The Purpose of Receiving Blankets

Warmth

• Receiving blankets assist with keeping newborn babies warm immediately after birth. Hospital and home birth staff promptly wrap babies in soft blankets to help them stay warm, yet not too warm. In addition to the warmth of the mom or loving caregiver, receiving blankets regulate body temperature while a baby adjusts to the world outside of the womb.

Swaddling

• Wrapping a fussy infant in a receiving blanket can soothe him and provide a snug environment close to what he was accustomed to in the uterus. To swaddle a baby, a parent or caregiver places her on a square receiving blanket with a corner protruding below her feet and behind her head. While baby's legs are naturally positioned and her arms gently tucked in toward her body, the bottom corner is wrapped up toward her belly. The sides are alternately tucked in around her to provide a comfortable sack for baby to rest in. Some babies prefer a loose swaddle with a receiving blanket, while others do not like swaddling at all.

Burp Cloths

• Receiving blankets work well as burp cloths. Sometimes you may have too many receiving blankets or the weather becomes warm, baby grows up and you no longer need the blankets for swaddling. A blanket thrown over your shoulder while you pat your baby to elicit a burp will protect your from soiling. Receiving blankets can be used to clean up a multitude of other baby messes as well.

Newborn Cloth Diapers

• When cut and sewn to the appropriate size, receiving blankets can serve as newborn cloth diapers. Little babies don't pee and poop enough to warrant giant cloth diapers, and receiving blankets are generally made to be absorbent. Receiving blankets can be sewn into a particular size or shape using a sewing machine or a needle and heavy thread.

Alternative Uses

• There are many creative uses for receiving blankets in all areas of family life. They can be easily draped over a car seat or stroller to be a shade, rolled up to provide a pillow for baby's head while sleeping in the car seat, laid flat for a clean diaper-changing surface, thrown over a shoulder if a mother wants privacy while breastfeeding, cut into squares to use as cloth diaper wipes or rags, or draped over chairs or other surfaces to create a fort for the little ones.