The Miracle Blanket is a wrap used to swaddle the baby quickly and easily without Velcro or the fear of the blanket coming loose. With pre-sewn with flaps for the arms and legs, as well as a generous length of material for wrapping, even the most sleep deprived parents can put this blanket on correctly and help their baby, and themselves, sleep better.
Why Swaddle?
Swaddling is an excellent way to calm a fussy baby, and help the baby sleep better. New babies are used to the close confines of the womb and are often unprepared for the freedom they get following birth. Using a swaddle blanket helps to recreate this feeling of security and calm baby down.
According to Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block [Bantam Dell, 2002], “Swaddling is the cornerstone of calming. It gives nurturing touch, stops flailing, and focuses [the] baby’s attention.”
Swaddling will also help to cut down on the baby’s Moro Reflex. This is the startle reflex that all babies are born with. Babies are born with a fear of falling, and will startle and fling their arms out to the sides if they feel that this is happening. The Moro Reflex can be triggered even when the parent is lowering a sleeping infant into bed. Swaddling helps to reduce this reflex, thereby letting the baby, and parents, get more sleep.
The Miracle Blanket vs. a Receiving Blanket
Traditionally, parents have used receiving blankets to swaddle their babies and help keep their baby calm. This has its drawbacks, however. It can be difficult to learn how to swaddle, and if the parent or care giver fails to do it correctly, it can fall open, causing the baby to wake up or become fussy again. This can even endanger the baby, if the loose blanket gets too close to the face.
The Miracle Blanket uses flaps to hold the baby’s arms down, and a pouch for the legs. The outer flaps then wrap around the baby securely, holding everything in place with no need for ties or Velcro. When put on properly, it is very difficult for a baby to wiggle their way out of, thus giving parents extra time between night feedings.
Where the Miracle Blanket Falls Short
While the Miracle Blanket is extremely useful in the first few months of a baby’s life, it does have some minor issues.
It does take some practice to put on properly, particularly when the baby is very young. Many parents may have a hard time getting their baby’s arms down straight at their sides at first, fearing that they are harming the baby. With time, the baby will learn to relax and allow their arms to be held down straight as the blanket is being put on, but the first several times can be a challenge.
The Miracle Blanket only comes in one size, so while some babies will benefit from being swaddled well past 3–4 months of age, they will begin to outgrow the blanket at this time. Placing the baby’s shoulders above the wrap will help with the length, but the outer wrap will fail to go around the baby adequate times once the baby reaches a certain size.
Where to Purchase
The Miracle Blanket can be found online at Amazon.com or at the official Miracle Blanket website. It can also be found in many brick and mortar stores across the country, which can be located through the Miracle Blanket website, by typing a zip code into their store locator.
Once parents and babies learn the benefits of swaddling, and have been using the Miracle Blanket to help achieve a calm baby, and a good night’s sleep, it is more feasible to transition to a traditional swaddling blanket or receiving blanket. For the first few months of life, however, the Miracle Blanket truly lives up to its name, and its job description, with flying colors.
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