Real Mom Review: Aden + Anais Swaddle and Sleeping Bag

As a first-time mum, I spent a lot of time during the pregnancy reading up on what to do and what not to do to keep my baby safe. Sleeping is apparently one of the most dangerous things my kid does of course SIDS being the terrifying and real threat, as any modern parent can tell you. So, Izzy sleeps on his back, in our room but in his own duly-certified cradle and not in our bed (except for when I'm at my wits' end and cave after a few hours of cluster-feeding instead of sleeping) and with no loose bedding or blankets. BUT my husband insists on having the air-conditioner on polar even on mild nights, so we're sleeping under a duvet. Enter the baby-safe, non-blanket options swaddles and sleeping bags.

Swaddles have the additional benefit of keeping the limbs reined in so Izzy doesn't wake himself with his own jerky uncontrolled arm movements, and feels snug like in the womb, making for sounder sleep (in theory anyway). Initially I used the Miracle Blanket, which worked great once we got the hang of it, but I was concerned about overheating (another big SIDS no-no), and then I read about yet another danger to do with hip development that can result when you swaddle burrito-style with the legs held together the only way I know to keep the Miracle Blanket on him. The Kiddopotamus swaddle that we got as a gift is fleece with Velcro, much simpler to put on, but my little Houdini can wiggle his arms out, and the fleece seemed too much over a sleeper or nightshirt.

I was looking for other options when I came across the Aden + Anais swaddle blankets. They're a simple big square of fabric, so they require a higher skill level, but you'll find directions in The Happiest Kid on the Block (book, dvd, or find them on the website). The extra-large size makes it relatively easy to use even with my big baby (at almost 2 months Izzy's now 12 lbs) and the gauzy cotton fabric which they call muslin makes it breathable and not too warm. They're also super-soft and have extra-cute prints, and in a multi-pack cost not much more than you'd spend on just the material in case you were thinking of making them yourself. (I know cuz I tried, but neither the softness nor the cuteness could be matched.)

If your kid doesn't need or want to be contained in a swaddle, you'll be looking for baby sleeping bags. These wearable blankets have arm-holes and a neck opening, and zip up and down, to keep baby warm while being impossible to come up over the face. The Aden + Anais one we tried is made of the same gauzy fabric and very cute. We tried a size small, which still has a lot of room in it for Izzy to grow. It did the trick warm but not too warm over his pajamas, and stayed put on him, no riding up. I wouldn't use it without substantial pj's underneath unless your bedroom's really warm, because just one layer of the fabric is very light indeed, but they make a winter-weight version too. We'll definitely keep on using this for our little monkey. Only thing I don't get how come the packaging claims it's prewashed and then recommends washing before first use? Didn't they do that already? I must confess I was too eager to try it out and it was too late to throw it in the laundry, so our first use was straight out of the box. Izzy never knew the difference.

Bottom line: Thumbs up for the Aden + Anais classic swaddle and sleeping bag.

Check out Aden + Anais products here.

Sara Glick
		About the author:
		Sara is a determined, adventurous woman. She's juggled flaming torches, climbed mountains, lived in rural India and still had time to earn three university degrees. As a professional she works with children and parents all day, but having her first baby of her own is a whole other story.
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