Nothing soothes parents so much as the sight of a peacefully sleeping baby. A child's dream is not only an opportunity for rest for mom and dad, but also an important condition for healthy development of the body. To ensure the child's sleep, parents need to know and consider a variety of rules, conditions and factors. In this article, we'll talk about different types of baby blankets and what kind of blanket is best for the child.
Basic requirements for baby blankets
Regardless of the type, composition or size, the baby blanket should have the following properties:
- be hypoallergenic. Every year, the number of toddlers is increasing, and there is no need to create an extra threat to the child's health. Hypoallergenic baby blanket reduces the risk of irritation and allergic reactions;
- be warm enough to warm the child;
- to let in air, so that even if sheltered from the head, the baby could breathe without problems. Otherwise, a greenhouse effect is created, the child will be hot and uncomfortable. Counting on a calm sleep under such a blanket is not necessary, in addition, the risk of hypoxia increases;
- be hygroscopic. This will create a comfortable, not too wet atmosphere under the blanket. Babies often sweat in a dream, and the blanket should not prevent the evaporation of moisture;
- easy to wear off and keep the shape and properties after washing and drying.
There are a lot of varieties of children's blankets on the market: from holofayber, baikas, sintepon, down, wool, etc. Each of these species has different properties, its own advantages and disadvantages. It is best to have several different blankets at home, using them in different situations. At a minimum, you should buy two blankets - for a warm and cold season.
Standard baby blankets have a size of 145x100 cm. Such blankets are used from birth to the time when the child grows up. As soon as the baby blanket becomes small for a child, start using usual adult blankets (140x205, 155x215, 172x205 or 200x220 cm).
Characteristics of different types of blankets
Natural blankets
- Downy baby blanket is soft and durable, it can be used in any season - under it it's not hot in summer, and in winter it's not cold. This is ensured by good thermal conductivity, as well as the ability to maintain natural air circulation. But at the same time it does not suit allergy sufferers, it can trigger dust mites and such a blanket easily dampens - it must be dried periodically. If you decide to buy a downy baby blanket, it is preferable to choose quilted models. And the stitch "squares" is better than "rows".
- A blanket made of sheep's wool . Baby blankets of this type excellently retain heat. At the same time they are light,
Durable and remarkably absorb moisture. Even if your child sweats very much in a dream, a wool blanket will be able to keep the humidity level within a comfortable framework. In addition, the sweat absorbed by the wool quickly disappears. Quilted wool blankets are an excellent choice for winter, for a summer period blankets in the form of a woolen blanket are more suitable. Remember that to store wool and clothes from it should be in a dry, ventilated place, and use the means repelling the moth. In addition, sometimes wool can cause allergic reactions and therefore not suitable for all children. In addition to the wool of sheep, for blankets they also use camel, goat, fine wool merino and alpaca. - Baby blanket . Like all natural fillers, cotton wool keeps heat well and absorbs moisture. An additional advantage of such blankets is their low (compared to other types of blankets made from natural materials) cost. But to date, such blankets are not the most popular because of their high weight and ability to absorb and preserve smells.
- Bamboo baby blanket . Such blankets are very light, "breathable" and are excellent for use in the warm season. They are hypoallergenic and almost do not absorb odors. However, when using blankets made of bamboo fiber, you should know some of the characteristics of care: do not dry clean, wash at temperatures not higher than 30 ° C, only in gentle mode without spinning in a centrifuge. Dry naturally by spreading on a horizontal surface.
- Children's flannel blanket . Such blankets are made of cotton and are completely natural. They are lighter than wadded and softer than woolen. This is one of the cheapest and most practical types of blankets. It does not require special care and is perfectly washed in a washing machine (at 40 ° C), while retaining its properties and shape.
- Baby terry blanket is a kind of blankets made of natural materials. They are made of cotton, linen, bamboo. The fabric of mahrs is distinguished by the kind of weaving, more precisely, the type of feeding of the loops in the production process. Such blankets have all the advantages of natural fabrics - warm, "breathable", light, they also have a light massage effect. Prices differ depending on the material from which the blanket is made.
Blankets made of synthetic materials
To date, the choice of blankets made of synthetic materials is very wide - sintepon, silicone, fleece, tinsulate, holofayber, komforel - this is not a complete list of modern artificial fillers.
- Children's synthetic blanket . Its main advantage is cheapness and durability. Blankets made of sintepon are hypoallergenic, light in weight and do not require complex care. But they do not absorb moisture very well and do not pass air too well.
- Fleece baby blanket . Blankets made of fleece are made of polyester fibers. They keep the heat well, do not cause allergies, are very soft and easily erased. In addition, fleece cloth is able to "breathe", which is a rarity for synthetics. But it is important to remember that fleece without special treatment is flammable, electrified enough, and its cheap options quickly "roll off" and lose an attractive look. Sometimes sellers can assure you that their goods are made of "cotton fleece." Do not believe. Fleece is originally a synthetic fabric. In it there can be natural additives, but the basis is always one - polyester.