it back in the baby's room afterwards).

Answer 7

receving blankets are used to swaddle the baby so baby feels like they are still in the womb they are also lighter than a regular baby blanket

Answer 8

To cover the baby they are just blankets with a special name!!!

Answer 9

wrapping the baby in
spit cloths
burp cloths
toys
covers
sun-cover for the carseat
toys
peek-a-boo
rolled up as a head support
rolled up as a sitting support

literally everything LOL

Answer 10

i agree with all the other answers, and i have one more. after i raised my 4th little girl from the need for all the receiving blankets i had, i used them to make a little quilt. cut them all up into squares, pieced them together, and it made a really soft comfy quilt for her to sleep with.

Answer 11

To cover the baby