• Versatility: carrying your baby, keeping her warm in a stroller or car seat, or laying something out for a picnic
• Swaddling: thin receiving blankets are especially useful for swaddling newborns and young infants (find out more from Leleki’s guide on swaddles / receiving blankets)
• Important! Do not use loose blankets to cover sleeping babies who are <12 months old; this increases risk of suffocation.

Materials:

• Softness: should be soft on a baby’s skin. 
• Warmth: Make sure to have a few different levels of warmth, since it’s important for your baby to not get overheated or catch a chill. 
• GOTS or OEKO-TEX Certification: We recommend getting GOTS or OEKO-TEX certified blankets made from natural materials to minimize the risk of dermal exposure to harsh chemicals. Read more here [link].
• Important! We recommend pre-washing all textile baby items before using to minimize the chance that any residual chemicals or packing dust don’t irritate your baby’s skin.
  

Things to avoid:

• Buttons or small attachments: (e.g. ribbons, tassels, etc) that can become loose and pose a choking risk
• Long ribbons or strands: these can pose a strangulation risk to your baby.

‍

We recommend starting with four: two lightweight blankets and two warmer ones. That way, you’ll have a backup in case of a mess and you can see what’s most useful for your baby’s needs.