Why Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets are the Ultimate Babywearing Accessory

There are a million and one ways to make use of an Aden and Anais swaddle when you have a baby, and I have started to realize that they make the ultimate babywearing accessory.

Channing Tatum here demonstrates my favorite use of and A & A blanket as a hood for a wrap, along with how to be an adorable babywearing father.

I bought my first A & A swaddle while I was still pregnant with my first, just to see what all of the hype was about. When you become involved in baby-related groups on Facebook and mommy sites, it is almost impossible to avoid the market saturation that Aden and Anais has created. Everyone and their mother (literally) seems to have a stash of these muslin and organic cotton beauties for their little one. And for good reason because, as I have learned in the first months of being a mother, You should ALWAYS keep a blanket on your person. From spit-up to cuddles, this is the ultimate light, airy all-in-one blankie. Oh, and did I mention I'm totally obsessed?

Here are my top uses of an Aden and Anais swaddle as a versatile babywearing accessory:

1. Makeshift Hood and Sunshade Most newborn carriers lack a much needed hood attachment, like the popular Moby for example. And with a newborn's sensitive skin, sunburn is to be avoided at all cost. A hood also works as a sunshade for when you snuggled baby falls asleep while babywearing and you need to be in the sun or even indoor light.
2. Nursing Cover I hear mothers everyday complaining about how hot and heavy the blanket they use to discreetly nurse in public is, and everyday those mothers are encouraged to use Aden and Anais as a substitute. I personally believe in the mantra "You don't want to see my breast when I feed my child, put a blanket on your own head", but when you are around family, or simply uncomfortable with whipping a boob out in front of people, these swaddles are your go-to cover.
3. Infant Insert Most baby carriers fit infants around twelve pounds and over (unlike wraps that adjust to fit smaller babies) and offer something called an infant insert as a kind of full-body cushion that helps a smaller child fit correctly in the carrier. However, instead of spending money on top of the actual carrier itself, an A & A swaddle, rolled as it comes in it's package and inserted between the legs of the infant for height and another behind the neck for support, works just as well and is just as safe when properly used.
4. Neck Support As mentioned in the last use, a rolled swaddle will work perfectly as a neck support in a wrap or carrier while babywearing. Especially as a newborn, babies have very little neck strength and need help holding their head steady when they are upright.
5. Bib and Drool Guard A lot more carriers nowadays are including a removable drool guard to protect the carrier's clothing from large "drool pools", as I like to call them. I have found that an Aden and Anais blanket wrapped either around the babywearer or the.... babywearee? works just as well for soaking up any fluids leaking from either person.

Now I know you're just itching to ask where you can find some of these miracle swaddles, and I'll tell you "www.AdenandAnais.com, of course!" You can also find lower prices on gently used swaddles on Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade groups.