How Many Swaddles Do I Need?
If you’re preparing for a baby, you’ve likely asked yourself ‘how many swaddles do I need?’.
You know your baby will go through a lot of the basics like pacifiers, diapers, and wipes but just how many swaddles can you expect to go through?
When it comes to bringing a new baby into the world, there is one thing all new parents want to be. They want to be prepared.
We often think about getting as many diapers as possible, making sure that you have enough bottles, and enough wipes. Though there is one thing that might slip your mind. Swaddles.
A lot of people decide to swaddle their babies, but aren’t sure of how many swaddles you need in order to be prepared.
Well, don’t panic! We are going to walk you through exactly how many swaddles do you need for newborn in order to be prepared for your baby’s arrival.
And if you love this guide on how many swaddles do you need for a newborn, check out our guide on how many sleep sacks do I need, how many wipes do I need, how many burp cloths do I need, and how many nursing bras do I need. Or even this guide on baby items starting with A to Z.
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What Is A Swaddle?
Before we get started, what exactly is a swaddle? It is basically a blanket that has been wrapped around an infant in such a way that it holds them securely. The blankets are usually very thin and light.
It is used for swaddling or wrapping up your baby in so that their arms and legs are completely covered. This way they cannot move around too much and will stay warm. It also helps with sleep.
Swaddling helps your baby to feel comfortable and secure as it helps to recreate the feeling of being in the womb. This practice has been around for centuries. It is incredibly successful for helping your baby to relax.
Types of Swaddles
There are 2 main types of swaddles.
Traditional Blanket Swaddles
These are simple large soft blankets, commonly made from muslin, bamboo or cotton, that are used to wrap your baby in using a swaddling technique. The benefits are that they are cost effective and they can easily be used for blankets and burp clothes once you’ve finished swaddling your baby.
The cons are that if if they come loose whilst your baby is swaddled they can pose a suffocation risk.
Swaddling Blanket / Sack
A swaddling sack is a modern way to swaddle your baby. It is essentially like a tight mini sleeping bag with snaps, Velcro, or zippers for easy access to put on your baby. They are a more expensive than a traditional blanket swaddle, but are much easier and safer to use.
It's hard to go past these swaddle baby blankets for your newborn baby (0-3months & 3-6 months). This snug baby wrap is easy to use and will help ease your baby’s transition into the world and prevents spontaneous movements from waking them up.
How Many Swaddles Do You Need?
When it comes to deciding how many swaddles you need, it can be dependent on a few things as we will discuss further below.
We recommend purchasing at minimum 2 swaddles or wearable swaddle blankets in the appropriate sizes and TOG.
If you own two then one can be in the wash while your baby is wearing the other one. It might even be helpful to consider having up to five on hand to use in case of emergencies!
Reasons For Needing So Many Swaddles
You might be wondering why you would need up to five swaddles for one baby, especially since you only use them for the first 12 weeks. Well, we’ve created a list of reasons for you.
Laundry
Most parents know the pain of watching your laundry pile up the first few weeks after bringing your baby home. Babies go through a lot of clothes and it often feels like you can’t catch up with the laundry. This is why it is better to have more than two swaddles.
Having around three to five swaddles means that if you haven’t managed to do the laundry in a while you are likely to have some swaddles left for you to use.
Weather
Wearable swaddles come in different TOGs. That is different thickness and ratings to keep your baby warm no matter the temperature.
If your baby is born during the changing of seasons, then you may need to consider buying a few different TOGs so that your baby is not too cold or hot.
Accidents
When you have children, you know that accidents in terms of diaper blowouts and vomit happens.
So, if we know that babies are likely to get a bit messy and we might not always have time to do laundry, then it is best if parents have quite a few swaddles.
This is something you can do to be prepared in case something unexpected happens, such as explosive diarrhea.
Final Thoughts on How Many Swaddle Blankets Do I Need
Swaddles are something that all new parents should consider getting to help their baby. They can make sleeping and soothing their newborn a lot easier, especially for first-time parents.
However, make sure you follow the guidelines for using swaddles as they are only meant for short-term use.
We hope this article has helped you to figure out how many swaddles you need for your baby. Hopefully, you feel as prepared as you can to bring your baby home.
And if you’re looking for more great baby guides, then check out these clothing guides on what should a baby wear under a swaddle, what should baby wear under sleep sack, different types of baby clothes, and how to keep baby warm at night.
