Newborn: Confused about these hooded towels and receiving blankets??

Question

I had my shower on Sunday and got alot of hooded towels, wash clothes, blankets, burp clothes and receiving blankets.

Are receiving blankets and hooded towels the same thing? I was shocked the hooded towels weren't made from towel material, it's just normal cotton. You really use this to dry off your baby after abath? Can I use them to wrap my baby as well?

I only got 6 burp clothes, is that enough? Im just a bit confused lol!

Answer 1

Most of the hooded towels I have for my daughter are made from terry material. However, they just seem to be small now. When my daughter was a six pound two ounce,19 inch long newborn, they were plenty big. Now, at nine pounds, ten ounces and 23 inches, they're almost too small for wrapping. They're fine for taking her from the heated bathroom to the heated bedroom and to quickly put her sleeper on. (Before we give her a bath, we run a space heater in both the bedroom and the bathroom to keep them warm. It's a little bit of extra energy running, but it's worth it for a happy baby.) l

I got some burp cloths, including some cloth diapers that have some pretty ribbons sewn on the seams and some old cloth diapers that my mother found second hand. I'm going to use them for diapers. (Now that she's bigger, as she was born small, it's time to switch. The thought of all of the disposable diapers we've used in the past two and a half months is sickening.) In September of last year, my parents and I spent a week cleaning out my dad's parents' house. I brought home a nice collection of rags and old washcloths that I used for cleaning. Now they also work great for burp cloths, spit rags, etc. We use old towels on top of the chaning pads to not only make them more comfortable, but to absorb any leaks that can occur when changing a diaper. Most of the time I'm home wearing an ancient sweatshirt (I'm wearing one that I got from my sister's college when she started 14 years ago), so I don't much care about leaks. Also, I breast feed and at the beginning we did skin to skin. (She spent her first month in just her diaper as most of her clothes were too big and with all of the chaning I did, it didn't seem worth dressing her. Since she was nursing frequently, I rarely had a shirt on. I'm a nudist at heart anyway and the skin to skin feeding is still nice. I did it last night for the first time in a couple of weeks and I'd forgotton how nice it is.) The only time I care about leaks is when I'm wearing dry clean only dress clothes, and even then, I don't freak out too much. I can probably use Dryell at home on my pants, but my blazers and suit jackets would have to go to the cleaners. My sister said that after a few bottom leaks on her work clothes (she's a teacher, so most of her stuff is regular wash), she started to put an old towel on her lap for protection.

Receiving blankets are essentially blankets for newborns. Most of mine are either flannel or thermal. They're great for going out. My husband layers a flannel, then a thermal, then a large heavy one that has a satin back and soft, fuzzy cotton front. It goes nicely over her carseat and her stroller cover. (The stroler cover has little holes in it and we put it over the stroller and the blanket over that, tucking it in under the elastic of the cover.)

If you think you need more burp cloths, either use washcloths (which we also do the rags just seem to only make it to their spot under our kitchen sink) or cut up some old clothes. The spit rag we're now using for my daughter in the living room came from one of my grandfather's old flannel shirts. If we needed to, we could cut up a half a dozen Tshirts that are taking up space in our dresssers and closets. (I have old Ts from youth gatherings, and volunteer events that I don't quite know what to do with. Tshirts work great for cleaning, actually. A little spray of white vinegar water, and wipe with the old T and it's good.)

Anyway, I hope I've been of some help.

Answer 2

Newborn Receiving Blankets

Answer 3

We received a lot of those thin hooded towels you are talking about, they are pretty pointless when it gets chilly! You can buy nice thick ones made by Carters or the Target brand Circo, they run about $8 - $13, but they are much more absorbant & warm, and if your baby doesn't pee on them after the bath you can use them more than once before washing them again.

We use the burp cloths as "butt cloths" as we call them, lol. We have a wipe warmer & it makes the wipes more wet, which in turn leaves her bottom more wet, so we pat it dry w/ burp cloths to prevent a rash. (NOTE they are only used for this purpose, lol)

We use receiving blankets as burp cloths, and although my daughter is breastfed, she spits up, a LOT! These are much larger than the burp cloths. My SIL used cloth diapers, she said they are very absorbent.

Just buy a few of each of these items, after the baby is here see what works for you and then send a family member out to buy more. Good luck :)

Answer 4

You know, everyone is so different, it's hard to know how many of each thing you'll need. I never used a single burp cloth or receiving blanket, just never seemed to need them. I know others who seem to have about 100 receiving blankets becaus ethey use them so much.

Towels and receiving blankets are not the same thing. Most towels are made out of cotton, it's just the way it's spun that makes it look different. The baby ones aren't like that because it can irritate their skin so something nice and soft and plain is best. They can be a little small though so try wrapping your baby in one after bath and then wrap them in one of your towels too, to make sure they stay nice and toasty while you're drying them off.

Congratulations!

Answer 5

No, hooded towels and receiving blankets are different. The towels are for drying your baby, they don't need big thick rough towels. The receiving blankets we used for covering up my baby, swaddling, or now that she's older, she carries them around as her blankie. I would definitely buy more burp cloths. There's days you could use all six in one day if the baby happens to be spitting up or whatever. I received a lot of the Gerber flannel ones, and also bought more on my own after I had my baby.

Answer 6

No, they aren't the same thing. One is intended to use as a towel, the other a blanket. All the hooded towels I have are terrycloth, to use after a bath, but I use regular bath towels and wash cloths. I guess you could use them as a blanket. As far as burp cloths, it all depends on how often you do laundry. I recommend cloth diapers, they make really good all-purpose towels and they are really soft. Once the baby is born, you will know what all you need.

Answer 7

Depends on the type of hooded towel, are you talking about the ones with the triangle in the corner to go over baby's head? If so they are for drying the baby. Remember you don't rub a baby dry, you pat him or her dry as their skin is very gentle and delicate. If it's the kind of towel with the slit and and an actual hoodie, I put those aside for when baby starts walking so that after his bath I can put it over him while he walks to his room.

I have about 2 dozen burp pads, don't use them. They aren't big enough, don't stay where I want them too and invariably if baby decides to spit up he turns his head and misses the pad altogether. The receiving blankets work better for that. I hear the reusable cloth diapers make really good burp pads because they are big enough and super absorbent.

Answer 8

Hooded Blankets

Answer 9

No you will need more burp clothes..:) and as for the hooded towels are good because you don't have to struggle with keeping your baby's head warm until you get her dressed..and yes you use that to dry your baby off after the bath.If you want you can use it to wrap the baby with ..it doesn't matter really..but unless you have plenty then I would just use them for the bath..good luck.


also: with the burp clothes..i bought a package of cloth diapers ..they are big and observe alot..!! awesome for using when feeding ect. may not be pretty but those other ones are a bit too small. :)

Answer 10

God, there are so many names for things that do the same thing I think!! 'burb clothes' if that's the same as muslin squares in the UK - get some more...great for all sorts of things. The hooded towels I think are for when they come out of the bath...youll learn how to wrap them up cosy in them with there head in the head bit once you have the baby. Don't know what a 'receiving blanket' is though..sorry.

Don't fret, just make sure you've got all in ones, cardigans, scratch mitts, vests, hats and blankets and you'll be fine for the first few weeks. Good luck.