Aden & Anais vs. Miracle Blanket... Or other options for swaddling

[Anonymous]

I know everyone raves about Aden & Anais swaddles, but I want to hear why they're so fabulous. They're pricey, and I'm just weighing options while creating my shower registry. Is it one of those status-based "must have to be seen with" items, or is it actually worth the price? Beside their swaddles, are their bibs and burp clothes worth it?

How does Aden & Anais compare with the Miracle Blanket, which I also hear really great things about?

Any other favorite brands for this department?

[Anonymous]

I know everyone swears by the A&A blankets, but I have never used mine. They're still sitting in the drawer unused. I do use the A&A sleepsacks now that my baby is older. I used Halo or Swaddle Me (?) swaddles until I finally broke down and bought a Miracle Blanket. My baby could bust out of those velcro things like nobody's business but the Miracle Blanket lived up to the hype for us. I used it religiously/nightly until 14 weeks when the instructions said to stop (yes, I'm all about following the rules, LOL). The thing is, every baby is different, but I loved my Miracle Blanket.

[Anonymous]

Forget both of those. The A & A blankets are great if you master a nice tight swaddle on your own - DH and I did not. The miracle blanket was a pain to put.

Go with Swaddle Mes - they are super easy to put on, DS didn't wriggle out, and they wore well.

For the record, I have some of the A & A blankets and used them as stroller blankets, just not as swaddles.

[Anonymous]

They're two totally different things. Aden + Anais are much more all purpose blankets. They can be used for a long time, whereas the miracle blanket is just for swaddling an infant. I still use my Aden + Anais blankets for my three year old. You can use them as stroller covers, nursing covers, loads of things. Definitely worth the money.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for the SwaddleMes. We actually double-swaddled our November baby; she slept in a diaper and two swaddles for the first three/four months, until we lost the swaddle. So easy to use.

I love the A+A blankets, but more as all-purpose light blankets, not for swaddling. And the Miracle Blanket was just an incredible PITA--all that winding, all that fabric.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks all! With that advice, I figure I'll register for all of the above and see what baby likes best. It seems like everyone I know is having babies so I'm sure I can pass along the unused blankets/swaddles.

I don't see DH or I being terribly proficient at the tight swaddle! Origami isn't my thing...

I'm glad to hear that the A&A swaddles have so many uses. We're in a small place, so the more I can multi-purpose something, the better!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're two totally different things. Aden + Anais are much more all purpose blankets. They can be used for a long time, whereas the miracle blanket is just for swaddling an infant. I still use my Aden + Anais blankets for my three year old. You can use them as stroller covers, nursing covers, loads of things. Definitely worth the money.

+1

We used the miracle blankets at night and the A&A's for all kinds of things.

[Anonymous]

never swaddled but used A&A for all kinds of stuff.

[Anonymous]

Swaddle Me's did nothing for my kids, I wound up giving them all away. Only the Miracle Blanket worked, and both my kids wound up being great sleepers. The key is you really need to wrap them tight. In my experience every parent I know who said swaddling didn't work, it's because they weren't doing it tight enough.

[Anonymous]

I have a big baby so the miracle blanket is perfect.

[Anonymous]

We used A&A to swaddle. They're great for a big baby. We also used them for floor play, putting over the car seat to block light, etc.

[Anonymous]

i swore by the miracle blanket through two kids. got a second one for number 2 because he had more blow-outs. i did get the A&A for number 2 also, and agree that they are great for all purpose use. i did try to use them for a swaddle, but i couldn't get them to work for overnights. the swaddle me was useless for us. my first little man got out of it easily and the velcro didn't last through multiple washes.

[Anonymous]

We used the miracle blanket at night to swaddle (I would put 2 on your registry) & the A&A blankets for everything else (stroller blanket, stroller cover, burp cloth, the list goes on and on) we have 12, they come in packs of 4 and are totally worth it. DS is almost 2 and we still use them all the time.

[Anonymous]

How long o you swaddle? Only at night?

[Anonymous]

A & A! It is what Prince George uses!
http://www.mommyish.com/2013/07/25/royal-baby-blanket-prince-george-aden-and-anais/