Infant wraps: what are they and why would you need one?

Infant wraps are another name for one of the oldest and most useful products on the markets for babies, especially newborn babies: swaddling blankets. Swaddling blankets are also referred to as swaddling wraps, and in the great tradition of marketing, these products go by many different names.

Whatever the name, cotton muslin infant wraps are a versatile and useful item for parents of young infants because they can serve a variety of functions including warming and soothing a baby.

In the simplest sense, an infant wrap is a blanket. Of course, it is not just any kind of blanket – an infant wrap usually has certain characteristics that set it apart from other types of blankets you might find.

Those characteristics include:

• Small size. This makes it useful for wrapping a baby in the swaddling fashion because it will fit around them snugly without too much extra blanket left over.
• Thin material. This allows this blanket to be used as part of several layers so that the baby can stay comfortably warm in any environment.
• Stretchy fabric. A little bit of stretch, such as that found in cotton muslin, makes it easier to wrap the baby snugly but not tightly.

The name “infant wrap” sounds like something you would want for a baby, but it does not give you a very clear idea of what purpose an infant wrap serves. There are many products on the market that use the word “wrap,” so you may come across an infant wrap that is slightly different from this description.

However, in general, infant wraps are similar to swaddling wraps and are used for the following purposes:

• Swaddling the infant to help baby stay calm and sleep better
• A surface for a quick diaper change
• Layering for bedding or in the stroller to keep the baby warm
• Over the shoulder as a burp cloth after feedings

Infant wraps are one of the best gifts for a new mom or something that you may want to purchase yourself if you are pregnant. They have so many uses and come in a variety of colors, so it’s almost impossible to have too many!  You can find great infant wraps and swaddling blankets made from cotton muslin at Luna Lullaby.