A new mother’s best friend

Sometimes it seems that there are an infinite number of infant products on the market, especially blankets. With so many different types of blankets, and often with so many names for the same blanket, it is easy to get a little confused and overwhelmed. One type of blanket that is particularly important and useful is the receiving blanket.

These blankets are the ones used to “receive” a newborn infant after he or she is born. As infants have been in the womb for the previous nine months, they can initially have a little trouble regulating their own body temperature after birth.

Purpose of the receiving blanket

A blanket helps keep them warm as they adjust to life outside of their mother’s body. Often, hospitals will offer new mothers their own blankets so that the newborn is wrapped in something sterile and appropriate. However, some hospitals will allow the parents to use their own blanket. In either case, receiving blankets are used throughout the infant’s first months, usually until he or she outgrows them.

Receiving blankets can be differentiated from other blankets by the following characteristics:

• They are soft and lightweight
• They are usually square shaped to make swaddling easier, although some are rectangular instead
• They are smaller than other baby blankets because they are intended to wrap the infant without being overly cumbersome
• They are thin to facilitate layering so that the baby will be comfortable in a range of temperatures.

If you have had the opportunity to look for baby or infant products recently, you were probably shocked by the sheer number of products available. This can make it challenging to by anything for your own baby as well as for anyone you know who might be expecting a child, even something as simple as a baby blanket.

One of the first things to consider when choosing a baby blanket is which fabric the blanket is made from as this is one of the most important characteristics of the blanket. Cotton muslin baby blankets are the best ones available for several reasons including cost, durability, appearance, and quality.

Your choices in fabrics

Here are some of the other popular materials and why they pale in comparison to cotton muslin for baby blankets:

-        Silk. Popular in Asia, this material is impractical as it stains easily and is difficult to clean.

-        Wool. Although there are over 200 types of wool on the market, they are usually too rough for a baby’s skin. Wool blankets can be good as layering blankets for babies who live in extremely cold and harsh environments.

-        Synthetic microfibers. Brightly colored, stain resistant, and cheap, these blankets have their strengths. However, many parents do not want synthetic fibers near their infants, preferring organic fibers such as those in cotton muslin instead.

-        Cashmere. The softest and most sumptuous of blankets, these are prohibitively expensive and difficult to clean, making them a poor choice.

-        Regular cotton.  Standard 100% cotton material is ok, but depending on the blanket it may lack the flexibility and breathability of muslin.

There has been much written on how to have a healthy pregnancy, and there are many opinions about what to eat and what not to eat while you are a pregnant. Here is a quick overview about nutrition during these nine months.

1.      Do eat lots of spinach, as it is rich in folate

2.      Do eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables daily. These foods contain fiber to aid digestion and the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.

3.      Do drink lots of water. It will help with constipation and provide fluid as your blood volume increases and your body creates amniotic fluid for the baby.

4.      Do take a prenatal vitamin.

5.      Do drink milk for calcium and vitamin needs.

6.      Do eat a varied diet. This is the best way to ensure that you are getting a variety of nutrients and not too much of anything that may be harmful.

7.      Don’t eat unpasteurized dairy products such as soft cheeses as they may contain listeria, a bacteria that can cause illness in the baby and possibly lead to miscarriage

8.      Don’t eat raw smoked fish, as they can also contain listeria

9.      Don’t eat deli meats that contain listeria

10.  Don’t take a Vitamin A supplement or consume more than the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin A

11.  Don’t eat fish high in mercury, including shark and swordfish

12.  Don’t consume too much caffeine or artificial sweeteners. Limit yourself to 300mg a day and remember that caffeine is in coffee, tea, some soft drinks, and chocolate.